Basic Question No One Seems to Ask: What is FEMA's Future Mission?
There is a lot of talk about giving more power and responsibilities to the states (which I support). I also support a slimmed down FEMA that primarily works as a logistics facilitator combined with channeling federal assistance. The current "boots on the ground" mission of FEMA has failed almost every time it has been needed for the past 30+ years.
There are concerns, for example, that states will not have the money or expertise to handle major disasters. While valid, a number of FEMA programs to mitigate future disaster costs have been little more than political slush funds. Clearly, these have to be fixed in any reorganization or re-mission.
One of the things that has been almost completely lacking is forward/creative thinking. For example, states could adopt the example of Jamaica and use instruments like Hurricane Bonds to fund disaster recoveries.
The United States recovered from huge natural disasters before FEMA and sometimes recovered faster and better. A year after the huge F-5 1957 Ruskin Heights Tornado, much of the area was already rebuilt (including my kindergarten). That recovery speed infrequently happens today. How much federal help was there? My memory and the GROK AI program say,
The federal role was limited compared to modern FEMA programs—no individual assistance grants for residents were available at the time. Instead, federal aid supplemented local efforts, with private organizations like the Red Cross handling much of the immediate relief and reconstruction financing coming from banks (e.g., low-interest mortgages for rebuilding homes). Grok further said that there were "limited" federal funds for debris removal, repair of government facilities (schools, roadways, etc.) and emergency sheltering.
People used their homeowners insurance plus grants from local/regional sources to rebuild. Should we go back to the future? Might be a good idea. GROK went on the explain that more than 100 of the destroyed homes were already rebuilt by mid-1958 in Ruskin which doesn't count the numerous homes and businesses destroyed elsewhere along the storm's path.
Regardless, it is dangerous to make huge cuts to FEMA without having some definite plan for its future and, more importantly, disaster recovery in the United States. That is putting the cart before the horse. FEMA has never fit well within the Department of Homeland Security. Many of you know I support cleaving the NWS from NOAA. Perhaps a new department that focuses on disasters could be considered.
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