Management
Turmoil at FEMA adds to the revolt against Kristi Noem
The homeland security secretary has all but halted the agency’s disaster spending.
Management
Lawsuit seeks to stop FEMA from cutting its workforce in half
Staff reductions at the disaster agency were put on hold last week, as it faced the recent winter storm.
Management
Some FEMA employee layoffs put on hold, while reform council renewed
The pause in reducing Cadre of On-Call Response and Recovery (CORE) employees comes as the U.S. faces a winter storm.
Workforce
Democrats decry reports that Trump will further slash FEMA's workforce
Leaked documents show FEMA could cut thousands of employees, though the agency says no final decisions have been made.
Management
Major meeting on FEMA overhaul recommendation suddenly shelved
The scheduled gathering of the FEMA review council was supposed to include "a public vote on the draft final report" outlining recommendations about the future of the federal agency, but was abruptly canceled Thursday.
Management
FEMA’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year
On its third acting administrator this year, the disaster management agency has faced workforce cuts, leadership instability and an uncertain future in the Trump administration.
Workforce
‘Where is this so-called efficiency?’ Current and former FEMA employees protest Trump overhauls to disaster agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency employees who publicly signed a letter criticizing the Trump administration’s changes to the agency have been on administrative leave since August.
Management
Which agencies do Americans think are doing a good job?
Recent surveys have shown that how Republicans and Democrats view federal agencies has switched since Donald Trump became president again.
Management
Disparities emerge in FEMA disaster assistance after Hurricane Helene
An analysis of FEMA housing assistance following Hurricane Helene reveals that higher-income households in North Carolina's rural counties received more aid, raising concerns about equity in disaster relief distribution.
Workforce
FEMA’s staffing shortages have hindered past disaster recovery efforts, GAO says. Now the agency has even fewer workers
A watchdog report found that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has had to reassign employees working on ongoing disaster recovery to respond to new disasters and deploy staffers to perform jobs they’re largely not trained to do.
Workforce
Noem terminates 24 FEMA workers for failing to address cyber vulnerabilities
An internal FEMA email obtained by Nextgov/FCW ordered all agency employees to change their passwords “due to recent cybersecurity incidents and threats.”
Management
Hurricane Katrina: 3 painful lessons for emergency management are increasingly important 20 years later
On the eve of the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and the looming reform of FEMA, lessons learned from the emergency management disaster remain pertinent.
Management
Will states take on more FEMA duties? Congress, Trump council debate agency’s fate
The future of the natural disaster response agency could depend on a 12-member board crafting recommendations for President Trump.
Management
Why FEMA is essential in disasters, and how losing independent agency status hurt its ability to function
Decades of disaster response history help explain how changes to FEMA’s structure have affected its ability to manage emergencies.
Management
States fear critical funding from FEMA may be drying up
Many states rely on the federal government for the vast majority of their emergency management funding. Now, local leaders are looking for clues about the money — and the future of FEMA itself.
Management
Cuts to FEMA and other agencies will lead to slow disaster response, former administrator says
“It just slows down the entire response and delays the recovery process from starting,” the previous FEMA chief said.
Management
Trump’s plan to overhaul disaster agency once hurricane season is over prompts Democratic concerns
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has already experienced staffing cuts and leadership changes ahead of an “above-normal” hurricane season.
Management
More than 80 lawmakers from both parties urge Trump to unfreeze FEMA funding
The bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency urging support for a grant program that helps local communities strengthen their preparedness for natural disasters.
Management
FEMA leader ousted, one day after publicly opposing agency’s elimination
Cam Hamilton, senior official performing the duties of the administrator at FEMA, was let go just one day after he testified before Congress about the size and scope of the federal agency.
Management