This article called “Federalizing Disasters Weakens FEMA–and Hurts Americans Hit by Catastrophes” appeared in a Heritage newsltr last week. We’ve worked with many state and local First Resonders past 10+ years .. and know first hand how budget cuts are whacking mitigation and preparedness big time. The full report is a bit long so only pasting in abstract but it’s an interesting read.
Just curious what you guys think about all this. Is FEMA stretching itself too thin…?! And have you noticed the increased declarations impacting / hindering your local efforts? j
Abstract: The Federal Emergency Management Agency has been responding to almost any natural disaster around the country, be it a contained three-county flood, or a catastrophe of near-epic proportions like Hurricane Katrina. As a result, many states and localities have trimmed their own emergency-response budgets, often leaving them ill prepared to handle even rain- or snowstorms without federal assistance. This leaves FEMA stretched far too thin and ill prepared to respond to grand-scale catastrophes. The “federalization of disasters” misdirects vital resources, leaving localities, states, and the federal government in a lose-lose situation. FEMA policies must be overhauled to let localities handle smaller, localized disasters, and to allow FEMA to respond fully and effectively when it is truly needed. If the status quo continues, it will be a disaster for everyone.
Full 13-Apr-2010 post on The Heritage Foundation site