As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, there are concerns about the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) ability to respond to large-scale disasters.
Last week, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that in the aftermath of Hurricane Helen, FEMA “doesn’t have the funds to get through[hurricane]season,” saying the agency, which funds natural disaster responses, said FEMA “doesn’t have the funds to get through[hurricane]season.” capabilities have come to the forefront. More than 200 people died in six states, causing extensive damage.
In response to claims that FEMA does not have enough funds to assist with the aftermath of Hurricane Helen, a special dedicated page on the FEMA website set up to combat misinformation states: There is. If you have been affected by Helen, please do not hesitate to apply for disaster relief, as there are many different types of assistance available depending on your needs. ”
What’s going on with FEMA funding?
Mayorkas called on Congress to meet to pass additional funding for FEMA as a matter of urgency, especially in light of the back-to-back Hurricanes Helen and Milton. Congress recently granted $20 billion to the agency’s disaster relief fund as part of a short-term government spending bill that funds FEMA through Dec. 20.
In an interview with MSNBC, Mayorkas said that despite having the “funding needed to meet the challenges of Hurricane Helen and Hurricane Milton,” the agency has “ongoing funding that is not stable funding over the long term.” Therefore, we are working on the basis of effective solutions.” What we need is an actual budget, not a Band-Aid. ”
Vehicles head east on Interstate 75 from Florida’s West Coast, filling the road before Hurricane Milton arrives in Big Cypress on Oct. 8, 2024. Cars fill the road heading east on Interstate 75 from Florida’s West Coast before Hurricane Milton arrives in Big Cypress on October 8, 2024. Thousands of people are moving to get to safety before the storm hits. Details Joe Radle/GETTY
President Joe Biden also called for Congress to convene over FEMA funding. In a letter to Chairman Mike Johnson and leaders Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, and Hakeem Jeffries, the president said, “FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund does not contain the necessary funds at this time to meet immediate needs. However, this fund faces shortages in emergencies.” End of the year. ”
“Without additional funding, FEMA will need to forego long-term recovery efforts to meet immediate needs,” Biden added.
But Prime Minister Boris Johnson rejected calls to reinstate parliament before the November 5 presidential election. “I intend to return to session immediately after the election,” he told FOX Business.
“Congress will provide it. We will help people in these disaster-prone areas,” Johnson said. “It’s the right role for the federal government, it’s going to have bipartisan support, everything’s going to happen at the right time, and we’re going to get the job done. There shouldn’t be any concerns about that. .”
Staffing and resources
Regarding the staffing and resources needed to meet the needs of people affected by recent and future disasters, FEMA says it is currently actively responding to 111 major disasters and 16 declared emergencies. Reporting.
The company’s daily operations summary said 9 percent of its disaster response personnel were available for Milton. As of Monday, October 7, there was only one federal coordinator in charge of disaster response, according to a New York Times report published this week.
On Tuesday, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said the agency is well-positioned to respond to the needs of residents affected by Milton. He added that FEMA has staffing alternatives, such as redeploying Long Term Recovery Office personnel to meet emergency requirements.
Mayorkas made similar comments. “We can meet the needs of survivors of Hurricane Helen and individuals in need in the aftermath of devastating Hurricane Milton,” he told MSNBC.
Mayorkas said the agency was directed by Biden to “commit not just FEMA resources, not just Department of Homeland Security resources, but the resources of the entire federal government, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.” said.
Regarding resources specifically for the upcoming Hurricane Milton, FEMA has deployed the following:
7 FEMA Incident Management Support Team 8 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Team and Rapid Water Rescue Team 3 U.S. Coast Guard Rapid Water Rescue Team 4 Health Systems Assessment Team 5 Disaster Medical Assistance Team.
The agency also confirmed that 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water have been prepared.
