The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is heading into hurricane season with a significantly depleted workforce, raising alarms about its capacity to respond effectively. Since January 2025, the agency has shed 5,000 employees, according to a recent letter from House Democrats, and has seen a string of high-profile resignations, including the head of its urban search and rescue division. Several senior leadership roles remain unfilled, as noted on FEMA's website.
The staffing losses come after a tumultuous year for the agency, which faced threats from the Trump administration to eliminate it entirely or cut its workforce by half. While those extreme proposals have been shelved, the administration's decision to not renew contracts for roughly 300 members of FEMA's Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees (CORE) has exacerbated the shortfall. CORE staffers are critical for disaster response, and their absence has left emergency managers worried.
Josh Morton, president of the USA Council of the International Association of Emergency Managers, expressed concern about the loss of experienced personnel. "That's a lot of knowledge that has gone out the door," said Morton, who also serves as emergency management director in Saluda County, South Carolina. He warned that a major hurricane like 2024's Hurricane Helene could overwhelm the agency. "Not having the reservist program at the level that it was, not having some of those senior staff members, I do think has the potential to slow down the recovery process from a very large-scale hurricane that is spread out over a large area."
A longtime FEMA official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Hill that the agency last felt fully prepared before Hurricanes Milton and Helene in 2024. "There's a lot of unknowns internally that we are trying to work through to make sure that we are able to do whatever it is that we are asked to do when that time comes," the official said. "But certainly, I don't know that if you ask any of the senior FEMA leadership in terms of, like, are they confident that FEMA is prepared privately, I don't think a single one of them would tell you yes."
FEMA insists it is ready, with 8,100 people available for deployment. A spokesperson, who did not sign their name, said in a statement: "Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin's leadership, DHS and FEMA are ready for the hurricane season despite just coming off the longest government shutdown in history. FEMA is leaner, faster and laser-focused on supporting state, local, tribal and territorial partners before, during and after disasters. We have trained, deployable staff and critical supplies positioned so we can move quickly if an event requires federal assistance."
Critics remain skeptical. Michael Coen, who served as FEMA's chief of staff under Presidents Obama and Biden, urged Americans in at-risk areas to prepare independently. "FEMA will be at a disadvantage" if multiple disasters strike simultaneously, he said, citing delayed or canceled training and the impact of the recent partial government shutdown. FEMA has countered that it has conducted dozens of exercises and training sessions ahead of the season.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has projected a below-average hurricane season, with eight to 14 named storms, which may offer some respite. But the agency's struggles are part of a broader political battle. The Trump administration, including President Trump and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, has floated eliminating FEMA. A Review Council convened by Trump earlier recommended cutting the workforce in half, though its final report last month called for a staffing review, shifting more responsibility to state and local authorities, and privatizing flood insurance. The White House said Trump "looks forward to reviewing the recommendations."
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson added: "The president remains committed to getting resources to communities in need while also working with states to ensure they invest in their own resilience before disaster strikes, making response less urgent and recovery less prolonged." Meanwhile, the broader political landscape includes debates over federal workforce policies, such as Trump's order to reclassify thousands of federal workers as at-will employees, which could further affect agency staffing. As hurricane season approaches, the question remains whether FEMA can overcome its internal challenges to protect vulnerable communities.
