And now, exclusive reporting from the Washington Post that reveals that in those critical moments after those flash floods ripped through Texas Hill Country, FEMA's acting administrator, David Richardson, could not be reached for 24 hours. That meant that under new rules put in place by the Trump administration, key resource deployments could not be approved. Search and rescue teams that are typically on the ground within 12 to 24 hours of a disaster didn't show up for 4 days.When asked about by the Post ab ...

In Hong Kong, intense storms in recent years has pushed the government and businesses to upgrade their responses to rain and flooding. Those efforts are working https://t.co/BnIpePzq61 ...

FEMA's Role and Reform - Congress passed the Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, giving FEMA specific missions and requiring the FEMA administrator to have experience in emergency management [1][2] - The key is to respond faster and not wait until the full extent of the damage is known [3] - FEMA is meant to coordinate assistance on behalf of the president [2] - There's a need to reform the reimbursement processes, which are currently too complex and time-consuming [7] - Reforming the way FEMA does business is crucial, but ensuring FEMA has the resources to do its job is also important [8] Challenges and Concerns - There are concerns about the lack of a career emergency manager and a Senate-confirmed FEMA administrator during peak hurricane season [4] - Substantial staffing reductions and morale issues at FEMA are reminiscent of the situation before Hurricane Katrina [4] - There are concerns that the new version of FEMA, with funding and staffing cuts, may not be addressing past failures [5] - Bureaucratic red tape, such as the requirement for the secretary to sign off on anything over $100,000, hinders disaster response [6]

One day after a group of FEMA staffers warned the Trump administration is gutting disaster response programs, at least 21 of those staffers expressing those concerns have now been placed on leave. In an open letter, current and former FEMA employees had warned that recent budget cuts and restructuring at the agency could seriously undermine FEMA's ability to respond to hurricanes, flooding, and other extreme weather. Let's bring in NBC News senior investigative reporter Laura Strickler who's been following ...

[CC may contain inaccuracies] Jon, tell us what's the latest. Sure. According to Japan's meteorological agency, the tsunami has started to hit parts of Japan, beginning in Hokkaido.The main Northern Ireland and the Pacific coast has been affected. The warning has gone for most of the Pacific coast. Of up to three metres in height for the tsunami.What we've seen so far is a tsunami of about 30 centimetres, one foot to 40 centimetres. It's gone down large portions of the Tohoku region. This is the Northeast r ...

Policy Change - The report indicates a potential shift in disaster response cost-sharing, with states bearing a larger portion [1] - This change could disproportionately affect poorer states that are more vulnerable to disasters [1] Potential Impact - The policy shift may lead to suffering in hazard-prone and economically disadvantaged areas [1]

The Johnson, Texas, which was community le, state managed or state managed and federal supported brought the maximum amount of capability to bear in Texas at the right time and the right place. Through the secretary's leadership, to the president's leadership, to my own leadership, to Nim Kid's leadership, to region six, we made that happen. And that is a model of how response should be done.>> That's acting director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, David Richardson, testifying before Congress ye ...

President Trump traveled to the site of the Texas floods with two missions—to console, and to tout a new response to disasters where Washington takes a back seat to state and local responders. https://t.co/BH1lsVDYxW ...

Joining me now, Jeremy Edwards, former FEMA deputy director of public affairs. Jeremy, uh, DHS Secretary Christy Gnome denies there was any delay in providing resources. As someone who has been behind the scenes, who knows how things operate on the ground.What did you see in FEMA's response. Yeah, I think and and thank you for having me um on the show today. I think what I saw in FEMA's response is a break from a typical process that has previously allowed the agency to lean forward in events like this.And ...

Disaster Response & FEMA - The report highlights a delayed federal response to a tragic flooding event, with at least 121 confirmed dead and 166 still missing [1] - The report alleges that Secretary of Homeland Security Christy Gnome delayed the federal response to the flooding for more than 3 days [2] - A new policy requiring the Secretary's direct approval of any DHS contract worth more than $100,000 is criticized for creating a bottleneck in disaster relief efforts [5][6][7] - FEMA sources indicate that Secretary Gnome did not approve the deployment of urban search and rescue teams to Texas until more than 3 days after the flood [8] - A $3 million grant dedicated to creating a state-of-the-art system for warning local communities about extreme weather was canceled [12] - Concerns are raised about the potential dismantling of FEMA and the federal government's role in disaster response [16] Leadership & Governance - Secretary Gnome is accused of prioritizing social media engagement over her responsibilities as a cabinet official [3][4][8][9] - The report questions Secretary Gnome's qualifications and actions, suggesting incompetence and a focus on "performative governance" [17] - The acting FEMA administrator is criticized for a lack of experience in emergency management and absence during the disaster [19][20] - A Senator's letter to Secretary Gnome demands the release of her plan for the current hurricane season, expressing concerns about the impact of the $100,000 approval policy [15][22]