Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council; Notice of Meeting

A retired law enforcement officer expresses support for FEMA's role in providing essential training and education to first responders. They argue that potential budget cuts could create dangerous gaps in emergency preparedness and public safety.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) opposes the FEMA review council's final report, arguing that it ignores climate science and attempts to shift the burden of disaster response and funding onto state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. They specifically criticize recommendations to reduce federal oversight, privatize flood insurance, and consolidate individual assistance programs, which they argue would harm vulnerable communities.

A retired military special operations officer and former Senior Intelligence Officer for the Department of Defense proposes a radical restructuring of FEMA into a new "National Disaster Response Agency" (NDRA). The commenter argues that FEMA's current culture is burdened by bureaucracy and "mission creep," and advocates for a "cultural reset" involving stricter performance standards, austere training, and a more disciplined, military-style organizational model.

Miami-Dade County, Florida, Department of Emergency Management supports the FEMA Review Council's recommendations to reform disaster response and recovery. However, the County emphasizes that any reforms must include sustained funding, technical assistance, and clear definitions of roles to ensure that administrative burdens or significant costs are not shifted onto local governments.

The State of Minnesota's Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division submitted comments regarding the FEMA Review Council Report. While the state supports modernization and certain programs like BRIC, it expresses significant concerns regarding proposed changes that would shift costs, increase administrative burdens, or reduce federal investment in workforce development and disaster assistance for state, local, tribal, and territorial partners.

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) supports the Council's recommendations to streamline disaster assistance and reduce administrative burdens, provided that federal funding levels remain sufficient to support state capacities. They express concern over potential decreases in federal cost-sharing and advocate for a collaborative, state-managed approach to emergency management.

The New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, supports the proposed FEMA reforms but emphasizes the need for a phased approach that accounts for the varying capacities of different states. They argue that reforms must be inclusive of rural and smaller states, advocating for sustained administrative funding and a shift toward proactive disaster preparedness.

The City and County of San Francisco, joined by the City of Seattle and Snohomish County, opposes several recommendations in the President’s Council report to assess FEMA. They argue that the proposed shifts in responsibility, funding structures, and administrative requirements would impose undue financial and operational burdens on local governments while potentially leaving disaster survivors and communities with inadequate support.

The commenter supports the FEMA Review Council's goals but provides a detailed list of 12 specific recommendations to strengthen the agency. They argue for a balance between faster funding and accountability, expanded state/local capacity, a national disaster workforce strategy, and improved technology and integration with public health.

The State of Montana supports the FEMA Review Council's proposed reforms to elevate the role of states in disaster management but emphasizes that these changes must not become unfunded mandates. They argue for realistic implementation timelines (at least six years), federal funding to build state capacity, and the preservation of state discretion in hazard mitigation and funding models.