Natural disasters test us.  They exist at the intersection of nature, law, and society to show us where our systems are failing.  Beyond physical damage, they magnify weaknesses in our socioeconomic and legal systems.  In an attempt to leverage the lessons disasters bring, this Article analyzes the administrative institutions that govern disaster relief from the perspective of law, history, equity, and institutional design.  This intersectional analysis uncovers a system fragmented by centuries of disorganization and infused with socioeconomic discrimination.  Minor revisions cannot fix our federal approach to disaster relief:  an institutional overhaul is required to achieve good governance.