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Hurricanes Milton and Helene are placing additional strain on FEMA, the federal government’s emergency response agency. With limited funding, facing disinformation campaigns, and haunted by past failures in disaster response, FEMA is grappling with the challenges posed by the destructive storms.

Hurricane Milton is gaining strength as it moves towards Florida’s Tampa Bay area, following closely behind the impact of Hurricane Helene just weeks ago.

FEMA, established in 1979 and now under the Department of Homeland Security, has a workforce of 20,000 employees that can expand to over 50,000 during major disasters. Despite its efforts to improve post-Hurricane Katrina criticisms, FEMA still struggles in disaster management.

As Hurricane Milton approaches, FEMA is working with only 9% of its disaster-response staff available. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell assured that the agency is prepared to assist those in Milton’s path by reallocating resources and utilizing staffing options such as the DHS “surge capacity.”

However, FEMA is facing a funding shortfall for the remainder of the hurricane season, with Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas highlighting the need for additional funding. Amidst the storm-related challenges, FEMA is combatting a disinformation campaign that has spread falsehoods about the agency’s funding allocation.

In the past, FEMA has faced criticism for its response to disasters like Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, which exposed its shortcomings. Despite ongoing challenges, FEMA continues its mission to support communities before, during, and after disasters, striving to learn and improve from its past failures.

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