Severe storms recently struck the Pittsburgh area, resulting in three fatalities and widespread power outages. This incident is part of a broader trend of deadly storms across the U.S., where at least 56 people lost their lives during similar events in March and April. In light of the storms, FEMA has been providing critical assistance, yet the Trump administration's proposal to overhaul FEMA raises concerns about the adequacy of state-led disaster response, which experts warn could be insufficient amid increasing climate-related disasters.
"The reality of leaving disaster response to states would be devastating," says Allison Reilly, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Maryland.
Trump first posed the idea of overhauling FEMA while visiting North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in January.
I'd like to see the states take care of disasters, let the state take care of the tornadoes and the hurricanes and all of the other things that happen."
The group is expected to submit a report to the president within 180 days, according to the executive order.
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