Brace for Impact: How FEMA is Preparing for Hurricane Season and What It Means for You

In recent months, there’s been a lot of chatter about the future of FEMA, especially from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. She’s mentioned possibly eliminating the agency, which has raised eyebrows as we head into hurricane season. However, behind the scenes, Noem appears to be making efforts to retain key FEMA employees and approve disaster reimbursements for states hit by past disasters.

At a Cabinet meeting, Noem boldly stated, “We are eliminating FEMA.” This statement echoed sentiments from Trump, who has hinted at reducing FEMA’s role since his second inauguration. Notably, Cameron Hamilton, the acting FEMA administrator, was dismissed just after he argued that cutting FEMA wouldn’t serve the American public well.

Despite the rhetoric, internal documents reveal a different story. On May 19, Noem approved a request from David Richardson, the new acting FEMA administrator, to retain over 2,600 employees set to leave. This move ensures vital personnel remain in place during crucial months when hurricanes may strike. In fiscal 2022, FEMA had about 8,800 such temporary employees, known as the Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees (CORE).

Interestingly, FEMA employees felt relieved when the decision was made to keep these workers on board, especially after earlier talks of cuts. Simultaneously, the White House has started approving disaster recovery funds for 10 states, which had been stalled for months. These approvals made up 20% of all disaster funds granted during Trump’s second term.

Traditionally, state and local governments depend on federal support to cover 75% of disaster costs. In the past, FEMA’s recommendations for reimbursements were usually approved without much scrutiny. But now, with Noem pushing back, the White House is scrutinizing these requests more closely, which has raised concerns about whether states can manage these costs independently. For many states, like North Carolina or Mississippi, this shift could strain their budgets significantly. Michael Coen, a former FEMA chief of staff, emphasized the challenges state officials might face without federal assistance. He noted that some states could find themselves in a financial bind, possibly needing to issue bonds or rethink their budgets entirely.

Despite keeping the CORE employees, there’s a noticeable departure of seasoned leadership from FEMA. Recently, 16 senior officials announced their exits, leading to worries about the agency’s preparedness for this hurricane season. The loss of experienced staff can make it difficult for FEMA to respond adequately to disasters, leaving only a fraction of the necessary personnel to tackle the upcoming challenges.

In total, these dynamics suggest that while there’s a push to critique and restructure FEMA, the reality on the ground shows a need to hold on to and support the agency’s fundamental roles—especially when disaster hits.

For further insights on FEMA’s structure and its responses, you can check out the Government Accountability Office report and the FEMA disaster approval data online.

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