Was FEMA's Response to the 2025 Central Texas Flood Reasonable?

1. 85

   My Esotericposted 11 days ago

   It took FEMA, under Trump, three to four days to respond to the flood. In the past, they started responding in 12 hours. What went wrong?

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   1. 77

      Kyler J Falkposted 10 days agoin reply to this

      This is well within the range of your average FEMA response.
      
      Same response time as Biden during the 2024 floods in Texas.
      
      ~48 hours for staging personnel and supplies based on weather reporting
      ~48 hours to deploy personnel to EOCs
      
      These previous two steps are prior to impending disaster.
      
      ~5 days to get a federal declaration signed to allocate funding and responsibilities post-disaster
      ~24 hours after declaration to have individual crises claims filed and addressed
      ~7 days to get public recovery centers operational post-declaration
      
      These were Biden's response times if we really want to have a pissing contest about this tragedy.
      
      Not sure how natural disasters where Americans lose their lives become a platform to smear partisan shit all over the walls, but I wish people would stop. It really stinks up the whole scenario.

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2. 85

   My Esotericposted 11 days ago

   "Earlier this year, after a flash flood swept through parts of Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia, weeks into President Donald Trump’s second term — and months before Noem instituted her expenditure sign-off rule — urban search and rescue teams were deployed by FEMA “within 12 hours of the initial weather impacts” to help with evacuations, the agency said in a press release at the time."
   
   The Flood began in the early morning hours of July 4, 2025 and authoritative predictions of what was about to happen began around 6 PM the evening before. The first FEMA teams began arriving on Tuesday, July 8,
   
   https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/13/politics … rch-rescue

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3. 85

   My Esotericposted 11 days ago

   And to get ahead of someone pointing out FEMA's response that they activated the Coast Guard and USAR to help rescue people it must be pointed out that Noem LIED.
   
   While the Coast Guard did a great job on July 4, it was because of mutual aid compacts between them and the Texas Urban Search and Rescue agency..

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4. 71

   Kathleen Cochranposted 10 days ago

   This is what happens in an administration that has no experience on the staff.
   
   God protect all of us.

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   1. 85

      My Esotericposted 10 days agoin reply to this

      We need it.

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5. 71

   Kathleen Cochranposted 10 days ago

   Kyler: What is your source for this information?

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   1. 77

      Kyler J Falkposted 10 days agoin reply to this

      The specifics on the Texas floods come from FEMA press releases, the Texas governor’s office, and reputable media coverage from May 2024.
      
      Sourcing the average time it takes FEMA to allocate resources, respond, get declarations, etc.: FEMA pdf files available on their site.
      
      Would be hard to pull these numbers out of thin air, and would be against my principles to do so anyways.

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      1. 85

         My Esotericposted 10 days agoin reply to this

         Under normal conditions, FEMA’s USAR teams aim to respond within hours, though full staging efforts can take a few days. [FEMA]
         
         In the July flood, significant delays—much longer than historical norms—were documented. These stemmed from new spending rules and staffing gaps, slowing FEMA’s ability to act during a critical window.
         
         In addition, I heard interviews with more than one person who was in the loop that said the same thing.
         
         It is clear the changes Trump made to FEMA slowed down their response time. Fortunately, no lives were lost as a result, just increased misery for those affected.

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         1. 77

            Kyler J Falkposted 10 days agoin reply to this

            So the media honed in on and presented an angle that they previously didn't, and people responded accordingly.
            
            The response time was not outside of the average for FEMA, and both Biden and Trump if measured by the same metrics were equal in their response, though Trump was slightly quicker in giving FEMA the go-ahead. However, let's look at what Trump did to FEMA that Biden could've changed in his term:
            
            2017: A failed budget proposal that was not adopted into law that would've reduced FEMA budget from $200 million to $90 million. 
            
