Latest news with #ex-FEMA
National Observer
09-07-2025
- Politics
- National Observer
Texas flooding, and politics around it, highlight the challenges Trump faces in replacing FEMA
Just weeks ago, President Donald Trump said he wanted to begin 'phasing out' the Federal Emergency Management Agency after this hurricane season to 'wean off of FEMA' and 'bring it down to the state level.' But after months of promises to overhaul or eliminate the federal agency charged with responding to disasters, Trump and his administration are touting a fast and robust federal response to the devastating Texas floods. In doing so, they are aligning more closely with a traditional model of disaster response — and less with the dramatic reform the president has proposed. The president approved Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's request for a major disaster declaration just one day after it was submitted, activating FEMA resources and unlocking assistance for survivors and local governments. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Trump in a presidential Cabinet meeting Tuesday morning that FEMA was deploying funding and resources quickly. 'We're cutting through the paperwork of the old FEMA, streamlining it, much like your vision of how FEMA should operate,' Noem said. Noem said the rapid delivery of funds to Texas resembled the 'state block grants' model Trump has promoted. It's an idea that would replace FEMA's current system of reimbursing states for response and recovery expenses at a cost-share of at least 75%. But ex-FEMA officials say it's unclear how the response differs from FEMA's typical role in disasters, which is to support states through coordination and funding. Instead, they say, the vigorous federal response underscores how difficult it would be for states to take on FEMA's responsibilities if it were dismantled. 'This is a defining event that can help them realize that a Federal Emergency Management Agency is essential,' said Michael Coen, FEMA chief of staff in the Obama and Biden administrations. 'Imagine if an event like this happened a year from now, after FEMA is eliminated. What would the president or secretary (Noem) offer to the governor of Texas if there is no FEMA?' The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA did not immediately respond to questions about Noem's remarks, including whether FEMA was doing something different in how it moved money to Texas, or why it resembled a block-grant system. FEMA will have multiple roles in Texas While Noem and Trump have emphasized that Texas is leading the response and recovery to the floods, that has always been FEMA's role, said Justin Knighten, the agency's director of external affairs during the Biden administration. 'The state is in the lead. FEMA is invited into the state to support,' Knighten said. He said that while Texas' division of emergency management is one of the most experienced in the country, even the most capable states face catastrophes that overwhelm them: 'When there's capacity challenges and resource need, that's where FEMA steps in.' One of FEMA's primary roles will be to coordinate resources from other federal agencies. If the state needs the Army Corps of Engineers to help with debris removal, Health and Human Services for mortuary support and crisis counseling, or EPA for water quality testing, FEMA arranges that at the state's request and then reimburses those agencies. 'FEMA becomes a one-point entry for all federal support,' Coen said. The agency also coordinates first-responder support — like search-and-rescue teams deployed from across the country — and reimburses those costs. It administers the National Flood Insurance Program, which gives homeowners and renters access to flood coverage not typically included in general policies. Those with insufficient insurance or none at all will rely heavily on FEMA's Individual Assistance program, which supports survivors with needs like temporary housing and home repairs. On Wednesday, the agency is opening disaster recovery centers where households can get help applying for assistance, according to Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. The Public Assistance program will reimburse state and local governments for most or all of the costs of infrastructure repairs. States would have trouble replacing FEMA While Trump and Noem often say they want states to take on more responsibility in disaster response, experts say the tragedy in Texas underscores how even the most capable states need support. 'It's true that Texas is very capable, but I think it's something that people forget that FEMA pays for a lot of state and local emergency capacity,' said Maddie Sloan, director of the disaster recovery and fair housing project at the policy nonprofit Texas Appleseed. The Texas Division of Emergency Management's budget of over $2 billion is mostly funded through federal grants. 'If a state like Texas asks for federal assistance within two days, the smaller states that are less capable don't stand a chance,' said Jeremy Edwards, FEMA's deputy director of public affairs during the Biden administration. States would have to set up their own recovery programs and to coordinate with each federal agency if they were given block grants in lieu of FEMA involvement. 'Without FEMA, a governor or a state has to be calling around and have a Rolodex of the whole federal government to call and try and figure out what support they can get,' Coen said. There are plenty of reforms that could improve how FEMA reimburses states and helps survivors, experts said, but eliminating it risks big gaps in recovery. 'We have spent a lot of time encouraging FEMA to be better, but if FEMA goes away, there is no help for individual families," Sloan said. Uncertain future for federal disaster response Trump has deflected questions about what the Texas response means for FEMA's future. A 12-member review council established by the president and charged with proposing FEMA reforms will meet for the second time Wednesday. Abbott and Kidd are both on the council. At the first meeting, Abbott called FEMA 'slow and clunky' and said reforms should 'streamline the effort." He has praised Trump's quick disaster declaration in Texas. While no large reforms to the agency have been enacted yet, smaller policy changes could impact Texas' recovery. This spring, the administration did away with FEMA's practice of door-to-door canvassing to help households enroll for assistance, calling it 'wasteful and ineffective.' Many of the impacted areas in Kerr County and beyond still lack power and accessible roads, which will make it difficult for households to apply immediately for help.
