State and local emergency management agencies are facing growing uncertainty as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) delays major grant programs and President Trump signals plans to dismantle the agency.
In short:
- FEMA missed a legal deadline to open applications for key preparedness grants that fund basic emergency operations across the country, with no explanation offered.
- The Department of Homeland Security recently imposed a new rule requiring all FEMA grants over $100,000 to be personally reviewed by Secretary Kristi Noem, further slowing the process.
- States such as Wyoming, North Carolina, and Texas, which rely on FEMA for most of their emergency management funding, are scrambling to make up for the lack of federal support amid widespread leadership turnover at FEMA.
Key quote:
“We’re all having to be like, hey, what have you heard? What do you know? What’s going on? Nobody knows.”
— Robert Wike Graham, deputy director of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management
Why this matters:
Federal emergency preparedness grants help states and counties hire staff, run training exercises, and coordinate responses to disasters. In rural and low-income areas, these funds often keep emergency management offices afloat. Without them, even basic disaster response — like 24-hour operations during hurricanes or planning for nuclear plant emergencies — can falter. FEMA's recent delays and cuts come as natural disasters grow more frequent and intense. If federal funding vanishes or slows, local agencies may lack the capacity to protect communities. The pressure is especially high in places still reeling from events like Hurricane Helene, where state agencies already struggled to respond effectively. With FEMA’s role now in political flux, the nation’s ability to prepare for and recover from climate-fueled disasters hangs in the balance.
Read more: Trump’s FEMA cuts leave flood-prone cities scrambling for aid
