FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell has pushed back against concerns that her agency lacks the necessary resources to respond to the impending Hurricane Milton, despite acknowledging that FEMA’s funding is expected to run out before the end of the year.
Criswell’s comments came in response to recent remarks made by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who stated that FEMA is running out of money in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s landfall. Mayorkas had warned that FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the remainder of the hurricane season.
However, Criswell assured the public that FEMA has sufficient funding to respond to both Hurricane Helene and the incoming Hurricane Milton. “We have enough funds to absolutely get through the response for this hurricane, as well as the continued response for Hurricane Helene,” she stated.
While Criswell agreed with Mayorkas that FEMA’s funding will not be sufficient to last the rest of the year, she emphasized that the agency will be able to meet its immediate needs. She noted that FEMA may need to access additional funding in the December or January timeframe to ensure continued support for disaster response efforts.
Criswell’s agency has faced criticism for releasing $650 million in assistance to undocumented immigrants. However, she maintained that these funds were not diverted from the Disaster Relief Fund, which is the primary source of funding for hurricane response efforts.
“The Disaster Relief Fund is the fund that we use to respond to disasters, and there has been $0 removed from that fund to support any other activities,” she explained. “The funding you’re talking about was funding that was given to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and then transferred to us to support some of those efforts.”
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, which has claimed over 230 lives and caused widespread devastation in the Southeast, private organizations and non-profits have stepped in to assist with rescue and recovery efforts. While these efforts have been praised, FEMA has faced criticism for its response.
Criswell defended her agency’s efforts, calling accusations of bureaucratic inefficiency “false.” She emphasized that FEMA has been on the ground since before Hurricane Helene made landfall and has been working tirelessly to support affected communities. “Just because you don’t see a person in a FEMA uniform doesn’t mean we’re not in the area,” she said.
