From HStoday: New Study Explores Emergency Management Agency Challenges, Staffing Shortfalls, and Need for Standardization

From the WashingtonMonthly: The Republican Disaster Relief Disaster and the Democratic path forward.  Trump’s high rejection rate of disaster aid requests is indicative of a radical libertarian view of the federal government, which Democrats know how to skewer.

The Diva does not usually post partisan material, but it is worth considering.

Thanks to Peg for the citation.

From HSToday: New Study Explores Emergency Management Agency Challenges, Staffing Shortfalls, and Need for Standardization

“A comprehensive new report by the Argonne National Laboratory reveals the results of the Emergency Management Organizational Structures, Staffing, and Capacity Study — the most wide-ranging effort to date examining how public sector emergency management (EM) agencies are structured, staffed, and operate across the United States.”

“Focusing on local, state, and territorial emergency management offices, the study captures both quantitative and qualitative data to better understand agency characteristics, persistent challenges, and factors that contribute to effective service delivery.”

From HSToday: PERSPECTIVE: The Technological Transformation of Emergency Management: Part II. Building Trust and Efficiency Through AI Integration

“Rebuilding Trust Through Smarter Support

Artificial intelligence is everywhere, but for emergency management professionals, the real question is how to use it meaningfully. In a field where public trust, speed, and accuracy are critical, AI must be more than a buzzword. It must be a tool that helps agencies deliver faster, more transparent, and more survivor-centered support.

Emergency managers are under growing pressure to do more with fewer resources. Staff turnover, inconsistent training, and outdated systems make it difficult to deliver consistent, high-quality support. Many agencies still lack the tools to track survivor experiences in real time or identify systemic issues before they escalate. AI, when implemented strategically, can help bridge these gaps. It can improve operations, boost staff effectiveness, and restore trust in the system.”

( Note: The first segment of this article was posted earlier.)

From CNN: Exclusive: ‘A more vulnerable nation’: FEMA memos lay out risks of plan to cut $1B in disaster and security grants

” The Federal Emergency Management Agency has proposed cutting nearly $1 billion in grant funding that communities and first responders nationwide use to better prepare for disasters and to bolster security for possible terror or cyberattacks.

The proposed cuts, which still require approval from the White House budget office and Congress, would zero out funding for more than half of FEMA’s emergency management and homeland security grant programs, according to internal memos and two FEMA officials familiar with the plans.

This comes amid an overhaul of the disaster relief agency at the hands of the Trump administration, which seeks to drastically shrink FEMA’s footprint and shift more responsibility for disaster preparedness, response and recovery onto states. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, has looked at slashing grant funding as part of that effort. “

From The Hill: Bipartisan lawmakers propose making FEMA a Cabinet-level agency

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5419168-fema-presidential-cabinet-level/amp

“The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would be a Cabinet-level agency that reports directly to the president under a new bipartisan bill.

The proposal comes as the Trump administration weighs changes at or even abolishing the emergency management agency.”

From the WashPost: Trump has turned FEMA itself into a disaster. The Trump administration is mired in delays for deciding on governors’ requests for FEMA help.

“I study disasters, and the data shows that FEMA’s response in Texas is the exception to the Trump administration’s rules for disaster response. In fact, we should be looking at another recent disaster — one in St. Louis — to anticipate what’s to come for people who face disasters this hurricane season: long waits for federal help, stress on local responders and a confusing path toward getting help to people living through the worst moments of their lives.“

From the WashPost: FEMA moved quickly to help Texas. These other states are still waiting. Several states and two Native American tribes are still waiting for disaster aid, while hundreds of requests for critical emergency services remain on hold.

From HSToday:PERSPECTIVE: The Technological Transformation of Emergency Management: Part I: Building Trust and Efficiency Through New Tech

The emergency management sector must take a strategic, forward-looking approach to modernizing emergency management legacy systems. A 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report identified 10 critical federal IT legacy systems, some up to 51 years old, that are in urgent need of modernization. According to the GAO, these outdated systems not only create operational inefficiencies but also introduce significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

Improving the survivor experience requires more than replacing outdated systems. It demands a coordinated, data-driven approach that enhances both accessibility for survivors and efficiency for emergency management staff. Modern platforms should integrate real-time data, automate routine tasks, and provide staff with timely insights to guide support efforts.

From CBS News: 20 states sue DHS, FEMA for cuts to disaster mitigation program

“A group of 20 states sued the Trump administration on Wednesday seeking to block what they say was an illegal termination of a program that provided federal funding for natural disaster mitigation projects.

“By unilaterally shutting down FEMA’s flagship pre-disaster mitigation program, Defendants have acted unlawfully and violated core separation of power principles,” the lawsuit alleges, arguing that the executive branch doesn’t have the authority to shut down the program funded by Congress.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, targets Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and acting Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator David Richardson for their role in shutting down FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities, also known as BRIC, program earlier this year. The lawsuit argues the power to make such a decision falls to Congress.”