09-07-2025
- Politics
Texas flooding, and politics around it, underscore the challenges Trump faces in replacing FEMA
Just weeks ago, President Donald Trump said he wanted to begin 'phasing out' the Federal Emergency Management Agency after this hurricane season to 'wean off of FEMA' and 'bring it down to the state level.' But after months of promises to overhaul or eliminate the federal agency charged with responding to disasters, Trump and his administration are touting a fast and robust federal response to the devastating Texas floods. In doing so, they are aligning more closely with a traditional model of disaster response — and less with the dramatic reform the president has proposed. The president approved Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's request for a major disaster declaration just one day after it was submitted, activating FEMA resources and unlocking assistance for survivors and local governments. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Trump in a presidential Cabinet meeting Tuesday morning that FEMA was deploying funding and resources quickly. 'We're cutting through the paperwork of the old FEMA, streamlining it, much like your vision of how FEMA should operate,' Noem said. Noem said the rapid delivery of funds to Texas resembled the 'state block grants' model Trump has promoted. It's an idea that would replace FEMA's current system of reimbursing states for response and recovery expenses at a cost-share of at least 75%. But ex-FEMA officials say it's unclear how the response differs from FEMA's typical role in disasters, which is to support states through coordination and funding. Instead, they say, the vigorous federal response underscores how difficult it would be for states to take on FEMA's responsibilities if it were dismantled. 'This is a defining event that can help them realize that a Federal Emergency Management Agency is essential,' said Michael Coen, FEMA chief of staff in the Obama and Biden administrations. 'Imagine if an event like this happened a year from now, after FEMA is eliminated. What would the president or secretary (Noem) offer to the governor of Texas if there is no FEMA?' The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA did not immediately respond to questions about Noem's remarks, including whether FEMA was doing something different in how it moved money to Texas, or why it resembled a block-grant system. While Noem and Trump have emphasized that Texas is leading the response and recovery to the floods, that has always been FEMA's role, said Justin Knighten, the agency's director of external affairs during the Biden administration. 'The state is in the lead. FEMA is invited into the state to support,' Knighten said. He said that while Texas' division of emergency management is one of the most experienced in the country, even the most capable states face catastrophes that overwhelm them: 'When there's capacity challenges and resource need, that's where FEMA steps in.' One of FEMA's primary roles will be to coordinate resources from other federal agencies. If the state needs the Army Corps of Engineers to help with debris removal, Health and Human Services for mortuary support and crisis counseling, or EPA for water quality testing, FEMA arranges that at the state's request and then reimburses those agencies. 'FEMA becomes a one-point entry for all federal support,' Coen said. The agency also coordinates first-responder support — like search-and-rescue teams deployed from across the country — and reimburses those costs. It administers the National Flood Insurance Program, which gives homeowners and renters access to flood coverage not typically included in general policies. Those with insufficient insurance or none at all will rely heavily on FEMA's Individual Assistance program, which supports survivors with needs like temporary housing and home repairs. On Wednesday, the agency is opening disaster recovery centers where households can get help applying for assistance, according to Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. The Public Assistance program will reimburse state and local governments for most or all of the costs of infrastructure repairs. While Trump and Noem often say they want states to take on more responsibility in disaster response, experts say the tragedy in Texas underscores how even the most capable states need support. 'It's true that Texas is very capable, but I think it's something that people forget that FEMA pays for a lot of state and local emergency capacity,' said Maddie Sloan, director of the disaster recovery and fair housing project at the policy nonprofit Texas Appleseed. The Texas Division of Emergency Management's budget of over $2 billion is mostly funded through federal grants. 'If a state like Texas asks for federal assistance within two days, the smaller states that are less capable don't stand a chance,' said Jeremy Edwards, FEMA's deputy director of public affairs during the Biden administration. States would have to set up their own recovery programs and to coordinate with each federal agency if they were given block grants in lieu of FEMA involvement. 