Gregg Phillips claimed that he has in several instances 'teleported,' once into a Georgia Waffle House 50 miles away, where I can only assume a freshly made All-Star Special was waiting for him.
Waffle House's more than 2,000 U.S. locations span regions prone to hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes, and severe flooding, being concentrated in the mid-Atlantic down through the Gulf Coast and across to the Midwest.
One year ago, Nancy Ward, then the director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), petitioned the Federal Emergency Management Agency to spearhead the cleanup of toxic ash and fire debris cloaking more than 12,000 homes across Los Angeles County. Although Ward's decision ensured the federal government would assume the bulk of disaster costs, it came with a major trade off.
At DHS, Evans quickly became known as the final gatekeeper' for all funding requests, Cohen wrote. She was given the nickname, Terminator, for her habit of terminating grants, terminating contracts, terminating people, according to CNN. She's the enforcer for DHS, one source told CNN. Her job was to effectively grind FEMA to a halt. Some sources told Cohen said Evans has been an effective force in DHS' push to improve efficiency, cut perceived waste and reshape FEMA to fit the president's priorities.
Continuation of essential services: FEMA emergency response operations, Coast Guard rescues, and volunteer aid will remain operational during a shutdown, ensuring critical assistance during disasters. Concerns over FEMA's reduced workforce: The downsizing of FEMA staff prior to the shutdown has raised concerns about the agency's ability to effectively respond to disasters with fewer personnel and resources. Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) availability: Despite the shutdown, the DRF remains active to cover immediate needs like debris removal and temporary housing, but concerns about its adequacy persist.
Slogging through a thick slop of mud and rock, Brian Hill passed the roof that Hurricane Helene's floodwaters had just ripped off someone's barn and dumped into his yard. Then he peered into the unrecognizable chaos inside what had been his family's dream home. The century-old white farmhouse, surrounded by the rugged peaks of western North Carolina, sat less than 15 yards from the normally tranquil Cattail Creek.
Built to meet local and international building codes, they're very different from the cheap, toxic trailers that FEMA deployed 20 years ago, when Hurricane Katrina displaced hundreds of thousands of people. Some of those trailers had formaldehyde levels that were 75 times greater than safe levels. They were poorly insulated and never meant for long-term housing, but some families were stuck in them for years.
FEMA did not respond to WIRED's request for comment. "It is not surprising that some of the same bureaucrats who presided over decades of inefficiency are now objecting to reform," the agency told the Guardian, which reported on the retaliation against the employees who signed the letter. "Change is always hard. It is especially for those invested in the status quo, who have forgotten that their duty is to the American people not entrenched bureaucracy."
Our shared commitment to our country, our oaths of office, and our mission of helping people before, during, and after disasters compel us to warn Congress and the American people of the cascading effects of decisions made by the current administration,
Efforts to redraw US state districts to give more seats to political parties intensified, with Texas Republicans voting to arrest Democrats who fled to prevent a quorum.
New Yorkers depend on quality roads, floodwalls and other vital infrastructure to keep them safe when disaster strikes. This administration has no authority to cut this program that has helped save countless lives.
