Feinstein Calls on FEMA to Fill Regional Vacancies

[Freddie Stubbs]

Eight of Ten Regions Lack Permanent, Appointed Directors

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is urging the Department of Homeland Security to fill vacancies at eight of the ten Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regional directorates.

FEMA is divided into ten regional offices. Each region is responsible for assisting several states to plan for disasters, develop mitigation programs, and meet needs when major disasters occur. Currently, eight of the ten FEMA regional directorates lack full-time directors. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, Senator Feinstein stressed that the absence of a permanent, appointed director not only undermines the leadership of the region but also places undue burdens on regional staff who are already stretched thin.

"As the terrible destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina so vividly demonstrated, we cannot afford to wait until after disaster strikes to be prepared for the worst," Senator Feinstein said. "FEMA's regional vacancies are weakening the Federal government's ability to marshal the full force of its resources to prepare, protect and provide recovery assistance in the event of a national emergency. I am particularly concerned about the people of the West Coast in FEMA Region 9, who are so vulnerable to the dangers of a catastrophic earthquake or other disaster. By filling these critical regional vacancies, we can move one step closer to ensuring the safety of millions and the economic security of America's major metropolitan areas."

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