A top federal emergency aid official told state officials across the country they should be prepared to bear more of the burden of emergency response to disastrous events instead of expecting federal help.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Cameron Hamilton told emergency management officials at a conference Tuesday about the government’s plan to provide less support after natural and other disasters, according to remarks he made reported by Politico.
Hamilton’s comments don’t come as a surprise to some in Illinois though.
He has previously signaled plans to have states rely less on the agency – which he said was only ever intended to act as a stopgap for states’ response to disasters.
In a statement, Gov. J.B. Pritzker continued to criticize President Donald Trump’s administration and its leadership of the agency, arguing the denial of emergency aid has been used as a partisan punishment of Democratic states.
FEMA denied a request from multiple storms Pritzker declared a disaster over the summer. Those storms caused significant damage in communities across the state, while Wisconsin and Indiana both received approval for requests for some of the same storm systems and others that happened in July and August.
Under typical federal requirements, Illinois’ request appeared to be eligible, though shifting criteria and definitions of what qualifies as a disaster in recent months may have played a part in why the state’s request was denied.
Story from Illinois Radio Network
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