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Vice President Monthly Update
Matt Machado, P.E., Western VP
The Future of FEMA: Advocating for Change and Rebuilding Our Communities
Change is an inevitable part of life. While it can bring excitement, it also often stirs up uncertainty and fear, especially when the change is out of our control. Today, as we witness rapid and unpredictable changes in Washington D.C., it’s unclear how these shifts will impact local governments, especially when it comes to critical areas like disaster response and recovery. Many of the ongoing changes in our federal policies seem to pose a significant risk to local governments and the vital services they provide to their communities. However, one change we can all agree on—and one that is long overdue—is reform to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
FEMA has long been at the heart of our national disaster recovery efforts, yet its shortcomings have become increasingly evident over the years. As communities across the country face the increasing severity of natural disasters, the need for effective, efficient, and well-funded disaster relief has never been greater. However, for far too long, FEMA has been underfunded, underprepared, and overextended.
Since 2017, we have witnessed the agency’s growing inability to keep up with the sheer magnitude of disasters occurring across our nation. As the number and severity of these disasters have increased, FEMA has faced consistent budgetary challenges from Congress, weakening its ability to respond to crises swiftly and effectively. This lack of funding is not just a numbers issue—it’s a cultural one. With fewer resources, FEMA’s staff has become strained, and the agency has increasingly resorted to temporary or contracted staff who lack the cohesion and specialized training needed to meet the needs of local communities during critical recovery periods.
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