FEMA Warned It’s Not Fully Ready for Hurricane Season, Report Finds

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is not fully prepared for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, according to an internal report obtained by CBS News. The document highlights coordination failures with other federal agencies, gaps in personnel readiness, and low staff morale, raising concerns just weeks before the season officially begins on June 1.

The internal review, conducted earlier this month, found that FEMA’s preparedness efforts were delayed due to staff turnover, unfinalized contracts, and shifting priorities within the agency. As a result, some of the agency’s core readiness protocols have not been completed. Employees interviewed for the report expressed confusion about FEMA’s strategic direction and frustration with a lack of clarity in roles during emergency operations.

Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson acknowledged that the agency’s current response plan is only about 80–85% complete. He told reporters that the remaining gaps will be closed “within weeks,” and insisted that FEMA is still capable of responding to major disasters. However, internal reviewers cautioned that time is running out, especially given forecasts of an above-average hurricane season in the Atlantic.

In parallel, the Trump administration is reportedly considering a shift in disaster response policy that would devolve more responsibility to individual states, potentially reducing FEMA’s operational role. While supporters of the plan argue it would increase efficiency and local autonomy, critics warn that such changes could weaken the nation’s ability to coordinate emergency responses across state lines.

Forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) project heightened hurricane activity this year, with multiple named storms expected to impact the Gulf and East coasts. FEMA has not yet issued public readiness guidance specific to 2025, and no new contingency plans have been released to date.