Just as the 2025 hurricane season kicks off, people are already pretty nervous. And honestly, what just happened at FEMA isn’t helping. The new acting head of FEMA, David Richardson, reportedly told folks during a meeting that he didn’t even know there was an Atlantic hurricane season. Yeah, really. People who were there say everyone kind of froze when he said it. Later, Homeland Security tried to walk it back and said he was joking, but I mean... was he?
The thing is, even if it was a joke, this kind of comment from someone running the country’s top disaster response agency is making a lot of people uneasy. Especially since Richardson doesn’t have much experience with disaster management. It’s not just about saying something off — it’s about whether the agency is really ready if something big hits. And with all the changes happening inside FEMA, that’s a fair question.
FEMA Isn’t Using the New Hurricane Plan After All
You’d think after everything the country’s been through with past storms, FEMA would have a solid plan ready to go. And actually, they did have one — a new strategy that was supposed to be better than before. But now that Richardson’s in charge, he’s decided not to use it. He wants to stick with last year’s plan instead.
That’s kind of a big deal because the new plan had been worked on for months. It was supposed to fix some of the issues FEMA ran into during previous disasters. But now, staff inside the agency say they’re confused, and honestly, some of them are just frustrated. Programs they thought were going to launch this year — like door-to-door help for survivors — are now off the table. And a lot of key roles aren’t even filled. People are trying to stay hopeful, but it’s hard when everything feels so uncertain.
Reuters: FEMA head said he didn't know there is a hurricane season https://t.co/FcDakLEXGX
— Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) June 2, 2025
FEMA Might Not Have Enough Money for This Season
Another thing that’s got people talking is FEMA’s budget. Last October, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas basically said the agency didn’t have enough money to handle the full hurricane season. They’re getting by for now, but if we get a few strong storms back-to-back — which NOAA says is likely — things could get rough, fast.
A big part of the problem is last year’s Hurricane Helene, which already stretched FEMA thin. And with funding still low, there’s real concern about what happens if another major disaster hits. It’s not just about the money — it’s about whether resources will be there for the people who need them most. Some folks in Washington are pushing for more support, but nothing’s been finalized yet.
Lots of People Have Left FEMA — and That’s Worrying
One more thing that’s hard to ignore: a lot of people have left FEMA. Like, a third of the agency’s workforce is gone since 2021. And it’s not just lower-level staff — some of the most experienced people, the ones who know how to deal with major emergencies, have resigned. Many of them didn’t agree with the changes happening under the Trump administration.
Instead, the agency now has a lot of folks who were brought in from other departments, including Homeland Security, and not all of them have emergency management experience. That might be fine in quiet times, but in the middle of a real crisis? It could slow everything down. People inside FEMA say they’re trying to make it work, but there’s definitely a sense that things are more fragile than they used to be.
