During severe flooding in central Texas, FEMA faced bureaucratic obstacles due to a new mandate from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that requires her approval for contracts over $100,000. This requirement hampered FEMA's ability to act autonomously and respond effectively in a timely manner. As a result, FEMA was unable to pre-position crucial Urban Search and Rescue teams near disaster areas, delaying their deployment until over 72 hours after the floods began. This situation endangered lives and compromised the agency's usual rapid response capabilities during emergencies.
FEMA officials reported significant bureaucratic obstacles due to a recent rule from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, requiring her personal sign-off on all contracts over $100,000.
This new mandate essentially stripped FEMA of much of its autonomy during a critical disaster response period, complicating the agency's ability to deploy resources rapidly.
The delays caused by the approval process hindered FEMA's traditional readiness to pre-position specialized Urban Search and Rescue teams closer to disaster zones.
Noem's sign-off was only granted more than 72 hours after the flooding began, affecting the agency's response to save lives in submerged Texas towns.
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