As FEMA has denied the allegations against it disaster relief Funding, a 2023 webinar hosted by the agency resurfaced in which panelists discussed the need to reshape FEMA’s policies to emphasize “equity” in a way that benefits the greatest number of people.
The agency held a webinar in March 2023 and a webinar the following month that included panelists from faith-based organizations, private nonprofits, local and state governments, and others working in disaster preparedness and relief.
Emergency management expert Tyler Atkins, who moderated the discussion, lamented that disasters exacerbate the harms experienced by the LGBTQ community.
Atkins said, “LGBTQIA people, and people who are marginalized, are already struggling. They already have their own things to deal with. So you add a disaster on top of that, it just compounds it in itself.” Is.”
The 2023 webinar on disaster response efforts was hosted by FEMA. (FEMA)
Maggie Jarry of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) said that “from utilitarian principles in emergency management where everything is designed for the greatest good, for the greatest number of people, to disaster equity “There’s a change going on.
A second webinar was held the following month, which focused on “response and recovery considerations” for LGBTQIA+ survivors of disasters.
A man walks across a storm surge flooded area off the coast of Gulfport, Florida, as Hurricane Helene passes westward through the Gulf of Mexico on September 26, 2024. (Thomas Simonetti for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The discussion came in the wake of growing calls to emphasize “equity” in FEMA’s disaster response efforts.
A year earlier, in 2022, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren had pushed for a new “equity advisor” at FEMA that would ensure “disadvantaged communities” have a fair shot at receiving federal disaster assistance.
The progressive said the country’s “lowest-income communities” and “communities of color” have been hardest hit by “extreme conditions.”
“We have to address this in a way that’s about giving resources On the basis of equity, Recognizing that we fight for equality, but we also need to fight for equality,” Warren said.
A month after those comments, Harris said the Biden administration would Keep “Equity” in Mind Disaster relief was being divided up as Hurricane Ian devastated the Eastern coastline.
Workers, community members and business owners clean up debris after Hurricane Helene in Marshall, North Carolina, on Monday, September 30, 2024. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Echoing Warren’s comments, Harris told attendees of the Democratic National Committee’s Women’s Leadership Forum that “our lowest-income communities and our communities of color are hit hardest by these extreme conditions.”
Last November, FEMA released “Achieving Equitable Recovery: A Post-Disaster Guide for Local Officials and Leaders.” The toolkit served as a guide for local officials and leaders “to help them rebuild their communities equitably, taking into account the needs of diverse populations.”
The guide was organized around eight goals intended to help leaders “design and execute a more inclusive and equitable recovery planning process”.
“There is a lot of misinformation about FEMA’s assistance programs, which is having a negative impact on our ability to help people,” a FEMA spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
“FEMA provides assistance to disaster survivors regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, identity or background, and we want to encourage as many people as possible to apply for help,” the spokesperson said. “The commitment of FEMA and its dedicated public servants to promptly and effectively serving all communities is unwavering, and we will continue to carry out our mission with integrity and fairness.”
Meanwhile, the March 2023 webinar comes as Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas faces criticism for claiming that FEMA is running out of disaster funding.
New Port Richey city contractors help clean up debris left by Hurricane Helene in preparation for Hurricane Milton on Monday, October 7, 2024 in New Port Richey, Florida. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)
Mayorkas said on October 2, “We’re expecting another hurricane. We don’t have the money.”
However, the DHS Inspector General released a report stating that FEMA had more than $8 billion in unused, unspent funds.
Mayorkas’ comments came before Hurricane Milton was upgraded into a monster Category 5 hurricane, triggering evacuations in Florida. A state still, like much of the Southeast, reeling from Hurricane Helene.
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Helen has killed more than 220 people in six states.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