            2018 DRRA: Expanded FEMAs hazard mitigation fund allowing for looser expenditure regulation for FEMA, and more FEMA independence with their budget. Encouraged states and local agencies to take more responsibility for their disaster preparedness.
            
            2020: Gave FEMA a central role in logistics and supporting hospitals.
            
            2025 so far: "As of mid-2025, there’s been no significant reprogramming of FEMA funds toward unrelated priorities. Congress (still divided in 2025) has so far resisted the steep cuts proposed in Trump’s budget. Many lawmakers, including Republicans from disaster-prone states, are working to preserve funding for FEMA mitigation grants and response capacity."
            
            The most I can find is an increase in resignations and retirements within the climate change departments, and a few in hazard mitigation. These were attributed to personal distaste for Trump as a majority as opposed to Trump enacting any policies that would limit response capabilities. Also, FEMA leadership shifted focus themselves to other endeavors like support for traditional disaster response as opposed to climate adaptation, and surge staffing as opposed to in-house disaster response teams.
            
            By all appearances, this was a failure at the state level first, and then FEMAs failure to allocate their resources and manpower appropriately. They had four days worth of warning, and failed where they previously succeeded in your book.
            
            I'm lost as to how this is a partisan issue, let alone a Trump admin issue.

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6. 77

   wildernessposted 9 days ago

   What do you think FEMA would have done?  Do that have more blackhawk helicopters to lift people out of danger?  Would that have held back the water somehow?  Was there anything FEMA could have done that first day that was not already being done (besides throw money at it)?
   
   No?  That what is the gripe?  If everything that could be done was already being done, what are you blaming Trump for this time?  Not making the political show you wanted to see?

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7. 85

   My Esotericposted 8 days ago

   In reply to both of you I'll supply even more facts and complete the rest of the story.
   
   I already gave you the information about what happened up to the moment of the flood and that was conclusive that:
   
   1. The NWS did its job in forecasting what was going to happen.
   2. Due to Trump's downsizing. crucial staff were missing, most importantly the WCM who as supposed to make positive contact with county emergency officials - that didn't happen.
   3. County officials of all types were asleep at the wheel and did not respond anywhere near adequately.
   4. County and city officials opposing getting a warning system
   5.. Even some citizens with the loudest voices bare some responsibility for making sure there was no warning system in place by, among other things, "not wanting to accept Biden money".
   6. State and possibly federal FEMA officials turning down Kerr Counties repeated requests for money to install a warning system.
   
   Those are established facts.
   
   What is also factual
   
   1. FEMA did nothing until Trump signed the Emergency Declaration two days after being asked by the Texas governor - that was due to Trump staffing and funding cuts. They normally do quite a lot as soon as the NWS indicates a credible flood risk. In this case that was about 1:18AM July 3.
   
   2. Texas response was equally reactive.
        2a, They did not call the Coast Guard until 5:57AM July 4. In 30 to 45 minutes, shortly after the flood waters crested, the CG arrived on scene and began rescuing people. They were not forewarned.
        2b. The Texas USAR did not preposition themselves as they normally do in these situations. As a result they were not able to start rescue operations until sometime on July 5 due to impassable roads caused by the flood.
        2c. The Governor asked for help from the Federal gov't on July 4.
        2d, Trump didn't sign the emergency declaration until July 6!! (I wasn't aware of the lapse, I thought Abbott was late in asking.)
        2e.   FEMA started reacting the evening of July 6 and started moving people and equipment to Texas on July 7.
   
   That is the timeline of what DID happen.
   
   What SHOULD have happened after the NWS warning in the early morning of July 3. Beginning on July 3
   
   1. FEMA would have begun coordination with the Texas USAR
   
   2. FEMA would have alerted the Coast Guard who would have prepositioned rescue personnel and helicopters close to Kerr County. They are equipped to monitor the river for signs of rising.
   
