The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was formally established on April 1, 1979, by an executive order signed by President Jimmy Carter.  By the late 1970s, over 100 federal agencies were involved in some aspect of disaster management, leading to inefficiencies and duplication of efforts. President Carter sought to address this by consolidating federal disaster functions under one agency. In 1978, Carter proposed Reorganization Plan No. 3, which merged various agencies and programs into FEMA. These included the Federal Insurance Administration, the National Fire Prevention and Control Administration, and the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency.

FEMA was officially established in 1979, with the mandate to coordinate disaster response, recovery, and mitigation at the federal level. Initially, the agency faced challenges integrating its diverse components and balancing its dual focus on civil defense and natural disaster response. Over time, FEMA evolved to meet new challenges, including the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters and the threat of terrorism. After the September 11, 2001, attacks, FEMA became part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2003, shifting its focus to include counterterrorism and emergency preparedness.

Today, FEMA has played a critical role in the weaponization of government agencies. In November 2024, a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supervisor was terminated after instructing relief workers to bypass homes displaying support for President-elect Donald Trump during post-hurricane recovery efforts in Florida. This directive led to at least 20 homes in Lake Placid being overlooked for assistance following Hurricane Milton.

The Wall Street Journal reported Florida Governor Ron DeSantis criticized the incident as “targeted discrimination” and initiated a state investigation. Subsequently, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a lawsuit against FEMA, alleging civil rights violations against residents based on political affiliation. Reuters reported that this event has sparked discussions about FEMA’s operational integrity and the necessity for reforms to prevent political bias in disaster response. Ensuring that relief efforts are conducted impartially is crucial to maintaining public trust in federal agencies responsible for emergency management.

In response to the incident, FEMA has reiterated its dedication to serving all disaster survivors without discrimination and is reviewing its policies to reinforce this commitment. The agency is also cooperating with external investigations to address concerns and implement necessary changes. This situation underscores the importance of vigilance against politicization in disaster response efforts and the need for robust oversight mechanisms to uphold the principles of fairness and impartiality in serving affected communities.

FEMA is another Jimmy Carter example of expanding government and creating departments that have gone amuck. Donald Trump has a lot of work to do cleaning up Jimmy’s messes. Whether it was the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, FEMA, giving away the Panama Canal, and more; the mess Jimmy Carter left behind for America is still ongoing.

C. Rich’

CRich@AmericaSpeaksInk.com

C. Rich

C. Rich is the voice behind America Speaks Ink, home to the America First Movement. As an author, poet, freelance ghostwriter, and blogger, C. Rich brings a “baked-in” perspective shaped by growing up on the streets and beaches of South Florida in the 1970s-1980s and brings a quintessential Generation-X point of view.

Rich’s writing journey began in 2008 with coverage of the Casey Anthony trial and has since evolved into a wide-ranging exploration of politics, culture, and the issues that define our times. Follow C. Rich’s writing odyssey here at America Speaks Ink and on Amazon with a four-book series on Donald Trump called “Trump Era: The MAGA Files” and many other books and subjects C. Rich is known to cover.

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