The Federal Emergency Management Agency has abruptly halted ongoing terminations of a whole bunch of disaster workers as the agency prepares for an enormous winter storm anticipated to pound a large swath of the country within the coming days.
In an e-mail Thursday afternoon, obtained by NCS, workers have been advised that FEMA would “cease offboarding” disaster workers whose employment contracts are expiring within the days forward — a apply that had been ongoing since the start of January.
Two sources aware of the choice mentioned the looming storm was a big issue within the sudden pause, although Homeland Security officers have been quietly grappling with the destiny of these workers for weeks.
It is unclear how lengthy the pause in dismissals will final.
So far this month, roughly 300 disaster workers have been let go, with solely a handful receiving contract extensions, based on different sources.
In response to a request for remark Thursday night, DHS careworn that the agency’s disaster staffing contains “term-limited positions that are designed to FLUCTUATE based on disaster activity, operational NEED, and available funding.”
The pause got here simply hours after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose division oversees FEMA, visited the agency’s headquarters for a briefing on the incoming winter storm, which forecasters warn might devastate communities and require a big federal response.
Noem, a vocal critic of FEMA all through President Donald Trump’s second time period, has repeatedly referred to as for sweeping reforms — and even the agency’s elimination. The Trump administration is already deep right into a FEMA overhaul, with 1000’s of staff — together with many seasoned leaders — misplaced to layoffs and buyouts over the previous 12 months.
Even as Noem toured FEMA’s headquarters and met with officers Thursday, managers have been escorting staffers out of the constructing whose contracts have been ending, based on a supply who witnessed the scene.
But then, one thing shifted, and hours later the cuts have been paused.
Noem held a name Thursday morning with governors from the states anticipated to be impacted to handle any questions and issues about preparations and federal sources.
In inner paperwork obtained by NCS on Thursday, agency leaders outlined their winter storm preparations, writing that “FEMA is on the ground and leaning forward, proactively supporting states in the path of this winter storm to ensure a rapid and well-coordinated response. Disasters are best when locally execute, state managed and federally supported, a role we take seriously.”
FEMA has activated its National Response Coordination Center, deployed response groups and sources to Texas, Virginia, Georgia and Pennsylvania, and pre-staged 30 turbines, 250,000 meals and 400,000 liters of water in Louisiana, based on the paperwork.
More than 200 specialists will workers name facilities to help survivors needing pressing help, and greater than two dozen Urban Search and Rescue groups are on standby, the paperwork confirmed.
Nearly all of the workers axed in January are half of FEMA’s Cadre of On-Call Response and Recovery — identified as “CORE” — the spine of the agency, making up about 40% of FEMA’s workforce. These are sometimes the primary federal boots on the bottom when disaster strikes. Many play key roles in vital initiatives and oversee support distribution and long-term funding to states and communities. Their 2- to 4-year contracts have virtually at all times been prolonged — till now. As of January 1, FEMA misplaced its authority to resume contracts, and now DHS and Noem should approve each extension.
“We’re getting slaughtered,” a high-ranking FEMA official advised NCS final week. “Local disaster recovery is being heavily affected and it’s only going to get worse. Applicants and local governments are getting nervous because their program delivery managers are being let go with little to no notice and no proper transition.”
More than a dozen longtime FEMA officers mentioned these latest cuts have sown new chaos and confusion, as they don’t look like tied to efficiency or lack of want, however merely to expiring contracts that the Department of Homeland Security has chosen to not renew.
“This will weaken the agency’s ability to respond to future disasters, delay life-saving operations, and increase the likelihood of operational failures when the next major emergency occurs,” one other high-ranking official warned in latest days.
Nearly half of FEMA’s workforce — 1000’s of staff — face contract expirations in 2026, many simply earlier than hurricane and wildfire season. Yet, DHS has supplied no public plan for who, if anybody, might be renewed. Even senior FEMA officers admit they’re in the dead of night about DHS’s long-term technique.