Posted on Mar 22, 2025
Trump wants states to handle disasters. States aren't prepared
686
19
12
6
6
0
But emergency management experts say Trump's order technically wouldn't do much to shift responsibility. Currently, local and state governments are already in charge of disasters. The question is whether the Trump administration will begin withdrawing the federal resources and funding that states rely on.
Without FEMA, states would need to find thousands of additional personnel to inspect damage, distribute disaster aid and plan the rebuilding of public infrastructure. Without federal funding, states would face billions of dollars in recovery costs. After Hurricane Irma in 2017, Florida relied on more than $5.5 billion dollars from the federal government.
FEMA also helps states prepare for disasters, which can reduce the damage they cause and the number of lives that are lost. One study from the National Institute of Building Sciences, a non-profit research group, found that federal investment of $27 billion since 1995 to prepare infrastructure for flooding will ultimately save $160 billion. Many state emergency management offices also rely on federal grants to pay their employees.
Without FEMA, states would need to find thousands of additional personnel to inspect damage, distribute disaster aid and plan the rebuilding of public infrastructure. Without federal funding, states would face billions of dollars in recovery costs. After Hurricane Irma in 2017, Florida relied on more than $5.5 billion dollars from the federal government.
FEMA also helps states prepare for disasters, which can reduce the damage they cause and the number of lives that are lost. One study from the National Institute of Building Sciences, a non-profit research group, found that federal investment of $27 billion since 1995 to prepare infrastructure for flooding will ultimately save $160 billion. Many state emergency management offices also rely on federal grants to pay their employees.
Trump wants states to handle disasters. States aren't prepared
Posted from npr.orgPosted in these groups: 
Political Opinions
Political Opinions
Posted 10 mo ago
Responses: 5
5
5
0
I am aware we can't function in disasters without FEMA. I also know there's a lot of waste in FEMA. Hopefully we will find the happy medium.
(5)
(0)
3
3
0
Donald does not care to begin with. He believes he is entitled to do what he wants
rich
rich
(3)
(0)
1
1
0
Have you ever worked a disaster? I have. FEMA'S only useful function is to pass out money when things are under control AFTER all the critical issues are done. Army and Air National Guard response is coordinated by State HQ's, Utility Companies have cooperative help agreements, a road departments have similar agreements. Helene is a good example of how states, local and private citizens work to recover from a disaster that just destroyed everything.
What impressed me was the massive engineering response to an area that lost so much of it's infrastructure. I 40 between Newport and Ashville was reopened in months, the I26 bridge was replaced within months. If they had waited on FEMA, none of this would have been accomplished.
What impressed me was the massive engineering response to an area that lost so much of it's infrastructure. I 40 between Newport and Ashville was reopened in months, the I26 bridge was replaced within months. If they had waited on FEMA, none of this would have been accomplished.
(1)
(0)
COL (Join to see)
AN Ron Wright - About 20, according to the follow-up investigation. One (1) FEMA worker gave that direction to a team (against policy) and when discovered, was fired. That's the only documented incident of that nature. After that, it of course blew up in FOXworld way out of proportion to the facts. Thanks!!
(0)
(0)
CPT Lawrence Cable
COL (Join to see) - I really do understand what FEMA is supposed to do, but the reality it is just a level of "command" that is often just in the way. We would be better off just issuing a block grant to the states for emergency relief.
My point about the engineering response is a good example. I40 along the Pigeon River in North Carolina and Tennessee had a couple of section that landslides completely eliminated. TDOT and NCDOT, both familiar with the situations AND having dealt with smaller scale disasters on the road, cooperated and brought in companies that they knew were capable of doing the work, It opened March 1. They reopened I26 to traffic within a month of the disaster. My experience with the Fed's says they just don't have the flexibility to respond that quick.
My point about the engineering response is a good example. I40 along the Pigeon River in North Carolina and Tennessee had a couple of section that landslides completely eliminated. TDOT and NCDOT, both familiar with the situations AND having dealt with smaller scale disasters on the road, cooperated and brought in companies that they knew were capable of doing the work, It opened March 1. They reopened I26 to traffic within a month of the disaster. My experience with the Fed's says they just don't have the flexibility to respond that quick.
(0)
(0)
COL (Join to see)
And yet, FEMA were not "in the way" in the effective response that you are citing. But if those state(s) had not found a local solution, the framework could have been engaged to bring in a military response, or an out-of-state asset response. Glad they didn't need it, this time.
(0)
(0)
CPT Lawrence Cable
COL (Join to see) - 50% of all US Army Engineers are in the Guard, 50% of Army Aviation Units are in the Guard, a third of Army Transportation units are Guard, and about the same for the Air Guard. None of those assets require Federal approval and they can be activated by the Governors of the effected and surrounding states. That's why it works. When I commanded one of the Guard Engineer units, the local Director of Emergency Services was co-located in the Armory. In theory, he was the "switchboard" if local or regional communications were down. In practice, we dealt directly with troop command and the governor's office.
There are similar reciprocal agreements with utility companies, which is why electric grid recovery is usually fairly rapid.
I know all the reasons that FEMA exists, it's still an extra layer of bureaucracy that tends to get in the way instead of expediting recovery efforts. We would be better off just doing Block Grants to the states to help mitigate the expenses and letting FEMA stay home.
There are similar reciprocal agreements with utility companies, which is why electric grid recovery is usually fairly rapid.
I know all the reasons that FEMA exists, it's still an extra layer of bureaucracy that tends to get in the way instead of expediting recovery efforts. We would be better off just doing Block Grants to the states to help mitigate the expenses and letting FEMA stay home.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google