'Without FEMA, a governor or a state has to be calling around and have a Rolodex of the whole federal government to call and try and figure out what support they can get,' Coen said. There are plenty of reforms that could improve how FEMA reimburses states and helps survivors, experts said, but eliminating it risks big gaps in recovery. 'We have spent a lot of time encouraging FEMA to be better, but if FEMA goes away, there is no help for individual families," Sloan said. Trump has deflected questions about what the Texas response means for FEMA's future. A 12-member review council established by the president and charged with proposing FEMA reforms will meet for the second time Wednesday. Abbott and Kidd are both on the council. At the first meeting, Abbott called FEMA 'slow and clunky' and said reforms should 'streamline the effort." He has praised Trump's quick disaster declaration in Texas. While no large reforms to the agency have been enacted yet, smaller policy changes could impact Texas' recovery. This spring, the administration did away with FEMA's practice of door-to-door canvassing to help households enroll for assistance, calling it 'wasteful and ineffective.' Many of the impacted areas in Kerr County and beyond still lack power and accessible roads, which will make it difficult for households to apply immediately for help. Abbott's request for hazard mitigation funding, a common add-on to public and individual assistance that helps communities rebuild with resilience, is also still pending. Trump has not approved any hazard-mitigation assistance requests since February.
Hamilton Spectator
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Texas flooding, and politics around it, underscore the challenges Trump faces in replacing FEMA
Just weeks ago, President Donald Trump said he wanted to begin 'phasing out' the Federal Emergency Management Agency after this hurricane season to 'wean off of FEMA' and 'bring it down to the state level.' But after months of promises to overhaul or eliminate the federal agency charged with responding to disasters, Trump and his administration are touting a fast and robust federal response to the devastating Texas floods . In doing so, they are aligning more closely with a traditional model of disaster response — and less with the dramatic reform the president has proposed. The president approved Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's request for a major disaster declaration just one day after it was submitted, activating FEMA resources and unlocking assistance for survivors and local governments. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Trump in a presidential Cabinet meeting Tuesday morning that FEMA was deploying funding and resources quickly. 'We're cutting through the paperwork of the old FEMA, streamlining it, much like your vision of how FEMA should operate,' Noem said. Noem said the rapid delivery of funds to Texas resembled the 'state block grants' model Trump has promoted. It's an idea that would replace FEMA's current system of reimbursing states for response and recovery expenses at a cost-share of at least 75%. But ex-FEMA officials say it's unclear how the response differs from FEMA's typical role in disasters, which is to support states through coordination and funding. Instead, they say, the vigorous federal response underscores how difficult it would be for states to take on FEMA's responsibilities if it were dismantled. 'This is a defining event that can help them realize that a Federal Emergency Management Agency is essential,' said Michael Coen, FEMA chief of staff in the Obama and Biden administrations. 'Imagine if an event like this happened a year from now, after FEMA is eliminated. What would the president or secretary (Noem) offer to the governor of Texas if there is no FEMA?' The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA did not immediately respond to questions about Noem's remarks, including whether FEMA was doing something different in how it moved money to Texas, or why it resembled a block-grant system. FEMA will have multiple roles in Texas While Noem and Trump have emphasized that Texas is leading the response and recovery to the floods, that has always been FEMA's role, said Justin Knighten, the agency's director of external affairs during the Biden administration. 'The state is in the lead. FEMA is invited into the state to support,' Knighten said. He said that while Texas' division of emergency management is one of the most experienced in the country, even the most capable states face catastrophes that overwhelm them: 'When there's capacity challenges and resource need, that's where FEMA steps in.' One of FEMA's primary roles will be to coordinate resources from other federal agencies. If the state needs the Army Corps of Engineers to help with debris removal, Health and Human Services for mortuary support and crisis counseling, or EPA for water quality testing, FEMA arranges that at the state's request and then reimburses those agencies. 