This is a first for this website, but the Diva wants to share the opinions and concerns of a sample of people who have made emergency management a career and find the present situation re FEMA perilous. Readers are invited to share their experience; comments will be kept confidential.
(1) From the Diva: I have worked in EM in many capacities since FEMA was created in 1979 – as a researcher, practitioner, consultant, conference participant, and writer/editor of 6 books. Currently I am very concerned with the lack of experience and attitude toward EM shown by the two appointees to the position of FEMA Administrator. A huge amount of knowledge and experience in EM has been lost in the past year.
(2) From a person retired from service in a big city emergency management agency:
“I feel the same way. Decades worth of dedication, hard work, years of training at EMI, certifications, IAEM Certification Levels all for nothing. All the detailed comprehensive emergency management plans and Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plans are worthless. I am no longer relevant as well. The destroyers are in charge of the asylum. I wonder what these geniuses will do when there is a catastrophic national disaster that destroys sections of several states that cross multiple jurisdictional borders. Who then owns the recovery?
I do hope there is a national repository that is archiving the documentation so that it will not be lost because we cannot afford to start all over again reinventing the wheel. Eventually they will be gone so we need to be ready to pick up the pieces.”
(3) From a person recently let go from a high level FEMA job:
“Succession planning is a continual, structured process of identifying and preparing employees for future work performance, which is essential for mission and operational success. An emphasis on professional development to promote succession planning and foster a learning culture has been lacking at FEMA. Effective succession planning is premised on careful monitoring of actual and projected attrition and the effectiveness of retention programs, which focus on retaining employees in key positions, such as field team, branch, and division leaders.
Although the Nov 2024 Strategic Foresight Final Report (AKA the 2050 strategic foresight initiative) identified a number of themes to enhance knowledge transfer and enable the agency to engage in more informed, intentional, and strategic decision-making in the face of uncertainty, the bureaucratic lens has hindered future efforts. At a time when budgetary restraints and human capital management issues within the federal government grow, qualified and motivated leaders proactively depart to seek roles in the private and public sectors. Well-conceptualized training for managers, supervisors, subject matter experts, and potential successors is needed to address the unique challenges of assisting communities in becoming resilient. It will take years to disseminate key institutional knowledge and strengthen emergency service personnel.
Recovery Diva 