From the Natural Hazards Center at the University of CO, this article about the legacy of Claire Rubin: Student Volunteers Carry Claire Rubin’s Legacy Forward.
This is the first time the posting has been about the author!
From the Hill: Key Republican lays out ideas for FEMA reform
“Rep. Dale Strong (R-Ala.) outlined several possible ideas for overhauling the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during a House hearing on Tuesday.
Strong, the chair of the emergency management subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee, put forward ideas including moving FEMA out of the Department of Homeland Security and “making it an independent agency with direct access to the President of the United States.”
Soon to be released in hard copy and electronic versions: U.S. Emergency Management in the 21st Century From Disaster to Catastrophe. Note that the Diva is one of the editors.
Our understanding of hazards and disasters is rapidly changing, and it is unclear as to whether our existing management systems are adequate to adapt to current and future disasters. Thoroughly updated to include the latest research in the hazards and disasters field, U.S. Emergency Management in the 21st Century continues the tradition of giving readers access to exemplary case studies drawn from a wide variety of hazards and applied fields.
NEW TO THE SECOND EDITION
U.S. Emergency Management in the 21st Century remains an indispensable textbook on disaster case studies, emergency management policy and practice. An essential resource for students, public, and professionals alike.
From HSToday: Congressional Hearing to Examine the Future of FEMA and Emergency Management Priorities
Congressional Hearing to Examine the Future of FEMA and Emergency Management Priorities
The Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology will hold a hearing titled “Future of FEMA: Perspectives from the Emergency Management Community” on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at 10:00 AM ET in Room 310 of the Cannon House Office Building. The session will bring together key emergency management leaders to discuss the current state and future direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as well as broader challenges facing disaster response, preparedness, and resilience efforts in the United States.
The hearing comes at a critical time for emergency management policy, with ongoing discussions about modernizing FEMA’s capabilities, improving disaster mitigation strategies, and adapting to evolving threats such as extreme weather events, cyber risks, and infrastructure resilience. Lawmakers will hear directly from emergency management officials, private sector experts, and former federal leaders on the effectiveness of FEMA programs, funding structures, and operational readiness.
From HSToday: Senior Leader Departures Raise Concerns About FEMA’s Disaster Readiness
“In a troubling development for America’s emergency preparedness, FEMA is experiencing an unprecedented exodus of leadership and staff just weeks away from the 2025 Danger Season1. Over a dozen senior leaders – including those with the most disaster recovery experience – have either resigned or been fired, according to recent reports.
The leadership drain comes on top of approximately 1,000 job cuts and resignations from the agency’s more than 20,000-person workforce. These departures create a significant void at an agency already stretched thin as it responds to ongoing recovery efforts from devastating storms and wildfires in North Carolina and Los Angeles. The indiscriminate mass firing of essential FEMA staff will cause endless disruption to an agency that was already inarguably understaffed and overstretched … [and] will have longstanding consequences for the people that experience disaster at their doorstep,” warned Shana Udvardy, senior climate resilience policy analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “The last thing we need is to hollow out an agency responsible for helping to save lives and rebuild after disasters.” .
From the Huff Post: FEMA Worker Warns: Disaster Aid Could Be ‘Severed’ Thanks To Mass Firings
“A whistleblower at the Federal Emergency Management Agency warned that disaster aid could be “severed” amid a wave of firings under President Donald Trump.
The employee, a military veteran who now manages a team at FEMA, told HuffPost the agency has been crippled after more than 200 employees were fired over the past few weeks. The whistleblower has requested anonymity over fears of retaliation.”
From the NY Times: Senior Leaders Are Leaving an Already-Depleted Disaster Agency
“More than a dozen of the senior leaders at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including those with the most experience in leading disaster recovery, have either been fired or have resigned, thinning its management ranks weeks ahead of hurricane season.
The departures in the senior ranks are in addition to job cuts and resignations of about 1,000 of the agency’s roughly 17,000 employees.
Those changes represent a significant loss at an agency that was already struggling with personnel shortages as it tried to help communities recover from catastrophic storms and wildfires in western North Carolina and Los Angeles, among other missions.long with about 1,000 rank-and-file workers, FEMA is losing some of the managers most experienced in handling emergency efforts.”
From the Conversation: Why people rebuild in Appalachia’s flood-ravaged areas despite the risks?
Thanks to Chris Jones for the citation.
From the GAO: High-Risk Series: Heightened Attention Could Save Billions More and Improve Government Efficiency and Effectiveness
“Since GAO’s 2023 update to the High-Risk List, Congress and executive branch agencies have taken actions resulting in notable improvements across the 37 high-risk areas. These efforts over the last two years resulted in about $84 billion in financial benefits. However, the progress made overall varied. Ten areas improved their standing and three regressed, while the others maintained their position, were rated for the first time, or were newly added. Lasting solutions to high-risk problems could save billions of dollars, improve service to the public, and increase government performance and accountability.
We added a new high-risk area on Improving the Delivery of Federal Disaster Assistance. Recent natural disasters—including wildfires in Southern California and hurricanes in the Southeast—demonstrate the need for federal agencies to deliver assistance as efficiently and effectively as possible and reduce their fiscal exposure.”
From Rolling Stone: What Dismantling FEMA Will Really Mean When the Next Disaster Strikes
FEMA workers and disaster survivors open up about Donald Trump’s call for “fundamentally reforming or overhauling FEMA or maybe getting rid of FEMA”
Recovery Diva 