FEMA Workforce: Staff Reductions and Lack of Planning May Impact Mission Readiness
What GAO Found The increasing number and complexity of disasters demonstrates the need to ensure that the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) workforce can meet its core mission to help people before, during, and after disasters. In response to 2025 presidential directives, many federal agencies have taken steps to reduce the size of their workforces. In fiscal year 2025, FEMA employed about 25,134 employees, on average. However, over 4,300 employees separated from FEMA in fiscal year 2025—a 55 percent increase in separations from fiscal year 2024 (see figure). These separations have resulted in a loss of institutional knowledge and experienced personnel, according to FEMA official.
Reported by Maria LopezFEMA Workforce: Staff Reductions and Lack of Planning May Impact Mission Readiness.
The item is dated Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:01:01 -0400.
TeamCog is carrying it as a audits report from GAO reports and testimonies RSS.
What GAO Found The increasing number and complexity of disasters demonstrates the need to ensure that the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) workforce can meet its core mission to help people before, during, and after disasters.
In response to 2025 presidential directives, many federal agencies have taken steps to reduce the size of their workforces.
In fiscal year 2025, FEMA employed about 25,134 employees, on average.
However, over 4,300 employees separated from FEMA in fiscal year 2025—a 55 percent increase in separations from fiscal year 2024 (see figure).
These separations have resulted in a loss of institutional knowledge and experienced personnel, according to FEMA official…
Official Source
GAO reports and testimonies RSS. Accessed 2026-08-04T15:00:06.131Z.