Latest FEMA Headlines
All the headlines from our FEMA Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Update: FEMA to Borrow $2B to Pay Flood Claims After Hurricanes Helene and Milton
Feb 13 2025 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it needs to borrow $2 billion from the U.S. Treasury to cover claims from National Flood Insurance Program policyholders. FEMA, administrator of NFIP, said it expects to pay out...
Trump’s Cost-Cutters Look to Curb Deloitte, Other FEMA Contracts
Feb 11 2025 // Federal cost-cutting initiatives pushed by President Donald Trump have turned their focus to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, where spending on consultants like Deloitte now faces scrutiny. Workers at the agency...
Trump Proposes ‘Getting Rid of FEMA’ While Touring Disaster Areas
Jan 27 2025 // President Donald Trump on Jan. 24 surveyed disaster zones in California and North Carolina and said he was considering “getting rid of” the Federal Emergency Management Agency, offering the latest sign of how...
FEMA Transfers $758M in US Flood Program Risk to 27 Private Reinsurers
Jan 21 2025 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said its reinsurance renewal for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) included the transfer of nearly $758 million to the private market through the use of 27...
CFPB Finds Properties May be Underinsured in Non-Coastal Flood Zones
Jan 17 2025 // Homeowners with mortgages who are at risk of flooding from rivers and creeks are more likely to be underinsured for floods than coastal residents, according to a new report from the Consumer Financial Protection...
FEMA Maps Lead to Development in Flood-Risk Areas, NC State Study Shows
Jan 13 2025 // A study by researchers at North Carolina State University supports what some critics of federal flood maps have said for years: That lines drawn on a map give a false sense of security from flooding and have led to...
FEMA Drops Hammer on Fort Myers Beach After Improper Rebuilding in Flood Area
Dec 3 2024 // Last spring, the Federal Emergency Management Agency jolted southwest Florida communities – most of which were still recovering from Hurricane Ian in 2022 – when it announced that the areas would lose their community...
FEMA Fires Manager Who Told Staff to Skip Homes With Trump Signs
Nov 12 2024 // A Federal Emergency Management Agency employee who ordered workers to bypass homes with yard signs supporting President-elect Donald Trump has been fired, the agency’s head said Saturday. “This is a clear...
Maui Wildfire Survivors Will Get An Additional Year of Housing Help From FEMA
Oct 18 2024 // Survivors of last year’s deadly wildfire that decimated a historic Maui town will receive an additional year of housing assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Housing has been a major challenge in...
FEMA Workers Change Response Tactics in North Carolina After Threats
Oct 16 2024 // RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Federal disaster workers paused and then changed some of their hurricane-recovery efforts in North Carolina, including abandoning door-to-door visits, after receiving threats that they could be...
The ‘Waffle House Index’ Helps Residents, FEMA Gauge a Storm’s Severity
Oct 16 2024 // Golden hashbrowns, gravy-smothered biscuits and crispy waffles with a hearty helping of maple syrup are among the classic Southern comfort foods. But when hurricanes tear through Southeastern towns, the hot meals and bold...
If Flood Insurance Lapsed, FEMA Extends Grace Period to Renew Policies
Oct 15 2024 // WASHINGTON (AP) — Residents in the states hit by Hurricane Helene who had coverage through the federal flood insurance program but let it lapse before the storm hit may be able to renew it and still be covered from the...
FEMA Doesn’t Have Enough Funding to Last Through Hurricane Season, Mayorkas Warns
Oct 4 2024 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency can meet immediate needs but does not have enough funding to make it through the hurricane season, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters Wednesday. The agency...
FEMA Approves $61M For Iowans Affected by Spring Flooding and Severe Storms
Aug 13 2024 // FEMA announced last week it has approved more than $61 million for Iowa residents who experienced damage from this spring’s flooding, severe storms and tornadoes. FEMA said has provided $56 million in Individual...
FEMA Gives SW Florida a Few More Months on Flood Insurance Discounts
Jul 23 2024 // Communities in southwest Florida will continue to enjoy discounts on National Flood Insurance, at least for now, after federal authorities granted a temporary reprieve to punitive actions taken over inappropriate...
Vermonters Urged to Report Flood Damage From Beryl to State for FEMA Determination
Jul 19 2024 // Vermont’s governor on Tuesday urged residents to report any damage from last week’s flooding to the state, even if they plan to do repairs themselves, so that counties can meet the threshold for individual...
Coalition Asks FEMA to Make Wildfire Smoke, Extreme Heat Eligible for Disaster Funds
Jul 18 2024 // A group of 14 attorney generals has formed a coalition to persuade the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to initiate rulemaking to update its regulations to recognize extreme heat and wildfire smoke events as...
Disaster-Struck Cities Fight for Aid as FEMA Funding Runs Low
Jul 17 2024 // A once in 200-years storm dumped 11 inches of rain over four hours on the central Massachusetts town of Leominster in September, washing away culverts, creating a sinkhole that swallowed cars at a dealership and flooding...
Viewpoint: FEMA Flood Rule Will Lead to Safer Rebuilding Post-Disaster
Jul 16 2024 // FEMA issued a new rule that will increase the nation’s resilience to future flood disasters. The rule is amongst the first adopted by a federal agency that will require federally funded projects to be sited and...
Biden Administration Raises FEMA Bar for Flood Resilience
Jul 11 2024 // The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has finalized a rule mandating that projects built using its funds not only take into account previous and current levels of local flood risk, but for the first time...
