FEMA head David Richardson informed his workers throughout a briefing that he had not been conscious US has a hurricane season, #Reuters reported.
FEMA head David Richardson informed his workers he was unaware of US hurricane season.(X)
The remark was allegedly made throughout a current inside briefing. However, workers stay unsure whether or not Richardson made the comment significantly or meant it as a joke.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FEMA’s dad or mum company, dismissed the controversy, saying the remark was clearly a joke and that FEMA is totally ready for the 2025 hurricane season.
Who is David Richardson?
David Richardson is initially from Waterford, Michigan, and at present resides in Northern Virginia together with his two sons. He holds a B.S. in biology from #Harding University in #Searcy, Arkansas, and beforehand served as a floor fight officer within the #United States Marine Corps. During the Long War, he accomplished deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Africa, and was acknowledged for valor in fight operations.
In January 2025, Richardson was appointed Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security’s Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD). He assumed management of FEMA in early May, changing Cameron Hamilton, who was faraway from the place by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
Political Backlash
The #Reuters report has drawn backlash from Democratic lawmakers.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer shared the article on X, writing that he was “unaware of why he hasn’t been fired yet.”
Representative Bennie Thompson, the senior Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee with oversight of FEMA, issued a press release to #Reuters that learn: “Suffice to say, catastrophe response is not any joke. If you don’t know what or when hurricane season is, you’re not certified to run FEMA. Get somebody educated in there.”
The US hurricane season formally started Sunday and runs by way of November. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) lately forecast an above-average season, with as much as 10 hurricanes anticipated.
(With inputs from #Reuters)
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