FEMA faces staffing crisis ahead of hurricane season |
FEMA is grappling with significant staffing losses, raising concerns about its ability to respond effectively during the upcoming hurricane season. Since January 2025, the agency has lost 5,000 employees, including key figures like the head of its urban search and rescue division. Josh Morton, president of the USA Council of the International Association of Emergency Managers, expressed concern, stating: “That's a lot of knowledge that has gone out the door.” The agency's acting administrator has changed three times in over a year, leading to calls for stable leadership. Despite FEMA's claim of having 8,100 deployable personnel, critics worry that the agency may struggle to manage multiple disasters simultaneously. Michael Coen, former chief of staff at FEMA, noted that the agency's career staff will do their best, but “FEMA will be at a disadvantage” if faced with concurrent disasters.