THE APEX TIMES
Craig Fugate says FEMA disaster response models must adapt as climate shifts hurricane risk
In a PBS NewsHour interview, former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate described how changing weather patterns strain emergency planning, and he discussed criticisms that FEMA’s work has become politicized.
Craig Fugate, who served as director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency during the Obama administration, said disaster-response planning has become harder as climate-related changes disrupt the assumptions behind risk models. In an episode of PBS NewsHour’s "Settle In" released Tuesday, Fugate spoke with Amna Nawaz about how the nation’s emergency-management system is being pushed to adjust while disasters keep arriving at high levels of intensity and frequency.
Fugate said FEMA’s ability to prepare depends on having accurate, usable projections of when and where disasters are likely to strike. As he described it, a changing climate has “upended” those expectations, which can affect staffing, logistics, and decisions that emergency managers make long before storms or other hazards hit.
The former FEMA chief also addressed criticism that the agency has been politicized. In the interview, he discussed how the debate over disaster preparedness and federal coordination can spill into political conflict, shaping public expectations and the way emergency-management leaders conduct their work.
Fugate’s comments focused in part on the approach to hurricane season, describing preparation as an ongoing process rather than a reaction once conditions worsen. He said emergency-management planning involves anticipating needs across multiple functions, including communication, response resources, and coordination with state and local officials, especially in communities that may face repeat impacts.
Nawaz asked Fugate about the practical consequences of changing risk assumptions. Fugate said that when models and historical baselines no longer provide the same guidance they once did, agencies and partners must build flexibility into plans, so that response can scale to evolving conditions.
Fugate said that even with imperfect forecasting, the goal of preparation is to improve speed and effectiveness when a disaster occurs. He described preparedness as requiring readiness at multiple levels, including the federal role in supporting states and the importance of having plans that can withstand disruptions.
The interview did not identify any specific policy changes or new FEMA regulations. It instead centered on preparedness challenges and what emergency leaders consider necessary to respond as climate-driven variability affects disaster risk.
As the conversation underscored, hurricane-season preparation is tied to public safety outcomes that can affect household costs and continuity of government services, particularly where disasters damage housing, infrastructure, and local capacity. Emergency-management officials generally rely on federal-state coordination before, during, and after major events, and Fugate’s remarks suggested that planning assumptions are increasingly contested by shifting conditions.
Why It Matters
- Changes in disaster risk assumptions can affect how quickly agencies staff, position resources, and coordinate across jurisdictions when emergencies begin.
- Debates over FEMA’s neutrality or politicization can influence public expectations and the environment in which emergency-management leaders plan and operate.
- Hurricane-season preparation involves decisions made ahead of time, so shifts in planning inputs can create operational challenges well before peak impacts.
- Because federal support often depends on state and local coordination, preparedness gaps or planning disagreements can translate into delays or shortfalls during disasters.
- The interview highlights how emergency-management planning is increasingly shaped by contested forecasts rather than historical baselines alone.
Key Facts
- Craig Fugate served as FEMA administrator during the Obama administration, and he discussed disaster preparedness in a PBS NewsHour "Settle In" interview.
- Fugate said climate change has disrupted the assumptions behind disaster risk models used for emergency planning.
- In the interview, Fugate addressed criticisms that FEMA has been politicized.
- Fugate focused on hurricane-season preparation, describing readiness as an ongoing process before storms or other hazards arrive.
- FEMA’s preparation and response, as described by Fugate, depends on coordination among federal, state, and local partners.