The Federal Emergency Management Agency is reversing job cuts that former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem oversaw before she was fired last month.
FEMA has reinstated 14 people who signed a public letter, known as the Katrina Declaration, that warned that the agency risks repeating the mistakes it learned during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, said Abby McIlreath, one of the reinstated employees and an emergency management expert. The other 21 people who signed their names are no longer with the agency, Ms. McIlreath said.
The agency has also begun recalling disaster workers who were let go in January to return to the job, according to two people familiar with the action, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the move publicly. The agency cut ties with about 200 employees working in temporary roles when it came up for renewal in January. This was a major departure from previous practices, and prompted unions to file a lawsuit against the agency, arguing that the dismissal violated FEMA’s statutory requirement to maintain preparedness for disasters.
FEMA spokeswoman Victoria L. The agency is taking steps to “stabilize” its workforce ahead of hurricane season starting in June and the World Cup with soccer matches in the United States, Canada and Mexico in June and July, Barton said.
“Under new leadership, FEMA is addressing outstanding personnel actions to ensure task force sustainability and a strong, deployable surge force for upcoming national events and potential disasters,” Ms. Barton said in an email.
Markwayne Mullin, a former Republican senator from Oklahoma, took over as homeland security secretary in late March. FEMA is part of the Department of Homeland Security.
FEMA’s incident management workforce numbered about 18,500 people as of Thursday, according to daily briefings on its operations, which is about 2,000 fewer than the end of last year.
Additionally, a federal judge is increasing pressure on FEMA to release documents and communications between senior leaders about its decisions to cut staff. Judge Susan Illston of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Thursday ordered FEMA to immediately search the personal cellphone of Joseph Guy, Ms. Noem’s former top aide, before he left federal employment on Thursday.
Judge Illston, who was nominated to the bench by President Bill Clinton, also recently ordered testimony from Mr. Guy and former FEMA contractor and Ms. Noem aide Cara Voorhees, whose actions are being investigated as part of an inspector general investigation into how the Department of Homeland Security handled contracts under Ms. Noem and her senior adviser Corey Lewandowski.
Documents released as evidence in that court case show that Karen Evans, the acting FEMA administrator, was taking cues from Ms. Voorhees on agency operations and personnel decisions.
FEMA officials did not respond to questions about how its decision to overturn the dismissals might affect litigation in which plaintiffs are seeking reinstatement of those workers.
Ms McIlreath said getting her job back after being fired for signing the protest letter was vindication. But he said the agency is “arguably in worse shape than it was in August when I signed the Katrina declaration.”
“The hiring freeze is still in effect, FEMA still has no legally qualified administrator, money is not getting to states that need it, we have wildfire and hurricane seasons coming, and the public is in grave danger as a result,” Ms. McIlreath said.
