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New York Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
How Trump Is Changing FEMA as Hurricane Season Begins
Atlantic Hurricane season officially began this week and it comes at an uneasy time for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Last month, the head of FEMA was dismissed, and several senior officials have left. This has come after threats from the Trump administration to dismantle the agency and cuts across multiple federal agencies that are key to storm prediction and response. FEMA has lost about a quarter of its full-time staff in recent months. As several of my colleagues reported, all of that has left cities and states uncertain about how much federal support they'll have when a disaster or storm strikes. The Trump administration has argued that states should bear more responsibility for disaster recovery. For years, emergency managers across the political spectrum have agreed that states could do more before calling for federal help. In 2017, the FEMA director floated a 'disaster deductible,' which would have required states to commit to spending a certain amount of their own money. I spoke to former FEMA officials to understand some of the worries about the agency. Some of them said the administration's actions leading up to this year's hurricane season had wasted crucial planning time, left states without time to prepare and had potentially put people in danger. The changes have pushed some high-level officials to leave the agency. 'Everyone has a line, and I have reached mine,' said MaryAnn Tierney, who until last month was the second-in-command at FEMA, in a recent message to agency staff that was shared with The New York Times. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Reuters
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
FEMA senior officials exit en masse as Trump targets agency
WASHINGTON, May 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency announced the departure of 16 senior executives on Wednesday, a significant shakeup of its leadership ranks less than two weeks before the start of what is expected to be a busy hurricane season. Those leaving include MaryAnn Tierney, a 26-year emergency management veteran who until May 9 had been the agency's acting No. 2, as well as key people in finance and disaster response, according to internal emails seen by Reuters. The agency, which coordinates the federal response to natural disasters, has been roiled by the loss of hundreds of staff and low morale since finding itself targeted by President Donald Trump. Trump wants FEMA to be shrunk or even abolished, arguing that many of its functions can be carried out by the states. The changes have, however, disrupted the agency's planning for the hurricane season, stoking concern that it will be ill-equipped to deal with any disaster. The departures unveiled on Wednesday follow the abrupt firing of FEMA's then-acting administrator Cameron Hamilton earlier this month. The agency's new leader, David Richardson, has vowed to "run right over" staff who resist reforms. In emails to staff, acting FEMA chief of staff Julia Moline thanked the departing executives and announced several replacements, including the appointment of Cynthia Spishak as acting deputy administrator, the role Tierney held. FEMA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The mass departure of senior talent represents a significant loss of institutional knowledge that will further degrade FEMA's capacity to respond to disasters, said Michael Coen, former FEMA chief of staff under the administrations of former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Coen called Tierney, a regional administrator who has managed over 100 disaster and emergency declarations for an area that includes Pennsylvania and Delaware, a "leader of leaders" and said she "will be the most significant loss." Tierney said her decision to resign was not easy. "FEMA is not a job, it's a calling," Tierney said in a statement to Reuters. "It was a privilege to serve alongside a team of people who dedicate themselves to helping their fellow Americans on their worst day." Other departing executives include acting chief financial officer Monroe Neal; Eric Leckey, who was responsible for human resources and other management support functions; and Leiloni Stainsby, a high-ranking executive in the agency's office overseeing response and recovery operations. Forecasters have predicted a busier-than-average Atlantic hurricane season, which starts June 1. Representative Bennie Thompson, the senior Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee with oversight of FEMA, said in a statement that the exit of so many senior executives exacerbated his concerns about the agency. "Decimating FEMA's leadership will do nothing to help the agency prepare for the upcoming hurricane season," he said. Richardson has promised the agency will be prepared. Earlier on Wednesday, he sent a memo to staff rescinding the agency's strategic plan for 2022-2026 because it "contained objectives that bear no connection to FEMA accomplishing its mission." Richardson said in the memo that a new strategy for 2026-2030 would be developed this summer.
