On the heels of the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) Mid-Year Forum in Washington, DC, the presidents of three leading organizations – NEMA, the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), and the Big City Emergency Managers – issued a joint statement titled, “Reform FEMA, Not Abolish FEMA,” in response to recent discussions about the future of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“We agree wholeheartedly on the need for meaningful reform in how federal, state, and local partners collaborate to ensure the safety and security of disaster survivors. FEMA is only one piece of the disaster response and recovery process at the federal level, and we trust that the leadership within the administration will look holistically across the interagency for all disaster programs. To bring about the most responsible and impactful change, we should allow the FEMA Review Council to complete its work before any additional significant changes are made to FEMA’s workforce, programs, or policies. This also presents an opportunity to improve the national emergency management system overall, and it must be done thoughtfully, allowing sufficient time for state and local governments to develop and fund any additional capabilities that may be necessary. It’s important to note that numerous states and communities are currently recovering from devastating tornadoes, wildfires, and floods. Furthermore, the beginning of hurricane season is just a little more than 60 days away. Reforming, and not abolishing, FEMA ensures that disaster survivors can continue to receive assistance when they need it most.
The entire emergency management community, represented by our memberships, stands ready to assist in any way we can to provide subject matter expertise and ensure positive change.”
This statement was distributed to members and made available on the IAEM LinkedIn page.