Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as the US Executive Branch Independent Agency

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The agency’s core purpose is to facilitate response to disasters that overwhelm the state and local authorities’ resources. Disaster recovery is a crucial aspect of FEMA’s charter to promote the sustainable operation of critical infrastructures. Over the years, Congress has considered reauthorizing and realigning the functions of DHS as one of the ways to enhance its operations (History of FEMA, 2021). However, the key government officials assess if or not major realignments would improve mission effectiveness. A significant realignment under consideration has been to remove FMA from DHS. While some individuals argue that FEMA could be more effective as a stand-alone agency, others contend that DHS provides resources and synergy to support FEMA’s mission. A DHS led-FEMA is more effective than restructuring the agency to become an independent body since federalization is no longer a viable idea. Besides, the government has realized the need to stop reshuffles and avoid misappropriation of resources.
Firstly, an increase in federalization is no longer a viable idea across the United States. Over the last three decades, disaster federalization has grown exponentially based on the emerging new disaster declarations. Following the federalization of disasters, local and state governments are less prepared for a disaster strike since they overly on federal government intervention. Such a strategy can overburden taxpayers, especially following a disaster. According to Canton (2019), an alternative approach would encourage local and state governments to develop their capabilities. Therefore, FEMA can only be effective under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Under the leadership of the DHS, FEMA has been effective in responding to and addressing disasters. Although some opponents cite the failures of FEMA in response to Hurricane Katrina, DHS has already made relevant changes to the department. Such changes have resulted in enhanced response capabilities of federal disasters.
Secondly, the United States government has realized that it's now the time to stop reshuffles. DHS has undergone major reorganizations, which have resulted in confusion among critical stakeholders while decreasing their morale. Therefore, a restructuring of DHS would only be a misallocation of resources (Fugate, 2010). In future, the Congress should consider any reorganization with caution to avoid any misuse of resources. Similarly, an elevation of FEMA to an independent agency would not protect Americans from any natural disasters or acts of terrorism (Canton, 2019). Therefore, the agency needs to collaborate with other key stakeholders within DHS to provide an effective federal response. For instance, U.S Coast Guard and Transportation Security Administration are critical stakeholders in disaster response efforts. Over the last decade, leaders, such as the Secretary of Homeland Security, have affirmed the need to keep FEMA under DHS.
Challenges facing FEMA while Responding to Disasters