I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at FEMA (New York, NY) in Mar 2010
Interview
Hiring is fairly simple. Go to pbdisasterservices@pbworld.com or google PaRR (Partnership for Response and Recovery). Historicaly, these two companies have been the largest contractors for FEMA. There is some question as to whether or not PaRR will maintain its status going forward. Simply register to be an inspector, complete the online modules, pass a background check ... you're ready to go!
The interview process: There is none. Your viability as inspector is based on passing the online modules. The benefit here is that you can retake each module until you pass. This is a fairly tedious process (plan on 12 hours total), but it's worth it.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
The most difficult aspect of the work occurs just after deployment. You will be flown into a disaster area, briefed on the specifics of the event, then EVENTUALLY deployed to an area, usually close to the city into which you arrived. There can be a bit of a delay here, or occasionally you'll have to drive some distance (50-150 miles), before you actually start inspecting, and earning money. Ultimately, you have some up-front expenses to shoulder (Car Rental, Hotel, Food), but within 5 days of actually starting inspections you receive a "draw" of $1500.