As the start of hurricane season looms, concerns over preparedness have surfaced from both FEMA and Houston locals. FEMA's internal readiness review reveals that the agency faces significant challenges, including staffing constraints, poor state coordination, and uncertainty about its transformation to a "smaller footprint." "As FEMA transforms to a smaller footprint, the intent for this hurricane season is not well understood, thus FEMA is not ready," as obtained by ABC News.
Meanwhile, in Houston, a recent study by Rice University's Kinder Institute and reported by Click2Houston highlighted residents' own lack of preparedness, with only 8% of Houstonians feeling confident in their disaster readiness. This comes despite the city's history of facing 52 federally declared disasters over the past 40 years, one-third of those in the last decade. Chief Meteorologist Anthony Yanez emphasized the importance of readiness, comparing hurricane prep to planning a trip, where meticulous preparation can make a life-saving difference.
In the face of these findings, the Department of Homeland Security has defended FEMA's efforts. A spokesperson criticized the report's context, asserting, "FEMA is fully activated in preparation for Hurricane Season." This response appears to counter the grim picture painted by the internal review and Houstonians' self-assessed unpreparedness, as per ABC News.
Further complicating the situation is the recent change in FEMA's leadership, with David Richardson stepping in as the acting administrator after the dismissal of his predecessor, Cam Hamilton. Richardson, in a statement obtained by ABC News warned employees against obstructing his efforts, "Don't get in my way if you're those 20% of the people," a hardline stance that may reflect on the agency's internal morale issues.
