It is also local managers rescuers face a sedate question as a result of the first few weeks of President Donald Trump: When is he hitting the disaster, will they be able to count on the federal government?
Trump called the Federal Crisis Management Agency “disaster” and suggested that he could “leave”. He said that the countries were the best to look after with hurricanes, tornadoes and fires, and the federal government returned some of the costs. He convened advice to review FEM and recommend “improvements or structural changes”.
But leaders in the states that have been affected by disasters claim that they need more than the promise of final federal control to manage catastrophic events. They say that they are not prepared to deal with the roles of FEMA, which currently play FEMA – such as marshal of emergency resources from many federal agencies, providing flood insurance, conducting damage assessments and distribution of billions of dollars in recovery funds.
“FEMA was an absolute installment for people,” said state senator Vermont Anne Watson, a democrat who was involved in recovering the state after destructive floods in 2023. “I can’t see [states and municipalities] As an opportunity to repeat what FEMA is doing. The possibility of leaving leaves millions of Americans in a very sensitive position. “
Meanwhile, Trump said last month that he wants to make federal aid to recover fires for Los Angeles conditionally in California, which introduces fresh provisions requiring identification of voters, increasing further uncertainty as to whether you can expect aid from federal.
Trump and his allies He aimed at the agency As a result of Hurricane, Helene, distributing lies that FEMA, under President Joe Biden, transformed money from disaster for immigrants without legal status; not sharing helicopters; Limiting aid to USD 750 per person; and limiting support for republican areas.
Officials say that although there is a place to talk about state and federal roles in the reaction of the disaster, elimination of FEMA would be low -sighted.
“I don’t think to get rid of FEMA,” said Lynn Budd, director of the Internal Security Bureau in Wyoming in an interview with Stateline. “There are scale benefits [that a nationwide agency provides]. The states do not have such the ability to handle the disaster each year. “
Budd said that she did not believe that Trump intends to end FEMA, calling such a “non -realistic” movement. He is also the president of the National Emergency Management Association, a non -profit organization including state and territorial rescue officials. Budd called Trump to include state -owned rescue managers in the council who will consider the future of FEMA.
Crisis management experts claim that Trump cannot unilaterally solve FEMA, which would require congress action. However, Trump already has Actions taken It seems that they exceed its executive body, including attempt to freeze trillions of dollars in federal financing, which have already been approved by the Congress.
FEMA has some support from Trump’s Republican allies, especially considering that the Red Countries needed More aid In recent years. From 2015, the inhabitants of Florida, Louisiana and Texas received the highest amounts of individual auxiliary payments from FEM, exceeding $ 2 billion in each state.
But experts see a lot to be afraid of the efforts of Trump and his billionaire Elly Musk’s billionaire, who has so far focused on lowering the federal labor force and forcing officials with decades of experience. Such actions can hurt FEMA, even if it is not officially “abolished”.
“Older people who do not want to endure this nonsense,” said Craig Fugate, who was the administrator of FEMA under President Barack Obama. “One thing is hard to say is another government and providing services.”
The role of FEMA
Over the past decade, FEMA has responded to almost 1,400 disasters, including fires, forceful storms, hurricanes, floods and tornadoes. The agency coordinates the federal reaction in emergency situations, such as calling the pentagon to obtain rescue helicopters in the air or transport in storm generators.
But the agency’s greater goal focuses on recovering, assessing community damage and distribution of funds to aid them rebuild. Over the past four years, FEMA has transferred to natural persons over $ 12 billion and $ 133 billion to governments, tribal nations, territories and some non -profit organizations to aid in recovering.
FEMA also provides a significant part of flood insurance in the country, because the private market has largely withdrawn from flood policy.
Some governors, including Democrat Andy Beshear from Kentucky, said that Trump threats, like Fema dismantling, are threatening.
“[I]It would be catastrophic in itself that the FEMA organization would be resolved, “he said, as Kentucky Lantern.
Beshear noticed that the restoration of FEMA administrative functions in each state would be much high-priced than one national agency.
FEMA, which was founded in the 1950s, played a greater role when Congress added to the recovery mission, populations grew in areas susceptible to disasters, and climate change increased the frequency and severity of disasters.
The agency sometimes met with criticism – the most renowned after Hurrican Katrina in 2005 – for an excessively bureaucratic system that delved into bureaucracy. Some conservative groups have long argued that countries should have a greater burden on the disaster.
Project 2025A difficult -to -right -wing plan, from which Trump distanced himself during the campaign, but it seems that he has conducted many of his actions since the office has been taken, it aims to reduce the eligibility of countries to aid the disaster or determine the deduction that countries must meet before the federal step in. Such cuts They would encourage you to “play a more proactive role in their own abilities and reactions,” he said. The document also calls you to accept much more financial liability for recovery efforts.
Rescuers managers say that there are possibilities to boost FEMA efficiency.
Fugate, former head of FEMA, said the basic problem is that the agency has not been designed to replace insurance protection, but is increasingly taking this role when private insurers abandon areas susceptible to disasters. He said that increasing the rate of payment also increases the risk of incorrect funds.
“Nobody says that we should not look at these programs and wonder how to transfer this money faster,” he said. “But you have this double tension:” I want to be rapid, but I am a taxpayer manager. “
In this discussion, experts say that rush to dismantle a federal agency would be catastrophic.
“Consequences [of dissolving FEMA] He threatens life, “said Juliette Kayy, chairwoman of the internal security project at Kennedy School of Government at the University of Harvard and former administrative official Obama. “States are not built now.”
Local experience
Local leaders who experienced disasters claim that Fema is necessary.
After the Tornado EF5 passed through Moore, Oklahoma in May 2013, the Federal Agency provided recovery support.
“Sometimes I think people have a mistaken conviction of the FEMA goal. And this is not a large amount of equipment or workforce – they can do it a bit, but this is not their basic function, “said the mayor of Moore Mark Hamm, whose office is impartial.
Hamm was in the city council, when Tornado killed 24 people all over Mili, including seven students at primary school. Moore said FEMA provided key financial resources, returning excessive overtime costs for the police and fire brigade crews.
Moore is a bedroom community about 63,000 people located between Oklahoma City and Norman. The city’s annual budget is About $ 133 million. The National Weather Service calculated the damage to the storm in 2013 in the region at the address $ 2 billion. The city was affected Two f5 tornadoes Since 1999.
“When you have a spontaneous disaster, such as a few F5 tornadoes that came to our city – which bankrupt our city, our budget,” he said. “This is a huge weight that this city simply couldn’t afford.”
Hamm said that he would be open to Trump’s conversation about FEMA refinement, especially if it allowed more funds to stay directly with states like his. He said, however, that federal financing of disasters must remain intact in some way.
“When you need a life line, it calms that one is there and you can catch this rope, and at the other end there is someone who attracts you to a safe place,” he said. “The federal government was a life line, not so much in recovery, but in providing finances. I can’t emphasize it enough. “
The Eaton’s Eaton, Michigan was heavily hit in August 2023, when the tornado, forceful storms and floods hit the mid-michigan region. FEMA answer helped the community move in aid and recovery programs and apply for federal aid.
“This federal support song is crucial for us to be able to answer and recover after disasters,” said Ryan Wilkinson, rescue manager of the Fountain. “Yes, we need a reform of crisis management throughout the country – at all levels – but moving full responsibility towards countries would cause greater damage in the long term.”
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