Head of FEMA’s storm response middle leaving company amid management exodus
The top of FEMA’s Nationwide Response Coordination Middle — a place accountable for the federal government’s response to storms — submitted his resignation letter Wednesday and can formally depart the company in two weeks.
Jeremy Greenberg’s deliberate departure comes lower than two weeks into hurricane season and amid a significant management exodus on the nation’s catastrophe response and restoration company.
Greenberg confirmed his departure to CBS Information however deferred all remark to FEMA, which didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. The Division of Homeland Safety, which oversees FEMA, additionally didn’t instantly reply.
The Nationwide Response Coordination Middle is the nerve middle for FEMA throughout emergencies. Throughout main disasters, it serves as a 24/7 emergency operations hub, internet hosting consultants from totally different federal companies, the navy and even nonprofits. When a significant hurricane, wildfire or different disaster hits, the NRCC helps coordinate all the things from getting rescue groups on the bottom to dispatching meals, water and medical provides to catastrophe zones.
Amongst his many duties, Greenberg oversaw and accepted mission assignments to the Pentagon amid main disasters and was accountable for deploying FEMA’s 28 City Search and Rescue Groups.
“This shall be a big loss. He led all of FEMA’s planners that ready for all hazards,” a former FEMA senior official instructed CBS Information. “He had sturdy interagency relationship that fostered collaboration and coordination in responding to disasters.”
One present FEMA official instructed CBS Information, “He is irreplaceable. The mind drain continues and the general public can pay for it. I do not see how FEMA will discover somebody who can coordinate with nationwide, state and native emergency organizations like he did.”
Tony Robinson, the regional administrator for FEMA Area 6 has additionally introduced his intention to depart the company this week, sources instructed CBS Information. Robinson started his profession with FEMA as an intern in 1987 and has led Area 6, which oversees a number of disaster-prone states within the Gulf, together with Louisiana and Texas, for the previous dozen years.
He led FEMA’s response and restoration efforts for a number of notable disasters, together with Hurricanes Harvey, Isaac, Ike, Gustav, Rita and Katrina. Robinson will even depart the company by the tip of June, the sources mentioned. Robinson’s departure follows the resignation of his deputy, Traci Brasher, simply final week, in response to the sources.
Sources inform CBS Information all three leaders are among the many most skilled profession staffers on the company.
“These leaders do not wish to take part within the dismantling of the company they worth,” the previous senior FEMA official mentioned. “They’ve been devoted to the mission over a number of administrations however will not help the present administration’s route.”
President Trump mentioned Tuesday that his administration desires to “wean” states off help from FEMA after this 12 months’s hurricane season. The president’s remarks got here after he acquired a briefing from high administration officers about wildfire and emergency administration. He claimed that FEMA has not been profitable, and mentioned governors are higher positioned to reply to pure disasters like hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.
“We wish to wean off FEMA and we wish to deliver it right down to the state stage — a bit of bit like training, we’re shifting it again to the states,” Mr. Trump mentioned.
Earlier this month, newly minted performing FEMA administrator David Richardson mentioned throughout a every day briefing that he had not been conscious that the U.S. has a hurricane season, three sources acquainted with the assembly instructed CBS Information. Richardson’s comment left FEMA workers confused, as they had been unclear as as to if he made the remark as a joke, CBS Information reported final week. DHS later insisted he was joking.