   3. FEMA, without needing Trump's go-ahead, would have started pre-positioning men and material to Kerr county as well as coordinated with local County officials. (Those officials would have been alerted on July 3 and not from emergency calls coming in on July 4)
       3a. What things would have been prepositioned on Jul 3?
             * Search and Rescue Assets
             * Incident Management and Coordination teams
             * Critical supplies
             * Personnel and Contract Support for after the flood operations
       3b  What PREVENTED FEMA doing the same for this flood?
             * A 20% - 30% (~2,000 staff) cut in personnel including key senior level roles—such as regional executives, mission assignment leads, and contract administrators—vacated or were unfilled (due to hiring freeze), leaving FEMA unable to staff surge operations properly
             * Most importantly, a prohibition on spending more than $100,000 without Noem's personal approval
            * FEMA missed or failed to return up to two-thirds of calls from Texas officials in the first 48 hours after the flooding began (normally, FEMA would have already embedded staff with County officials on July 3)
            * Under the 2025 Trump administration, FEMA's leadership redirected its strategic emphasis away from climate adaptation and long-range hazard mitigation, and instead focused more narrowly on reactive disaster response.
   
   With this new information it is easy to conclude that Trump policies had more of a negative impact than just the loss of the Warning Coordinator Meteorologist who retired due to Trump's pressure to cut employees. It was HIS policies that interfered with FEMA doing its normal job which certainly led to loss of lives. 
   
   I would hate to be Floridians when the hurricanes start striking because I seriously doubt Trump learned a thing from this.

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8. 77

   Kyler J Falkposted 7 days ago

   No Evidence of Full-Scale Downsizing
   
       FEMA’s personnel numbers and overall budget were not significantly reduced during Trump’s presidency.
   
       FEMA continued to respond within their averages to several major disasters, including:
   
           Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria (2017)
   
           California wildfires
   
           COVID-19 (2020–2021)
   
   Trump submitted proposals for restructuring and downsizes, but ultimately failed. The most I can give you is a single budget shift toward ICE that FEMA itself doesn't attribute any effects toward their duties to.
   
   I'm not one to defend Trump, but you're being disingenuous when trying to frame it around him personally.
   
   Your framing of the situation is understandable, albeit anecdotal. This is on FEMA and the state.

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   1. 85

      My Esotericposted 6 days agoin reply to this

      Which Trump Presidency? Are you talking past tense?
      
      I am framing it around him personally because he is the central to everything bad that is happening. I was close to minimizing his impact on the Texas floods and did my research on FEMA's response.  Their inability to respond - because of Trump's actions from Feb to now, - without a doubt cost lives.

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      1. 77

         Kyler J Falkposted 5 days agoin reply to this

         Here is what I can find:
         
         "As of mid-July 2025, there is no verified, non-speculative, and non-anecdotal evidence that Donald Trump or his administration has formally enacted policies that explicitly limit FEMA’s ability to respond to disasters.
         
         A review of publicly available government records, executive orders, budget proposals, and FEMA policy updates shows:
         
             No formal defunding or major budget cuts to FEMA have been signed into law in 2025. While budget proposals may shift allocations, nothing definitive has been passed that limits FEMA’s core disaster response capabilities.
         
             No executive orders have been issued by President Trump in 2025 (as of July) that restrict FEMA’s authority, staffing, or deployment operations during emergencies.
         
             FEMA’s operational posture and disaster declarations have continued under existing federal frameworks established by the Stafford Act and related emergency legislation.
         
         If any policy change or executive order occurs that clearly reduces FEMA’s effectiveness or jurisdiction, it would be recorded in the Federal Register or DHS/FEMA policy bulletins. At this time, no such action has been publicly documented."
         
         If you'd like to change the context to speculation, anecdotes, and unsubstantiated claims, then I'll accept that Trump's rhetoric alone is enough to inspire others to make stupid decisions. However, I'd argue that being inspired to be stupid is still the fault of the individual(s) choosing to make stupid decisions.
         
