From the WashPost: FEMA is losing scores of employees. What does that mean for disaster recovery? Cuts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency could affect people across the country who are struggling to rebuild and prepare for disasters.

“Hundreds of Federal Emergency Management Agency employees were fired as part of a wave of terminations of federal workers over the holiday weekend and Tuesday, according to agency officials. The cuts, which come in addition to the firing of more than 200 last week, target probationary and contract employees and could affect people across the country who are struggling to rebuild and prepare for disasters.”

From EEnews: FEMA docs for addressing climate change disappear from websites. The two funding notices are needed by states to apply for $1.35 billion in mitigation grants.”

“The Trump administration has removed public documents from FEMA websites that described plans to spend $1.35 billion in federal funds this year to protect against climate impacts and promote racial equity.

The two documents, called notices of funding opportunity, were taken down Thursday as the administration moves to end government climate programs and diversity efforts. The Federal Emergency Management Agency published them shortly before President Donald Trump took office to explain its goals and priorities for two of the nation’s main disaster grant programs.

The Biden administration and Congress had vastly increased funding in recent years for both programs, which pay for mitigation projects to harden infrastructure or structures against future disasters. President Joe Biden heralded the increased funding as part of his effort to address climate change.”

From CNN: Exclusive: FEMA firings reveal roiling tension and confusion within the Department of Homeland Security, Some excerpts:

“One week into the Trump administration, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a directive that the Federal Emergency Management Agency should stop sending money to non-governmental organizations that she characterized as helping “illegal aliens.”

But the memo didn’t address money that flowed to state and local governments, fueling confusion at the agency charged with administering federal payments related to migrant housing. FEMA personnel were directed to continue sending those payments.

This week, four FEMA employees, including its chief financial officer, were fired and accused by the Department of Homeland Security of circumventing leadership. And more than $80 million in federal grant money to New York City to help shelter migrants was clawed back.

The internal back and forth that led to the firings, details of which have not been previously reported, reflects the turmoil at FEMA, as well as a level of tension that has developed between career officials at the agency and top political appointees at DHS.”

From Politico: Trump’s acting FEMA leader undercuts president’s claims about disaster money

A document filed in court by the acting FEMA administrator, Cameron Hamilton, undercuts the administration’s misinformation campaign on disaster aid.

From the WashPost: Noem says she would recommend Trump ‘get rid’ of FEMA.Trump has launched a review of the relief agency, which has faced conspiracy-fueled criticisms amid recovery from last year’s major hurricanes.

“Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem said Sunday that she would recommend to President Donald Trump that he “get rid of FEMA the way it exists today” and allow local officials to have more say about how federal aid is used after disasters.”

If you like this site, please donate to help the Diva get the occasional technical support she needs to keep it going. This is the 14th year she has donated her time and resources to provide information about disaster recovery and related topics.

Use the Donate Now button — it’s in the right hand column of the homepage, just under my photo.

From AP New: Who gets more disaster aid? Republican states. Experts explain that and more about FEMA.   An excerpt:

“Most states simply don’t have enough money to handle big disasters, said Susan Cutter, director of the University of South Carolina’s Hazards Vulnerability & Resilience Institute. They’re going to suffer because they don’t have capacities to deal with it without federal help.”

Scholars’ Circle – Reforming Federal Emergency Management Agency of USA

The Diva was one of three participants i this discussion.

Scholars’ Circle – Reforming Federal Emergency Management Agency of USA territories – February 2, 2025

From Politico: Trump’s talking about shutting down FEMA. Republicans hate that idea.

“GOP lawmakers resisted the president’s suggestion FEMA might need to “go away,” but they support changes to the disaster response agency.

Deeply red states are experiencing some of the costliest disasters, and lawmakers from those states fear that eliminating Federal Emergency Management Agency would leave them on the hook for increasingly expensive bills. So while they’re open to overhauling FEMA, congressional Republicans said they flatly reject the idea of abolishing the agency.”