The Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology held a hearing titled “Future of FEMA: Perspectives from the Emergency Management Community” on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at 10:00 AM ET. The session brought together key emergency management leaders to discuss the current state and future direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as well as broader challenges facing disaster response, preparedness, and resilience efforts in the United States.
The witnesses were:
- Jeff Smitherman, Director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, who will provide insights on state-level disaster response coordination and FEMA’s role in supporting local agencies.
- Daniel Kaniewski, Managing Director of the Public Sector at Marsh McLennan and former Deputy Administrator of FEMA’s Resilience Directorate, who will discuss public-private partnerships and risk management strategies in disaster preparedness.
- Carrie Speranza, Certified Emergency Manager and President of the U.S. Council of the International Association of Emergency Managers, who will offer a perspective on challenges facing emergency management professionals nationwide and the need for workforce development, training, and resources. Read her testimony here.
- Timothy Manning, Former Deputy Administrator for Protection and National Preparedness at FEMA, who will speak on federal disaster response, national preparedness programs, and lessons learned from past emergencies. Read his revised testimony here.