Homes destroyed by a 2020 wildfire in Talent, Ore. FEMA denied about 70% of assistance applications related to massive Oregon wildfires that year, an NPR investigation found. The agency has a long history of failing to help vulnerable disaster survivors, but reforms under the Biden administration were starting to fix those long-standing problems.
Noah Berger/FR34727 AP
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Noah Berger/FR34727 AP
Recent fixes to long-standing problems at the Federal Emergency Management Agency are in jeopardy as the Trump administration slashes programs and cuts staff, emergency experts warn.
FEMA has been plagued for decades by accusations that it fails to help the most vulnerable victims of disasters. Poor people, racial minorities and those who live in rural and tribal areas have been chronically ignored or denied crucial help after disasters, with long-term and even deadly consequences for families, NPR investigations have found.
Under the Biden administration, FEMA took some concrete steps to address those problems. For example, the agency simplified forms that disaster victims must fill out to apply for money, loosened requirements to prove residency and made some money for essential items like food and diapers available immediately.
Now, some of those efforts have been canceled, while others face an uncertain future. President Trump has repeatedly said that he believed FEMA should not exist in its current form. He has also moved to eliminate so-called equity programs meant to ensure that the federal government serves Americans from all economic, geographic and ethnic groups.
The agency has cut billions of dollars of programs and lost hundreds of staff. A recent White House budget request for FEMA included a significant increase in disaster relief funding, but a presidentially appointed FEMA review council is working on recommendations to pare down or eliminate the agency.
FEMA did not respond to questions from NPR about how it intends to help all Americans adequately after disasters, or whether reforms made under the Biden administration will be rolled back.
“There was a lot of headway being made,” says Chauncia Willis-Johnson, the former emergency manager for Tampa, Fla., and the leader of the Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management. “Now, not only have we stopped, but we’ve actually regressed.”
Baby steps for a plagued agency
Under the Biden administration, the goal at FEMA was to make sure every disaster victim got what they needed to recover, and be protected against the next disaster, says then-FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell. “No two communities are alike, they all have different needs, and we can’t apply a one-size-fits-all application of programs,” she explains. “And so that was the focus: equity.”
For example, imagine two different people, both struggling after a hurricane: The first is a parent who rented a now-damaged apartment in a city. The second is an elderly person who owns a damaged house in a rural area. One might need immediate cash to get food and diapers and pay for a hotel. The other might need in-person help filling out forms online, or transportation to pick up crucial medication.
FEMA also brought in a high-level advocate for rural communities, and another one for tribal communities, to help the agency serve those populations better. FEMA implemented policies to make it easier for individuals to prove their residency, especially if they were living in a family home that had been passed down through generations without a mortgage or clear deed. This was particularly beneficial for those who did not have home insurance and struggled to receive federal aid after natural disasters.
While FEMA’s long-standing issues were not completely resolved by the end of the Biden administration, these equity policies were seen as a positive step by disaster experts. Despite FEMA’s imperfections, there were notable improvements made in the past five years.
President Trump’s Executive Order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts led to the cancellation of programs like FEMA Corps, which provided assistance after disasters. FEMA also discontinued a disaster preparedness grant program that helped underserved communities prepare for extreme events like floods and wildfires. This decision left many communities without essential technical aid in applying for federal funds.
However, some equity efforts at FEMA remain in place. For example, the agency simplified the application process for disaster relief and provided immediate financial assistance of up to $750 for necessities like food, water, and medication. These measures aimed to assist survivors who lacked savings and insurance coverage.
Overall, these efforts to improve equity in disaster response were seen as positive steps forward by experts in disaster recovery.
Recognizing Vulnerability and the Importance of Field Work
According to an expert, there are certain individuals who are more susceptible to the impacts of disasters, and it is crucial to have a system in place that acknowledges and responds to this reality.
With the cancellation of FEMA Corps, the termination of probationary employees, and a wave of retirements and resignations within the agency, FEMA is facing a significant number of vacant positions as the summer months approach, bringing with them an increase in hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other extreme weather events in the United States.
This shortage of federally trained disaster responders could potentially lead to a decrease in the equitable distribution of aid compared to previous years.
The significance of having boots on the ground was highlighted in 2020 when FEMA turned down approximately 70% of assistance applications following wildfires in Oregon, particularly affecting low-income rural areas. An NPR investigation uncovered this concerning trend.
After assuming leadership at FEMA shortly after the wildfires, Criswell recalls speaking with the team on the ground who reported that many eligible individuals had been denied assistance due to errors in their application forms. By personally reaching out to these individuals and rectifying the mistakes, FEMA workers were able to provide aid to a substantial number of them, underscoring the critical role of field workers in disaster response.
Expanding in-person assistance and conducting door-to-door outreach post-disasters has been identified as a crucial step in improving the agency’s support for Black disaster survivors and other marginalized communities. This proactive approach aims to ensure that vulnerable populations are informed about available resources and are assisted in completing necessary forms for post-disaster recovery.
Looking ahead, there are concerns about the ability of vulnerable individuals to access essential assistance following disasters. It is emphasized that no one should have to endure unnecessary suffering, and efforts must be made to provide adequate support to those in need.
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The cat leaped gracefully through the air and landed softly on the windowsill.
The cat gracefully leaped through the air and landed softly on the windowsill.