'FEMA becomes a one-point entry for all federal support,' Coen said. The agency also coordinates first-responder support — like search-and-rescue teams deployed from across the country — and reimburses those costs. It administers the National Flood Insurance Program, which gives homeowners and renters access to flood coverage not typically included in general policies. Those with insufficient insurance or none at all will rely heavily on FEMA's Individual Assistance program, which supports survivors with needs like temporary housing and home repairs. On Wednesday, the agency is opening disaster recovery centers where households can get help applying for assistance, according to Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. The Public Assistance program will reimburse state and local governments for most or all of the costs of infrastructure repairs. States would have trouble replacing FEMA While Trump and Noem often say they want states to take on more responsibility in disaster response, experts say the tragedy in Texas underscores how even the most capable states need support. 'It's true that Texas is very capable, but I think it's something that people forget that FEMA pays for a lot of state and local emergency capacity,' said Maddie Sloan, director of the disaster recovery and fair housing project at the policy nonprofit Texas Appleseed. The Texas Division of Emergency Management's budget of over $2 billion is mostly funded through federal grants . 'If a state like Texas asks for federal assistance within two days, the smaller states that are less capable don't stand a chance,' said Jeremy Edwards, FEMA's deputy director of public affairs during the Biden administration. States would have to set up their own recovery programs and to coordinate with each federal agency if they were given block grants in lieu of FEMA involvement. 'Without FEMA, a governor or a state has to be calling around and have a Rolodex of the whole federal government to call and try and figure out what support they can get,' Coen said. There are plenty of reforms that could improve how FEMA reimburses states and helps survivors, experts said, but eliminating it risks big gaps in recovery . 'We have spent a lot of time encouraging FEMA to be better, but if FEMA goes away, there is no help for individual families,' Sloan said. Uncertain future for federal disaster response Trump has deflected questions about what the Texas response means for FEMA's future. A 12-member review council established by the president and charged with proposing FEMA reforms will meet for the second time Wednesday. Abbott and Kidd are both on the council. At the first meeting, Abbott called FEMA 'slow and clunky' and said reforms should 'streamline the effort.' He has praised Trump's quick disaster declaration in Texas. While no large reforms to the agency have been enacted yet, smaller policy changes could impact Texas' recovery. This spring, the administration did away with FEMA's practice of door-to-door canvassing to help households enroll for assistance, calling it 'wasteful and ineffective.' Many of the impacted areas in Kerr County and beyond still lack power and accessible roads, which will make it difficult for households to apply immediately for help. Abbott's request for hazard mitigation funding, a common add-on to public and individual assistance that helps communities rebuild with resilience, is also still pending. Trump has not approved any hazard-mitigation assistance requests since February.
Boston Globe
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Texas flooding, and politics around it, underscore the challenges Trump faces in replacing FEMA
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Noem said the rapid delivery of funds to Texas resembled the 'state block grants' model Trump has promoted. It's an idea that would replace FEMA's current system of reimbursing states for response and recovery expenses at a cost-share of at least 75%. Advertisement But ex-FEMA officials say it's unclear how the response differs from FEMA's typical role in disasters, which is to support states through coordination and funding. Instead, they say, the vigorous federal response underscores how difficult it would be for states to take on FEMA's responsibilities if it were dismantled. Advertisement 'This is a defining event that can help them realize that a Federal Emergency Management Agency is essential,' said Michael Coen, FEMA chief of staff in the Obama and Biden administrations. 'Imagine if an event like this happened a year from now, after FEMA is eliminated. What would the president or secretary (Noem) offer to the governor of Texas if there is no FEMA?' The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA did not immediately respond to questions about Noem's remarks, including whether FEMA was doing something different in how it moved money to Texas, or why it resembled a block-grant system. FEMA will have multiple roles in Texas While Noem and Trump have emphasized that Texas is leading the response and recovery to the floods, that has always been FEMA's role, said Justin Knighten, the agency's director of external affairs during the Biden administration. 'The state is in the lead. FEMA is invited into the state to support,' Knighten said. He said that while Texas' division of emergency management is one of the most experienced in the country, even the most capable states face catastrophes that overwhelm them: 'When there's capacity challenges and resource need, that's where FEMA steps in.' One of FEMA's primary roles will be to coordinate resources from other federal agencies. If the state needs the Army Corps of Engineers to help with debris removal, Health and Human Services for mortuary support and crisis counseling, or EPA for water quality testing, FEMA arranges that at the state's request and then reimburses those agencies. 