Emergency Response
FEMA vows readiness as it prepares responses to concurrent crises
The emergency management agency has all the staff it needs for Helene and Milton work, administrator says.
USPS employees in hurricane-ravaged areas deal with loss—and still make their deliveries
Postal workers are navigating downed power lines, fallen trees, sinkholes, and their own tragic circumstances as they carry mail for devastated communities.
‘All hands on deck:’ From Hawaii to Texas, FEMA employees pitch in on Helene response
FEMA personnel, even those not deployed, are working long hours to get supplies where they are needed.
OPM announces leave transfer program for feds affected by Helene
Federal employees will soon be able to donate unused leave to their colleagues who need time to recover after Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction across the Southeast.
Federal agencies have deployed 3,600 employees in Helene response
Biden promises feds will stay as long as necessary, and FEMA says it may tap volunteers from other agencies to aid in response.
HHS expands health benefits eligibility for 9/11 responders under new rule
The interim final rule, published on the 23rd anniversary of the terror attack, opens eligibility for the World Trade Center Health Program to resolve coverage gaps for Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, responders.
Biden’s FEMA director tried to fix the agency. Did she succeed?
Deanne Criswell discusses new reforms at FEMA, funding challenges and how the agency approaches emergency response.
Supreme Court’s ruling on Chevron framework will lead to policy shifts by federal emergency management and housing agencies
COMMENTARY | The changes the ruling brings will have real-world implications, argues one former FEMA official.
FEMA is promising to be more 'forward-leaning' this hurricane season
The agency wants to get its staff deployed earlier in the process ahead of what is shaping up to be an intense period of potential disasters.
Under-resourced FEMA would see new commitment to growing workforce under bipartisan bill
The agency has struggled to keep pace with new and increased demands.
FEMA is making an example of this Florida boomtown. Locals call it ‘revenge politics’
The Biden administration is trying to punish Lee County for rebuilding flood-prone homes. The state’s Republican politicians are fighting back.
Maryland delegation to launch bipartisan push for funds to rebuild collapsed Baltimore bridge
A pending bill would allow the state to avoid incurring 10% of the costs of rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Indigenous Pacific wildfire survivors on Maui can finally get FEMA help
The new fiscal 2024 spending bill has re-established Compact of Free Association citizens' access to federal safety net programs after it was inadvertently removed by the 1996 Welfare Reform Act.
Rebuilding the collapsed Baltimore bridge ‘will not be quick or easy or cheap,’ Buttigieg says
Reopening the Port of Baltimore is among the Biden administration’s top priorities in the aftermath of the collapse.
Biden vows to rebuild collapsed Baltimore bridge as feds lead emergency response
Six people remain missing after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River early Tuesday when a cargo ship lost control and crashed into a support column.
Lawmakers debate the role of an overworked and under-resourced FEMA
Despite some hiring success, FEMA is taking on more tasks while operating at 65% capacity.
10 strategies HHS could use to bolster its preparedness for public health emergencies
COMMENTARY | The Health and Human Services Department should lean in on improving employee engagement and collaboration, writes one observer.
With catastrophes on the rise, a new report outlines how agencies can integrate their response
A new study from the National Academy of Public Administration and the IBM Center for the Business of Government details strategies the federal government can take to absorb the shock of unprecedented national and international events and mitigate their institutional risks.
With wildfires looming, Congress must act to prevent an exodus of firefighters
COMMENTARY | Firefighters protect communities and people, asking for little in return: equipment to do our jobs safely, benefits that recognize the inherent dangers of our work, and pay that is sufficient to take care of our families, writes one advocate.
Biden administration soliciting volunteers throughout government to deploy for disaster response
FEMA has said the assignments from other agencies could help ensure an adequate recovery effort.
