FEMA Redefining the Mission for a Resilient Future

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) stands at a critical juncture. Once envisioned in 1979 as a disaster relief agency designed to help Americans on their worst days, FEMA’s role has steadily expanded far beyond its original scope. In an interview with Terry Gerton of Federal News Network, Brock Long, former FEMA administrator and now executive chairman of Hagerty Consulting, reflected on the agency’s growing challenges and called for a holistic, time-phased reform that begins with redefining FEMA’s core mission.

Long emphasized that FEMA has become a victim of “mission creep.” Over decades of legislation and piecemeal reforms—often in response to catastrophic events like Hurricane Andrew, Katrina, and Sandy—the agency has been tasked with an ever-widening range of responsibilities. Rather than strapping “shiny new parts to a rusty bicycle,” he argued that FEMA’s framework must be rethought entirely. Its future, he said, should be about enabling locally executed, state-managed, and federally supported disaster response, instead of FEMA acting as a national 911 service.

But reform cannot happen overnight. Long pointed to the bipartisan council led by former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant as a potential path forward. He stressed that any reforms must be phased in over three years, giving states the time to build budget stability, staffing, and technical expertise. Abolishing FEMA outright, he warned, would leave states unprepared to shoulder the burden alone.

One area Long highlighted is the importance of mitigation. He recalled his advocacy for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, created under the Disaster Recovery Reform Act. Though terminated under the Trump administration, Long sees the concept as vital for the future. Rather than endlessly chasing every possible risk, FEMA and its partners should focus on community lifelines—those essential services like energy, food supply, healthcare, transportation, and communications that, if disrupted, place lives immediately at risk. With much of this infrastructure owned by the private sector, he argued that resilience requires closer partnerships between government and business, and renewed investment in prevention through a “BRIC 2.0.”

Another pressing challenge is FEMA’s overly complex funding system. During Long’s tenure, Congress had to inject billions into the Disaster Relief Fund, which in turn dispersed money across 30 agencies and 91 programs. For governors, navigating such a labyrinth during a crisis is nearly impossible. Long proposed a single block grant model that would give governors flexibility to respond to their states’ unique needs while ensuring accountability and timely delivery of aid to local communities.

Beyond funding, Long stressed the importance of building a “four-legged chair” of resilience: a culture of preparedness among citizens, strong state and local governments, resilient private-sector infrastructure, and federal support through FEMA. Without all four working together, the system collapses. Unfortunately, America lacks a true culture of preparedness. Too few citizens know basic emergency skills like CPR, and many households remain uninsured or underinsured, leaving them financially devastated after disasters.

For Long, the most immediate step individuals can take is simple: review insurance coverage. Stockpiling supplies has proven ineffective as a public messaging strategy, but ensuring financial resilience through adequate insurance can make the difference between recovery and ruin.

As the first Atlantic hurricane of the season approaches, FEMA’s ability to respond is clouded by diminished workforce capacity, terminated collective bargaining agreements, and the loss of institutional knowledge. Yet Long insists that meaningful reform—rooted in a clearer mission, stronger local partnerships, simplified funding, and a renewed culture of preparedness—is both necessary and achievable. The nation, he argues, cannot afford to let FEMA remain a scapegoat for every disaster. Instead, it must become the centerpiece of a resilient, team-based approach to emergency management.

Disclaimer: This blog post is a summary of an interview by Terry Gerton with former FEMA Administrator Brock Long, originally published by Federal News Network. It is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as official policy guidance or legal advice.