New FEMA Strategic Plan has Glaring Omission
Every four years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency publishes an updated FEMA strategic plan designed to enhance the country’s disaster preparedness and reduce the perceived complexity of FEMA. FEMA released its 2018-2022 strategic plan in March 2018, and it has one glaring omission – all references to climate change have been removed.
Why this FEMA Strategic Plan Omission Matters
It strikes me as difficult – if not impossible – to develop a valid strategic plan without adequately acknowledging the external forces that impact it. Science has proven time and time again that global warming is a real phenomenon, the effect of which is an increasing frequency and severity of large scale storm activity.
To omit such an important foundational piece of information seems odd, especially since the previous FEMA strategic plan (2014-2018) acknowledges the issue. What’s going on here?
Some are speculating that this omission is a direct result of the Trump administration’s refusal to accept the legitimacy of the science behind climate change. It is well known that Trump himself remains skeptical of global warming – in fact, he did not even mention the concept in his most recent State of the Union address. Therefore, it makes sense that FEMA might have gotten strong-armed into removing any and all references to it.
No matter what the reason, omitting such a key piece of information from such an important document is dangerous because it undercuts the purpose and value of the strategic plan. This omission is akin to sugarcoating the issue, which lessens the perceived risk, which will reduce the likelihood that communities will be prepared for the worst. Hopefully the next FEMA strategic plan (2022-2026) will correct this error.
