FEMA cutting back on training

The real question that comes from this article, FEMA cuts emergency training under Trump as hurricane season looms is about the value of “in-person” training.

Every emergency manager will tell you that it is “relationships” that are key in developing a comprehensive emergency management program. That value extends across all phases of emergency management. As we learned from our COVID experiences, nothing replaces being across the table from someone.

You don’t have to take it from me. Earlier this year I had Craig Fugate, former FEMA Administrator, as a guest on the Disaster Zone Podcast In the episode we recorded the conversation turned to the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) that is the premier Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funded resident program. You can listen to what he had to say about the value of in-person training and the relationship and learning benefits that come from it: Examining the Changes at FEMA with Craig Fugate

I fear we are setting the profession of emergency management back a decade or more with the across the board changes that are being made.