'FEMA becomes a one-point entry for all federal support,' Coen said. The agency also coordinates first-responder support — like search-and-rescue teams deployed from across the country — and reimburses those costs. It administers the National Flood Insurance Program, which gives homeowners and renters access to flood coverage not typically included in general policies. Advertisement Those with insufficient insurance or none at all will rely heavily on FEMA's Individual Assistance program, which supports survivors with needs like temporary housing and home repairs. On Wednesday, the agency is opening disaster recovery centers where households can get help applying for assistance, according to Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. The Public Assistance program will reimburse state and local governments for most or all of the costs of infrastructure repairs. States would have trouble replacing FEMA While Trump and Noem often say they want states to take on more responsibility in disaster response, experts say the tragedy in Texas underscores how even the most capable states need support. 'It's true that Texas is very capable, but I think it's something that people forget that FEMA pays for a lot of state and local emergency capacity,' said Maddie Sloan, director of the disaster recovery and fair housing project at the policy nonprofit Texas Appleseed. The Texas Division of Emergency Management's budget of over $2 billion is mostly funded through federal grants. 'If a state like Texas asks for federal assistance within two days, the smaller states that are less capable don't stand a chance,' said Jeremy Edwards, FEMA's deputy director of public affairs during the Biden administration. States would have to set up their own recovery programs and to coordinate with each federal agency if they were given block grants in lieu of FEMA involvement. 'Without FEMA, a governor or a state has to be calling around and have a Rolodex of the whole federal government to call and try and figure out what support they can get,' Coen said. Advertisement There are plenty of reforms that could improve how FEMA reimburses states and helps survivors, experts said, but eliminating it risks big gaps in recovery. 'We have spent a lot of time encouraging FEMA to be better, but if FEMA goes away, there is no help for individual families,' Sloan said. Uncertain future for federal disaster response Trump has deflected questions about what the Texas response means for FEMA's future. A 12-member review council established by the president and charged with proposing FEMA reforms will meet for the second time Wednesday. Abbott and Kidd are both on the council. At the first meeting, Abbott called FEMA 'slow and clunky' and said reforms should 'streamline the effort.' He has praised Trump's quick disaster declaration in Texas. While no large reforms to the agency have been enacted yet, smaller policy changes could impact Texas' recovery. This spring, the administration did away with FEMA's practice of door-to-door canvassing to help households enroll for assistance, calling it 'wasteful and ineffective.' Many of the impacted areas in Kerr County and beyond still lack power and accessible roads, which will make it difficult for households to apply immediately for help. Abbott's request for hazard mitigation funding, a common add-on to public and individual assistance that helps communities rebuild with resilience, is also still pending. Trump has not approved any hazard-mitigation assistance requests since February.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida says it's ready for hurricane season, with or without FEMA's help
Every hurricane season in Florida comes with uncertainty but there's a surprising new source of questions this year surrounding the federal agency that responds to disasters and has historically helped pay for often massive cleanup and recovery costs. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, already down thousands of employees under cuts directed by the Trump administration, is also under new marching orders to slash federal spending on disaster responses, leaving bigger shares of the bills to state and local governments. Republican state leaders — starting with Gov. Ron DeSantis and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott — have dismissed serious concerns over the FEMA overhaul, arguing that Florida has always directed response in the immediate wake of the storms. 'On the core prep, response and then stabilize and get people back to normal, just know that we've never relied on FEMA for any of that here in the state of Florida,' DeSantis told reporters last week. But he acknowledged there are still unresolved issues over how much, or how little, FEMA will pay for after hurricanes and other disasters. 'We're working through that,' he said. 'I assume that people will still qualify, but who knows how generous and all that.' South Florida governments say they are going into the season with more unknowns than normal. One is even talking about creating a brand-new disaster fund to cover the shortfalls they might see under the new regime. FEMA has floated proposals to sharply reduce federal financial help — a move that might not impact major hurricanes but could leave Florida fully on the hook for its smaller disasters, like the tornadoes that tore through Tallahassee last year or the massive flood that submerged Fort Lauderdale in 2023. 