This article\u00a0called “Federalizing Disasters Weakens FEMA–and Hurts Americans Hit by Catastrophes” appeared in a Heritage newsltr last week. We’ve\u00a0worked with many state and local First Resonders past 10+ years\u00a0..\u00a0and know first hand how budget cuts are whacking mitigation and\u00a0preparedness big time. The full report is a bit long so only\u00a0pasting in abstract but it’s an\u00a0interesting read.<\/p>\n
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Just curious what you guys think about all this. Is FEMA stretching itself too thin…?! And have you noticed the\u00a0increased declarations impacting \/ hindering\u00a0your local efforts? \u00a0j<\/p>\n
Abstract:<\/strong> 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<\/em> 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.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n