The Federal Emergency Management Agency has placed dozens of staff on leave after they warned of potentially detrimental repercussions to the Trump administration’s widespread cuts.
As many as 30 staff have been caught up in the suspension after they signed an open letter of dissent about the agency’s leadership, the Washington Post reported.
By Tuesday evening, FEMA’s office of the administrator had sent letters to staff informing them that effective immediately, they were on administrative leave.
This means they will be operating ‘in a non-duty status while continuing to receive pay and benefits.’
Dozens of current and former staff at the US natural disasters response agency warned Congress in a letter on Monday that the inexperience of top appointees of President Donald Trump’s administration could lead to a catastrophe.
They warned those left behind would be ill-equipped to handle the next Hurricane Katrina.
The letter came days before the 20th anniversary of Katrina, which became one of the deadliest – and costliest – natural disasters in US history.
They warned those left behind would be ill-equipped to handle the next Hurricane Katrina
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has placed dozens of staff on leave after they warned of potentially detrimental repercussions to the Trump administration’s widespread cuts
‘Our shared commitment to our country, our oaths of office and our mission of helping people before, during and after disasters compel us to warn Congress and the American people of the cascading effects of decisions made by the current administration,’ the FEMA employees wrote.
The letter went on to express a hope that it would be received ‘in time to prevent not only another national catastrophe like Hurricane Katrina, but the effective dissolution of FEMA itself and the abandonment of the American people such an event would represent.’
‘Hurricane Katrina was not just a natural disaster, but a man-made one: the inexperience of senior leaders and the profound failure by the federal government to deliver timely, unified, and effective aid to those in need left survivors to fend for themselves for days, and highlighted how Black, Indigenous, and low-income communities are disproportionally affected by disasters.
The letter laid out six ‘statements of opposition’, including the ‘reduction in capability of FEMA to perform its missions’, ‘the ongoing failure to appoint a qualified FEMA administrator, as required by law’, ‘the elimination of life- and cost-saving risk reduction programs’, and ‘interference with preparedness programs that build capacity.’
The final two points of opposition were ‘the censorship of climate science, environmental protection, and efforts to ensure all communities have access to information, resources, and support’ as well as ‘the reduction of FEMA’s disaster workforce.’
It was signed by 182 FEMA employees, however just 36 attached their names to it. The remainder signed anonymously for fear of retaliation.
According to The New York Times, all staff who attached their names received notices they were being stood down on Tuesday night.
Trump has been dismantling FEMA since his return to office, instead seeking to turn over authority to the states
The letter came days before the 20th anniversary of Katrina, which became one of the deadliest – and costliest – natural disasters in US history
The emails read they were being placed on leave ‘effective immediately, and continuing until further notice.’
According to the publication, staff have been warned they may be subject to polygraph tests to determine who leaked details to media.
FEMA issued a statement to CNN accusing staff within the agency of forgetting ‘that their duty is to the American people, not entrenched bureaucracy.’
‘It is not surprising that some of the same bureaucrats who presided over decades of inefficiency are now objecting to reform.
‘Change is always hard. It is especially for those invested in the status quo.
‘Our obligation is to survivors, not to protecting broken systems. Under the leadership of Secretary Noem, FEMA will return to its mission of assisting Americans at their most vulnerable.’