'Local governments are going to be expected to pick up a bigger part of the tab. That could not only be costly, but it could put extra strain and stress, even in a state as prepared as Florida,' said Andrew Rumbach, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute, which focuses on climate and disasters. MORE: Are you ready for hurricane season? See forecast, get tips — and don't do this FEMA's new leadership has bristled at questions about whether it was prepared for the looming hurricane season, one that forecasters predict will again be busy. A FEMA spokesperson dismissed comments from former employees as an example of the bureaucratic intransigence that's hobbled the agency. 'FEMA is shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens. The old processes are being replaced because they failed Americans in real emergencies for decades. Comments about 'not being ready or prepared' are coming from the same ex-FEMA employees that failed Americans for decades,' said FEMA spokesman Geoff Harbaugh. FEMA rescinded its official strategic plan for the hurricane season last week and has yet to release a new one. This comes a week after CBS News reported that a leaked presentation from inside the agency noted, 'As FEMA transforms to a smaller footprint, the intent for this hurricane season is not well understood, thus FEMA is not ready.' READ MORE: U.S. hurricane forecast: 'Everything is in place' for another above-average season It potentially sets up as a stress test of Florida's vaunted emergency response capabilities. Despite the questions about Washington's response, Florida officials insist the state is prepared for the hurricane season — at least for the immediate response. Scott, who directed state response to a string of hurricanes while governor, praised the workers at FEMA he's dealt with in the past but, echoing DeSantis, said Florida emergency managers are at the front lines of disasters. 'They're not a first responder. FEMA is primarily a piggy bank,' he said. 'They're not the ones that are going to do house rescues. They're not the ones who do debris pickup. They pay for things.' 'If there's great hurricane response, it's tied to what the governor does,' he said. Still, there are big questions over the capabilities of a downsized FEMA. The agency has shed roughly 2,000 full-time staff members and over a dozen senior leaders since January as part of the Trump administration's reductions. The personnel reductions come as the agency faces a $646 million budget cut and renewed calls from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to 'eliminate FEMA as it exists today.' 'FEMA is ready, but not to handle multiple events or to handle a catastrophic event,' said Michael Coen, former chief of staff at FEMA during the Biden and Obama administrations. 'The agency does have significant capability, it's just been degraded since Jan. 20.' The staffing reductions have already been felt across the country. In Missouri, St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer reported that 'FEMA has not been on the ground' following recent tornadoes there. In Mississippi, Gov. Tate Reeves is still waiting on federal disaster assistance for tornado damage in March. Former FEMA acting director Cameron Hamilton was fired just one day after telling Congress that eliminating the agency would not serve 'the best interest of the American people.' His replacement, David Richardson, told staffers his goal is to move much of the response and recovery operations down to the state level. The timing of the restructuring is concerning officials as Florida prepares for 'a particularly active' hurricane season with three to five major hurricanes expected, according to the assessment by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. While the state maintains robust capabilities and a pair of FEMA-backed search and rescue task force teams in the Miami-Dade area, Coen forecasts that personnel cuts could hinder federal recovery. 'There's not going to be probably enough staff,' Coen said. 'It's going to be the recovery.' He added, 'There may be a hurricane that impacts Florida, where the people of Florida are going to be shocked that there's no disaster declaration.' READ MORE: With hurricane season ahead, Trump cuts leave Florida weather offices understaffed There are signs that the federal agency is already moving toward pushing costs back toward the states. A leaked memo from the former acting administrator, Hamilton, said the agency wants to quadruple the threshold for what qualifies as a presidential disaster — and unlocking all the federal cash that comes with it. If enacted, that higher threshold would mean that 71% of all national events from 2008 to 2024 wouldn't have qualified for disaster assistance, a report by the Urban Institute found. In Florida, all of the big hurricanes in recent years would still be covered, even with a quadrupled threshold. But notably, even a slight increase in that threshold would have meant Florida got no federal assistance for the tornado spree in Tallahassee last year, or