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
FEMA senior officials exit en masse as Trump targets agency
* FEMA informs staff of departure of 16 senior executives * Departing execs include MaryAnn Tierney, recently agency No. 2 * Departures come ahead of start to hurricane season on June 1 WASHINGTON, - The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency announced the departure of 16 senior executives on Wednesday, a significant shakeup of its leadership ranks less than two weeks before the start of what is expected to be a busy hurricane season. Those leaving include MaryAnn Tierney, a 26-year emergency management veteran who until May 9 had been the agency's acting No. 2, as well as key people in finance and disaster response, according to internal emails seen by Reuters. The agency, which coordinates the federal response to natural disasters, has been roiled by the loss of hundreds of staff and low morale since finding itself targeted by President Donald Trump. Trump wants FEMA to be shrunk or even abolished, arguing that many of its functions can be carried out by the states. The changes have, however, disrupted the agency's planning for the hurricane season, stoking concern that it will be ill-equipped to deal with any disaster. The departures unveiled on Wednesday follow the abrupt firing of FEMA's then-acting administrator Cameron Hamilton earlier this month. The agency's new leader, David Richardson, has vowed to "run right over" staff who resist reforms. In emails to staff, acting FEMA chief of staff Julia Moline thanked the departing executives and announced several replacements, including the appointment of Cynthia Spishak as acting deputy administrator, the role Tierney held. FEMA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The mass departure of senior talent represents a significant loss of institutional knowledge that will further degrade FEMA's capacity to respond to disasters, said Michael Coen, former FEMA chief of staff under the administrations of former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Coen called Tierney, a regional administrator who has managed over 100 disaster and emergency declarations for an area that includes Pennsylvania and Delaware, a "leader of leaders" and said she "will be the most significant loss." Tierney said her decision to resign was not easy. "FEMA is not a job, it's a calling," Tierney said in a statement to Reuters. "It was a privilege to serve alongside a team of people who dedicate themselves to helping their fellow Americans on their worst day." Other departing executives include acting chief financial officer Monroe Neal; Eric Leckey, who was responsible for human resources and other management support functions; and Leiloni Stainsby, a high-ranking executive in the agency's office overseeing response and recovery operations. Forecasters have predicted a busier-than-average Atlantic hurricane season, which starts June 1. Representative Bennie Thompson, the senior Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee with oversight of FEMA, said in a statement that the exit of so many senior executives exacerbated his concerns about the agency. "Decimating FEMA's leadership will do nothing to help the agency prepare for the upcoming hurricane season," he said. Richardson has promised the agency will be prepared. Earlier on Wednesday, he sent a memo to staff rescinding the agency's strategic plan for 2022-2026 because it "contained objectives that bear no connection to FEMA accomplishing its mission." Richardson said in the memo that a new strategy for 2026-2030 would be developed this summer.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NC House panel advances bill restricting K-12 student cell phone use
Photo: Daniel deA bill requiring North Carolina school boards to adopt policies restricting student cell phone use during instructional time cleared a state House committee Tuesday. The House Judiciary 2 Committee approved House Bill 87 on a voice vote. The bill would allow individual school districts to create their own policies regarding cell phone restrictions. The bill differs from Senate Bill 55, which passed the Senate earlier this month and is far stricter. The Senate bill would require local education agencies to implement policies that ban students from using 'wireless communication devices' during instructional time. The bill defines a wireless communication device as 'any portable wireless device that has the capability to provide voice, messaging, or other data communication between two or more parties,' including cellular telephones, tablet computers, laptop computers, paging devices, two-way radios, and gaming devices. During Tuesday's committee meeting, several members of the public called for a 'bell-to-bell' policy, which generally means restricting phone use from the start to the end of the school day. 'Our children need a policy that provides strong guardrails all day to keep them from this addictive behavior, particularly between classes, when they are vulnerable to mental health insults from inappropriate content and cyberbullying,' said Mary Ann Tierney, a nurse and executive director of Safe Tech NC. Lina Nealon, a national expert on child online safety and a parent of Durham public school students, also voiced her support for a 'bell-to-bell' policy. 'When kids' faces are pressed to their phones outside of instruction time, they lose moments of closeness and critical thinking,' Nealon said. 'A bell-to-bell policy would prevent second-hand smartphone harm.' But the bill's sponsors — Republicans Neal Jackson, Brian Biggs, Mike Schietzelt, and Blair Eddins — say they would leave it to individual school districts to decide how to implement the policy, opposing a one-size-fits-all approach. Opponents of the bill have argued that limiting cell phone access could prevent students from communicating in emergencies. Tech advocates contend that restricting devices could stifle new avenues for learning. Currently, around 77 school districts in North Carolina have their own cell phone policies, according to legislative staff. The proposed bill would require all districts to implement a policy. The bill includes exceptions for: Remote charter academies Remote academies Virtual charter schools participating in a pilot program authorized by state law The bill now heads to the House Rules Committee before potentially advancing to a full House vote.
