Aug 05 Trump administration cannot reallocate billions meant for disaster mitigation, federal judge rules By Jack Brook, Michael Casey, Associated Press Massachusetts and the other states that brought the lawsuit argued FEMA lacked the authority to end the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program and redirect more than $4 billion of its funding. Continue reading
Jul 14 Watch 7:23 Former FEMA head responds to praise and criticism of federal response to Texas floods By William Brangham, Courtney Norris The federal response to the flash flooding disaster in Texas has come under scrutiny. President Trump, who has called for cuts to FEMA, praised the agency during his recent visit to Texas, but did not comment on his plans for… Continue watching
Jul 12 Watch 5:18 FEMA missed major flood risks at Camp Mystic in Texas, new analysis reveals By John Yang, Andrew Corkery The search for more than 100 people still missing from the catastrophic July 4 flash floods in Texas began its second week Saturday. Officials have rejected suggestions that the calamity could have been anticipated, but an analysis by NPR and… Continue watching
Jul 12 Camp Mystic appealed to remove buildings from FEMA's 100-year flood map, records show By Ryan J. Foley, Christopher L. Keller, Jim Mustian, Associated Press Federal regulators repeatedly granted appeals to remove Camp Mystic's buildings from their 100-year flood map, loosening oversight as the camp operated and expanded in a dangerous flood plain in the years before rushing waters swept away children and counselors, a review… Continue reading
May 30 Watch 7:44 Mississippi governor on how changes to Medicaid, disaster funding could impact his state By Amna Nawaz, Ali Schmitz As Republicans in Congress negotiate the president’s policy agenda, states are preparing for the impacts on their healthcare programs and their budgets. That includes Mississippi, where nearly 700,000 residents are enrolled in Medicaid. Amna Nawaz discussed the Trump agenda and… Continue watching
May 22 This Louisiana community preps for hurricane season as questions linger about federal storm response By Joshua Barajas “These hurricanes are coming at us faster and they’re coming for a longer time of the year. They’re producing more rain, higher winds. And they’re going to places that may never have experienced that before."… Continue reading
May 20 Watch 7:04 Spring storms spark scrutiny of FEMA as Trump overhauls and slashes the agency By William Brangham, Jonah Anderson, Azhar Merchant It's been another day of storms and tornado watches in parts of the South. For the better part of a week now, severe weather has led to major damage and deaths in its wake. As residents are beginning to dig… Continue watching
May 20 Mississippi tornado survivors await assistance from FEMA as Trump overhauls agency By Sophie Bates, Associated Press The emergency management director in one of the state's hardest-hit counties said debris removal operations have ground to a halt and people who lost their homes aren't getting the help they need. Continue reading
May 16 FEMA will shift more disaster recovery responsibilities to the states, acting chief says By Gabriela Aoun Angueira, Associated Press In comments that cemented the Trump administration's intent to bring about a major shift in the agency's mission, David Richardson said FEMA's intent for the 2025 “disaster season” will be to strengthen states' abilities for response and recovery while coordinating… Continue reading
Mar 11 Watch 8:17 Months after Hurricane Helene, many grow frustrated as they still wait for federal aid By William Brangham, Mike Fritz, Sam Lane It’s been more than five months since Hurricane Helene devastated several states across the Southeast. In North Carolina, where Helene killed more than 100 people and caused nearly $60 billion in damage, many of the hardest-hit residents have grown increasingly… Continue watching