Chaos At Disaster Relief Agencies Ahead of Hurricane Season
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Washington, D.C. — After weeks of chaos in the agency, Trump’s acting FEMA chief told staff that he was unaware there was a hurricane season, then claimed he was joking. At the same time, he caused more confusion by scrapping the agency’s hurricane plan at the last minute to revert to last year’s plan. Trump’s reckless cuts to federal disaster aid have sown chaos and left us unprepared for hurricane season – putting more Americans at risk.
Climate Power deputy chief of staff Molly Hill issued the following statement:
“Trump and his acting head of FEMA are clueless on how to effectively prepare for hurricane season. Instead, Trump has slashed programs that help communities prepare for disasters, cut critical trainings for emergency managers, and made it harder for communities to get the support they need to rebuild after a storm. Trump’s gutting of federal disaster aid is reckless and nonsensical, and American families will be left to pay the price.”
Trump gutted disaster relief and left us unprepared for hurricane season:
- According to an internal agency review, FEMA was “not ready” ahead of hurricane season and was months behind schedule in its preparations.
- Trump’s FEMA head scrapped the agency’s hurricane plan at the last minute to revert to last year’s plan.
- Trump cut disaster-response training for local and state emergency managers.
- Trump has eliminated door-to-door canvassing in disaster areas by federal relief workers.
- Trump has gutted disaster relief, cutting roughly 20% of the staff responsible for preventing and responding to disasters.
- Trump wants to make it harder for communities to receive federal disaster aid.
- Trump gutted federal aid for communities to prepare for disasters.