FEMA employees warn of disaster risks due to budget cuts and poor management, echoing post-Katrina failures.

Over 180 current and former FEMA employees warn of catastrophic risks due to severe cuts and poor management at the agency, echoing failures seen after Hurricane Katrina. They criticize reassignments, workforce cuts, and the lack of a qualified administrator, calling for FEMA to be made a cabinet-level independent agency. The letter comes during the 20th anniversary week of Hurricane Katrina, highlighting the potential for similar disaster response failures.