The average number of major disaster declarations each year has roughly doubled since the 1980s. Image: Leonard Zhukovsky/Shutterstock.com
A combination of a broadened mission and a growing number of natural disasters requiring FEMA’s response has stressed the agency’s workforce, contributing to “high turnover and attrition in recent years,” says a Congressional Research Service report.
“Reports of morale differ, though some indicate morale declines due to increased workloads and prolonged disaster deployments, among other factors. Recent reports of threats to FEMA personnel may exacerbate morale challenges,” it says.
It said the average number of Stafford Act major disaster declarations has increased from an average of 29 per year over 1979-1988 to an average of 63 in 10 most recent fiscal years, and “Government agencies and scientific experts expect these trends to continue due to climate change and increased development and population in areas vulnerable to hazards.”
In addition, it said, over time the agency has been tasked with new missions including assistance for localities coping with increased migration activity; assistance with unaccompanied migrant children and Afghan refugees; and pandemic response.
The report noted studies by GAO and others identifying staffing gaps within FEMA’s disaster workforce and finding that FEMA missed its target staffing level of 17,670 by more than a third in 2022. “Actual gaps are likely higher, as the agency’s staffing targets were developed in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,” it said.
It added: “Some recent analysis shows that FEMA has made progress in addressing some workplace issues, like harassment and employee development. Congress could further address concerns about staff retention and recruitment by augmenting FEMA appropriations for hiring, shortening deployment terms, and further enhancing employee development and training. FEMA could also consider proposals to launch a new disaster corps to enhance nonfederal emergency management and economic capacity.”
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