From The Hill: Why America Needs Disaster Reform Now.

Author is Brock Long. Some excerpts:
“As FEMA administrator beginning in 2017, I witnessed the agency stretched thin by one crisis after another — a pattern that has only intensified since I left office five years ago. Today, FEMA is managing more than 100 active disaster recovery efforts nationwide and that does not account for the other crises they have been called to support other federal agencies with, like the COVID-19 pandemic and the southern border.

Originally designed to be adaptable, our nation’s disaster management system has become bogged down by bureaucracy. Nearly 90 different recovery programs span 30 federal agencies, creating delays and confusion at the very moments when survivors and communities need swift, clear support. Small, incremental policy changes are no longer enough; we need reforms that accelerate recovery, eliminate roadblocks and equip communities to prepare more effectively for what lies ahead.”