From HSToday: What Can Be Done When FEMA Goes Quiet?
“Whether caused by a lapse in appropriations, political gridlock, workforce disruption, or structural reorganization, even a short-term FEMA shutdown has immediate and cascading consequences. Emergency management is built on layered capability. Remove the top layer abruptly, and stress fractures begin to show everywhere else.

This is not a political argument. It is a planning exercise. And emergency managers should treat it as one.

What Breaks First?

Disasters do not shut down. When FEMA shuts down, it means that coordination, reimbursement, and surge support slow down or disappear precisely when they are needed most.