FEMA was starting to fix long-standing problems. Then came the Trump administration

NPR
7m read
Homes destroyed by a 2020 wildfire in Talent, Ore. FEMA denied about 70% of assistance applications related to massive Oregon wildfires that year, an <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/01/1010897265/as-western-wildfires-worsen-fema-is-denying-most-people-who-ask-for-help"target="_blank" >NPR investigation</a> found. The agency has a long history of failing to help vulnerable disaster survivors, but reforms under the Biden administration were starting to fix those long-standing problems.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has a long history of failing to help those who need assistance the most after disasters. Biden-era changes meant to fix some of those problems now face an uncertain future.

(Image credit: Noah Berger)

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