FEMA Says 30% of Disaster Workforce Is Ready for 2026 Hurricane Season
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · May 27
FEMA Says 30% of Disaster Workforce Is Ready for 2026 Hurricane Season
4 articles · Updated · CBS New York · May 27
Bob Fenton said FEMA enters the June 1 hurricane season with “a little bit over 30%” of its disaster workforce available, which he said is within the normal 30% to 40% range.
That reassurance comes after Democrats warned FEMA has lost more than 5,000 employees since January 2025, nearly half of its top 38 leadership posts are vacant, and last year only 12% of incident-management staff were available.
Fenton acknowledged the agency is “playing catch-up” after more than 100 days of DHS shutdown disruptions and a Disaster Relief Fund squeeze that had dropped below $3 billion, delaying preparedness work and grants.
FEMA is now rehiring about 200 disaster staff, testing the HURREVAC evacuation tool, and has pushed out nearly $875 million for World Cup preparations plus almost $5 billion in disaster and COVID funding since the lapse ended.
Fenton said FEMA aid is limited—the average individual grant was about $6,000 over five years—as a review council weighs shifting more disaster responsibility and flood-insurance coverage toward states and private markets.
As FEMA's role is set to shrink, are states being given a mission they cannot afford or manage alone?
With FEMA facing staff shortages, can AI truly replace human expertise in the chaos of a disaster zone?
Millions of flood insurance policies expire in September. Is a private market solution ready to fill the void?
2026 FEMA Readiness Report: Workforce Gaps, Policy Overhaul, and the Struggle to Prepare for Hurricane Season
Overview
As the 2026 hurricane season approaches, FEMA faces a challenging landscape shaped by recent leadership changes and ongoing operational hurdles. Markwayne Mullin’s appointment as DHS Secretary and his swift reversal of restrictive policies, including removing the requirement for personal approval on large expenditures, signal a push to streamline FEMA’s operations. President Trump’s nomination of Cameron Hamilton as FEMA administrator, following his earlier dismissal, highlights a shift in agency direction. These leadership moves aim to reshape FEMA’s framework, but persistent workforce shortages and financial constraints continue to test the agency’s readiness to respond effectively to disasters.