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Disasters don’t stop at state lines.

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What FEMA Does

  • National response.
  • Search & Rescue teams, food, water, shelter.
  • Helps states and communities rebuild.
  • Financial aid to individuals and businesses.
  • Trains emergency responders and supports disaster preparedness.

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What’s at Risk

  • The current administration plans to dismantle FEMA and assign its role to state and local governments.

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What’s at Risk

Problem:

, continued

No comprehensive plan to fund and coordinate skills and knowledge among 50 separate state emergency agencies.

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Changes Made So Far

As of March 10th: Over 200 FEMA staff have already been laid off (In 2023, GAO indicated FEMA was already understaffed by 35%)

March 11th: All classes at the National Fire Academy were cancelled.

March 18th: Executive order shifts disaster preparedness from FEMA to the state and local level. Multiple government agencies to draft a new “National Resilience Strategy” within 90 days.

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90 Days to transition:

  • FEMA has been around 46 years
  • In the past year alone, FEMA has responded to over 200 disasters and other declarations in… Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Kentucky, Alaska, California, Oregon, Missouri, North Dakota, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, New York, Wyoming, Nevada, New Mexico, the Virgin Islands, Connecticut, Nebraska, Florida, Virginia, Vermont, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and several tribal nations.

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Some perspective

Source: fema.gov

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Disasters Do Not Respect�State Borders

  • Hurricanes hit entire coastlines.
  • Wildfires rage across state lines.
  • Earthquakes, floods, and pandemics are regional or national.

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Why This Matters To Everyone

  • All 50 states face natural disasters.
  • Federal coordination means faster response and better outcomes.
  • Without FEMA, poorer or smaller states suffer most.

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What You Can Do

  • Contact your Senators and Representative.
  • Demand full funding and protection of FEMA
  • Share your concerns publicly and with local leaders.