From the WashPost: Emails outline potential cuts affecting thousands of FEMA disaster responders

“DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has said she wants to reduce FEMA’s staff by half. Drafted plans show how it can happen.

The Department of Homeland Security drafted plans to drastically cut the Federal Emergency Management Agency workforce in 2026, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post that detail potential reductions to thousands of disaster response and recovery roles.

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Terminations are likely to come in waves, according to three people familiar with the plans who, like some others interviewed for this report, spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. They said cuts began on New Year’s Eve with the elimination of about 65 positions that were part of FEMA’s largest workforce, known as the Cadre of On-Call Response and Recovery (CORE) — staffers who are among the first on the ground after a disaster and often stick around for years to help communities recover.”