the rain bomb that flooded Fort Lauderdale in 2023, a Herald analysis found. That's both individual assistance — the cash survivors can claim directly from FEMA — as well as public assistance, including federal reimbursements for things like debris cleanup or overtime costs for first responders. For the tornadoes, FEMA shelled out $9.5 million to about 3,300 people. And for the flood that submerged Fort Lauderdale, the agency doled out a whopping $38.9 million to 9,600 residents, as well as another $5.2 million to local governments. Another suggestion in the memo is to lower the percentage of the tab that the federal government picks up in a disaster. The standard is that the feds carry 75% of the cost at a minimum, with state and local governments paying the rest. But in recent years, the agency has paid much more, all the way to 100% — like during debris cleanup in Florida after Hurricane Milton, after Hurricane Helene, or after the Surfside condominium collapse — often at the direct request of DeSantis. Per the memo, FEMA is considering dropping its contribution back to the minimum 75%. And it's already doing so in some situations. Last week, the agency declined to continue offering 100% reimbursement for North Carolina's continued cleanup of Tropical Storm Helene. 'FEMA's denial of our appeal will cost North Carolina taxpayers potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up out west. The money we have to pay toward debris removal will mean less money towards supporting our small businesses, rebuilding downtown infrastructure, repairing our water and sewer systems, and other critical needs,' North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said in a statement. As concerns have grown among lawmakers on Capitol Hill, the agency has scrambled to get up to speed. An internal memo obtained by the Miami Herald outlined how Noem had signed three memos on May 14 that will 'significantly improve FEMA's readiness posture going into hurricane season,' including the approval of 2,652 six-month employees, training and education at FEMA centers and training for firefighters who comprise a critical portion of first responders. The question now is if the reversals can be implemented before the first storm lands. 'They're on their back foot,' said Jeremy Edwards, the deputy director for public affairs at FEMA during the Biden administration. 'They took all these actions, they let thousands of people go … they cancelled trainings. And less than two weeks ahead of hurricane season, they're starting some programs back up. I'm worried it may be too little, too late.' Harbaugh, a FEMA spokesman, waved off concerns from former officials and told the Herald, 'In fact, their gross negligence and failures are the exact reason President Trump established a review council to change FEMA.' The review council met for the first time on May 20, and it's Florida-heavy. Of the ten members, three are from the Sunshine State, including Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor. Noem, who co-chairs the council, told members the goal was to maintain the core responsibilities of FEMA but slim it down and rebrand it with a new name. 'The president has said to me many times that he believes that FEMA should be eliminated as it exists. What that means is this agency should be re-imagined,' she said. 'Our vision is that states should respond to their disasters, and we should be there to support them.' She continually pointed to Florida as a model of what that new relationship could look like — where the state responds first, with plenty of help from private companies. READ MORE: Florida bill could block communities from rebuilding stronger after hurricanes Kevin Guthrie, the head of Florida's emergency management department, rattled off the state's bragging rights: debris is picked up 24/7 after a storm, power is restored within 120 hours, roads are reopened in 72 hours and schools are back online in under five business days. 'And we do all of that with 225 employees. We depend on the private sector to plus us up,' he said. 'We had 1,000 extra folks for Helene and Milton.' Broward and Miami-Dade County told the Herald they were effectively in 'wait and see' mode until — or if — any of the proposals in the memo are enacted. In the meantime, both counties say they're keeping a close eye on FEMA news. 'If implemented, the proposed executive orders could potentially have an impact on how Miami-Dade County manages and recovers from disasters,' wrote Miami-Dade Spokeswoman Natalia Jaramillo in a statement. 'While we continue to advocate for clear guidance and flexibility from FEMA, we're also running internal scenarios and updating our fiscal strategy to ensure we can respond effectively even under potential new proposed constraints.' Fort Lauderdale said it was floating the idea of creating a new contingency emergency fund to dip into if a storm (or a rain bomb) strikes. 'The City maintains a healthy fund balance to ensure that adequate resources are available to respond to unanticipated costs such as natural disasters. We are actively reviewing the City's budgeting practices and fund balance policy to further refine the way that funds are reserved to swiftly, and effectively, respond to these events,' wrote city spokeswoman Ashley Doussard in a statement.
