U.S. emergency-management chief Brock Long to resign

[webfact]

U.S. emergency-management chief Brock Long to resign

By Andy Sullivan

 

FILE PHOTO: FEMA Administrator Brock Long listens as U.S. President Donald Trump holds an Oval Office meeting on preparations for hurricane Florence at the White House in Washington, U.S., September 11, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, said he would resign on Wednesday, after overseeing the government's response to a string of record-breaking hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters.

 

Long was widely praised for his tenure at a time when the United States faced its most devastating stretch of natural disasters since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

 

But his reputation took a hit last fall when the Department of Homeland Security determined he had inappropriately used government vehicles to commute between Washington and his home in North Carolina.

 

Two months after Long took over FEMA in June 2017, Hurricane Harvey dumped a record amount of rainfall in Texas and Hurricane Irma became one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record before slamming into Florida.

 

Hurricane Maria killed nearly 3,000 people in Puerto Rico and left the island's 3.7 million residents without electricity. FEMA faced steep logistical hurdles as it delivered food and water from the mainland United States, but critics said it should have had more supplies already in place.

 

In December of that year, California recorded its largest wildfire ever.

 

The fall of 2018 brought another spate of devastating wildfires in California, along with major hurricanes in the Florida Panhandle and North and South Carolina.

 

FEMA responded to more than 220 declared disasters during Long's tenure, he said in a statement.

 

Long is one of several Trump administration officials to face scrutiny over his use of government resources.

 

His job was complicated by President Donald Trump, who feuded with Puerto Rican leaders after Hurricane Maria and threatened to cut off disaster aid to California.

 

Most recently, Trump has weighed seizing disaster recovery funds earmarked for Puerto Rico to help pay for his signature wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

 

Long said FEMA's No. 2 official, Pete Gaynor, would take over on a temporary basis when he departs.

 

(Reporting by Andy Sullivan; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-02-14

[Thailand]

Another one bites the dust.

[Somtamnication]

Problem is, the swamp empties then it gets filled again.

[Tug]

Couldn’t stand the thought of Donald robbing the disaster fund to pay for his unnecessary wall but it works for Donald he gets to take advantage of brown people and rob California because they despise him that’s our Donald!

[Proboscis]

3 hours ago, Tug said:

Couldn’t stand the thought of Donald robbing the disaster fund to pay for his unnecessary wall but it works for Donald he gets to take advantage of brown people and rob California because they despise him that’s our Donald!

And I would say that you have just put your finger on the reason for Mr Long leaving right now - Trump needs to get money for his wall and he has already made it clear he will take it from funding he has for, among other things, emergencies. It will be interesting to see you puts their hand up for that job, which has to be poisoned chalice!

[spidermike007]

Trump not only makes the lives of people within his administration difficult, he makes most of our lives difficult on so many levels. Difficult is who he is. And this guy cannot exactly be praised for his work in Puerto Rico, which was an abomination. Now, it is time to find another crocodile, to fill up the Trump Reptile Farm.

[oldrunner]

So many people who think they know so much about DJT and how to run such a complex operation are so full of <deleted>; however, they don't hesitate to spew their hate.  As an example, Puerto Rico politicians are crooked beyond hope, one reason for DJTs disdain of them. Using a government vehicle to go from DC to North Carolina sound like a weak excuse for termination.

[joecoolfrog]

1 hour ago, oldrunner said:

So many people who think they know so much about DJT and how to run such a complex operation are so full of <deleted>; however, they don't hesitate to spew their hate.  As an example, Puerto Rico politicians are crooked beyond hope, one reason for DJTs disdain of them. Using a government vehicle to go from DC to North Carolina sound like a weak excuse for termination.

And some people keep defending the worst POTUS in living memory , strange world !

[farcanell]

1 hour ago, oldrunner said:

So many people who think they know so much about DJT and how to run such a complex operation are so full of <deleted>; however, they don't hesitate to spew their hate.  As an example, Puerto Rico politicians are crooked beyond hope, one reason for DJTs disdain of them. Using a government vehicle to go from DC to North Carolina sound like a weak excuse for termination.

He’s not being fired.... this thread is about him resigning

 

and curiously, are you suggesting Donald is so petty as to with hold emergency relief from suffering Puerto Rican citizens, because of corrupt PR politicians?.