         Further findings:
         
         "As of now (July 2025), there are no publicly verified, non-speculative, and non-anecdotal official records or credible investigative reports showing that Donald Trump or his administration took deliberate actions to prevent FEMA from responding more swiftly to the 2025 Texas floods.
         
         Here’s what can be confirmed based on current reporting and government releases:
         
             FEMA's delayed response to the 2025 Texas floods has been widely criticized, especially by local officials and media outlets.
         
             President Trump and FEMA leadership have publicly denied any political interference or intentional delay in the response.
         
             The administration's 2025 budget proposals and staffing choices did reflect a continuation of prior years' trends: reduced emphasis on climate-related disaster preparation and tighter federal agency spending. But these are broader policy choices, not direct actions to hinder FEMA’s flood response.
         
             As of now, no internal documents, whistleblower statements, or oversight investigations have emerged to prove intent or direct administrative action to prevent FEMA from acting swiftly in Texas.
         
         So to be clear:
         
             There is currently no verified evidence that Trump or his administration took specific, intentional steps to prevent FEMA from responding promptly to the 2025 Texas floods.
         
         If such evidence surfaces via congressional investigations, watchdog reports, or credible journalism, that assessment could change. But until then, claims of intent or obstruction remain unverified."

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         1. 85

            My Esotericposted 5 days agoin reply to this

            You’re framing the wrong question.
            
            Of course, there’s no executive order saying “FEMA shall not respond to Texas.” That’s a strawman. The real issue isn’t whether Trump directly blocked FEMA—it’s whether his deliberate decisions weakened FEMA to the point that an inadequate response became inevitable.
            
            And yes—those decisions are on record, not anecdote or speculation.
            
            1. Massive Staffing & Program Cuts
            Since early 2025, FEMA has lost 20–33% of its full-time staff.
            Sources including Reuters and The Guardian report mass layoffs and resignations, leaving FEMA “dangerously under-resourced” going into disaster season.
            
            2. Executive Order 14180 (Jan 24, 2025)
            This order established a “FEMA Review Council” to evaluate whether the agency was too large and too bureaucratic.
            It explicitly directed a review of FEMA’s staffing levels and questioned the value of maintaining current disaster preparedness roles.
            → This wasn’t a benign audit—it was a signal to downsize.
            ([source: The American Presidency Project; OPM.gov])
            
            3. DOGE Workforce Cuts EO (Feb 11, 2025)
            This “Department of Government Efficiency” initiative ordered RIFs (Reductions in Force) across non-mandated agency functions—including FEMA.
            It imposed a 4:1 attrition rule (four people leave for every new hire).
            → FEMA lost roughly 2,000 personnel between January and May 2025 (~30% of staff).
            → Key emergency training programs were cancelled or paused for state and local responders.
            ([source: Federal Register, WhiteHouse.gov, Reuters, DHS internal memos])
            
            4. Elimination of FEMA’s Strategic Plan
            In Spring 2025, Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson (a Trump appointee) rescinded the agency’s 2022–2026 Strategic Plan.
            → There is no replacement.
            → FEMA is now operating without a long-term vision, coordination framework, or updated risk modeling.
            → Several senior FEMA officials resigned in protest, citing chaos and politicization.
            ([source: DHS press office, Reuters])
            
            5. The Result: Predictable Failure
            So no, Trump didn’t order FEMA to ignore Texas.
            
            But he did:
            
            * Gut FEMA’s workforce
            
            * Slash its capacity to train local emergency responders
            
            * Eliminate its operational roadmap
            
            * Undermine its institutional leadership
            
            All of this happened before the flood. And it led to what any competent planner would predict: a slow, underwhelming, and chaotic response.
            
            In short:
            
            To say there's “no verified evidence” Trump weakened FEMA is false. The evidence is in the laws he signed, the orders he issued, the staff who resigned, and the failures that followed.
            
            If you're demanding a document titled “Order to Cripple FEMA,” you'll be waiting forever. But if you're willing to look at actual policy effects, then the answer is already in front of you.

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