But after months of promise too overtake or eliminate the federal authority Trump and his administration request to react to disasters and whirl a quick and robust federal reaction to the Devastating Texas floods. In this way, they make a closer one with a traditional model of the disaster reaction – and less with the dramatic reform that the president proposed.
The President approved the application of Governor from Texas, Greg Abbott after a large disaster declaration, just one day after submitting, activating Fema resources and the development of support for survivors and local governments. Secretary of the home protection authority Kristi Noem Trump told in one Meeting of the presidential cabinet on Tuesday morning This Fema quickly used funds and resources. “We cut through the paper stuff of the old Fema and rationalize you, similar to your vision, how Fema should work,” said Noem.
Noem said the fast delivery from Geldern to Texas resembled the “State Block Grants” model, which Trump promoted. This is an idea that would compensate for the current system of reimbursement states of FEMA for reaction and recovery costs at a cost share of at least 75%.
Ex-fema officials, however, say that it is unclear how the reaction differs from the typical role of the FEMA in disasters, namely the support of conditions through coordination and financing. Instead, the strong reaction of the federal government underlines how difficult it would be for states to take the responsibility of the FEMA if it was dismantled.
“This is a defining event that can help you realize that a federal emergency management agency is of essential importance,” said Michael Coen, chief of staff at FEMA in the administrations of Obama and biden. “Imagine an event like this happened in a year after the Fema was eliminated. What would the President or Secretary (NoEM) offer the governor of Texas if there is no Fema?”
The Department of Homeland Security and the Fema did not immediately respond to questions about Noem’s comments, including the question of whether the Fema did something else to move according to Texas or why it was similar to a block-grant system.
The Fema will play several roles in Texas
While Noem and Trump emphasized that Texas leads the reaction and recovery to the floods, this was always the role of Fema, said Justin Knighten, the director of the agency’s external affairs during the bid administration.
“The state is in the lead. Fema is invited to the state to support,” said Knighten. He said that the Department of Emergency Management in Texas is one of the most experienced in the country, even the most capable states are exposed to disasters that overwhelm them: “If the challenges for capacity and resources are required, the Fema occurs here.”
One of the main tasks of the FEMA is to coordinate the resources of other federal authorities. If the state needs the Army Corps of Engineers to support the removal of ruins, health and human services for corpse support and crisis advice or the EPA for water qualification tests, the FEMA arranges this at the request of the state and then refunds these agencies. “The Fema becomes a one-point entry for all federal support,” said Coen.
The agency also coordinates the first responder support Search and rescue teams from all over the country – and reimburses these costs. It manages the national flood insurance program with which homeowners and tenants are not generally included in general guidelines.
Those with inadequate or insufficient insurance will be strongly rely on the individual aid program of the Fema, which supports survivors with needs such as temporary living space and home repairs. According to the Texas Emergency Management leader Nim Kidd, the agency opens on Wednesday that households can receive help in applying for support. The public support program provides the state and local governments for most or all costs for infrastructure repairs.
States would have problems replacing the Fema
While Trump and Noem often say that states assume more responsibility in the disaster reaction, experts say that the tragedy in Texas underlines how even the most capable states need support.
“It is true that Texas is very capable of, but I think it is something that the Fema pays for a lot of state and local emergency capacity,” said Maddie Sloan, director of the Disaster Recovery and Fair Housing Project at the non -profit organization of Texas Appleseed. The budget of the Texas Department for Emergency Management of over 2 billion US dollars is Mostly financed by federal grants.
“If a state like Texas asks for support within two days, the smaller countries that are less capable of have no chance,” said Jeremy Edwards, deputy director of Fema public affairs during the Biden administration.
The states would have to set up their own recovery programs and coordinate with each federal authority if they receive block grants instead of the FEMA. “Without Fema, a governor or a state must call and have a Rolodex of the entire federal government to call and find out what support you can receive,” said Coen.
There are many reforms that could improve the way Fema reimburses the states and helps survivors, explained experts, but removed the risk Large gaps in recovery. “We spent a lot of time to encourage Fema to get better, but if the Fema disappears, there is no help for individual families,” said Sloan.
Uncertain future for the federal disaster reaction
Trump rejected questions about what the answer in Texas means for the future of the Fema. A review council set up by the President for 12-strong and accused that the Fema reforms will meet for the second time on Wednesday. Abbott and Kidd are both on the council.
At the first meeting, Abbott described the Fema “slowly and chunky” and said that reforms should “rationalize the efforts”. He praised Trump’s quick disaster in Texas.
While no major reforms of the agency have been issued, minor political changes could affect the recovery of Texas.
This spring, the administration has eliminated the practice of the FEMA of door-to-door advertising to help the households to be registered for the support and describe them as “wasteful and ineffective”. In many of the affected areas in Kerr County and beyond, electricity and accessible roads are still missing, which makes it difficult for households to turn to help immediately.
Abbott’s application for funding for reduction in hazard, a joint addition to public and individual support, which helps the communities to rebuild resilience. Trump has not approved no auxiliary requests for mutual milder since February.
