FEMA email indicates firings will impact the 'majority of our staff'
Following the termination of 200 probationary employees over the weekend, FEMA has been instructed "to make a list" of individuals involved in climate or equity initiatives.
TroibNews 
The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to dismiss Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff members who have engaged in climate change initiatives or advocated for equity and diversity, based on interviews and emails acquired by PMG's E&E News. This move follows the dismissal of hundreds of probationary employees during the Presidents Day weekend.
A senior FEMA official communicated to top agency staff in an internal email that the agency is being instructed to “come up with employee reductions far beyond the probationary list.”
“Direction is to make a list of anyone who worked on or works on climate, environmental justice, equity, DEIA,” the email indicates, referring to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. E&E News received a version of the email that excluded the sender’s identity.
In another internal email sent Wednesday, employees were instructed to “scrub” specific terms from agency documents that President Trump highlighted in his executive orders regarding climate change and diversity. Any files containing these sensitive phrases will be archived for three years before ultimately being deleted.
“They’re trying to systematically erase everything that happened before,” shared a FEMA employee working at a disaster site, who has been reassigned from assisting survivors with home inspections necessary for repairs. “It is taking away from time doing on-the-ground disaster-recovery work.”
The potential layoffs could further strain an agency that has already been grappling with staffing shortages amidst increasing natural disasters and mounting scrutiny. In response to significant hurricane damage in six states last October, FEMA found itself overwhelmed and had to request assistance from other federal agencies.
“The next time there’s a major catastrophic event that requires extensive manpower, FEMA’s going to be at a disadvantage,” commented Michael Coen, the agency’s chief of staff during the Biden administration.
Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the leading Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, stated that “FEMA was actually short-staffed before Elon and his minions went to FEMA headquarters, and now the agency will be further hampered.”
FEMA confirmed to E&E News that it had terminated more than 200 employees and that additional job cuts were made by other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, totaling around 200.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are making sweeping cuts and reform across the federal government to eliminate egregious waste and incompetence that has been happening for decades at the expense of the American taxpayer,” a DHS spokesperson asserted. The spokesperson added that these dismissals would result in approximately $50 million in saved personnel costs.
The department indicated that it let go of “non-mission critical personnel in probationary status” and is “actively identifying other wasteful positions and offices that do not fulfill DHS’ mission.”
Since taking office, President Trump has criticized FEMA, suggesting the possibility of shutting down the agency due to its handling of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and forming a review council overseen by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The anticipated layoffs could have far-reaching effects as FEMA had prioritized climate change and equity under former President Biden's administration.
“This will impact the majority of our staff,” the email mentions, highlighting that climate and equity were key components of the latest agency strategic plan released in 2022, which has now been removed from FEMA’s website.
FEMA leadership is set to "compile the names of ALL employees that worked on these topics," as noted in the email from a senior FEMA executive. The official elaborated that the agency would differentiate between employees with "significant involvement" in the targeted initiatives and those with "insignificant involvement."
"I know this feels like a shock to many of you and is an exceedingly difficult task," the official acknowledged.
The upcoming layoffs “put a lot of really important programs on life support,” remarked a former senior FEMA official. “If you care about government efficiency, you don’t indiscriminately fire. You focus on honing your capabilities to be more efficient.”
It appears that FEMA’s resilience directorate, which includes the agency’s grant and flood insurance programs, may be among the primary targets of these layoffs. FEMA consists of three other directorates, including the Office of Response and Recovery, responsible for immediate disaster response.
On Monday, FEMA notified more than 200 probationary employees across the nation through emails with the subject line “Termination Notice.”
“Your position with the Federal Emergency Management Agency will end on Tuesday, February 18, 2025,” stated an email reviewed by E&E News.
The email specified that a decision was made after the Office of Personnel Management received a list of FEMA probationary employees that it was “not in the best interest of the government to retain you in your current role.”
“Thank you for your contributions furthering the FEMA mission of helping people before, during, and after disasters,” it concluded.
The affected employees held full-time positions at FEMA headquarters and its ten regional offices. Reservists, who respond to disasters when needed, were not included in the layoffs.
The decision to target probationary employees resulted in the dismissal of senior FEMA staff with substantial roles.
Christopher Page, who had been with FEMA since 2011, primarily as a lawyer, was let go on Monday following a recent position change within the agency that placed him in probationary status.
“It’s weird to spend nearly 15 years dedicated to public service, a decade of which I spent working specifically in the flood insurance space, and then get terminated for being a ‘new’ employee,” Page expressed Monday on his LinkedIn page. He previously led efforts to improve public access to FEMA’s flood insurance program, covering 4.7 million properties.
David Maurstad, a former head of the insurance program and FEMA veteran, called Page’s dismissal “a travesty,” adding, “Chris was among the finest I worked with. I hope everyone truly understands what collateral damage looks like.”
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
A senior FEMA official communicated to top agency staff in an internal email that the agency is being instructed to “come up with employee reductions far beyond the probationary list.”
“Direction is to make a list of anyone who worked on or works on climate, environmental justice, equity, DEIA,” the email indicates, referring to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. E&E News received a version of the email that excluded the sender’s identity.
In another internal email sent Wednesday, employees were instructed to “scrub” specific terms from agency documents that President Trump highlighted in his executive orders regarding climate change and diversity. Any files containing these sensitive phrases will be archived for three years before ultimately being deleted.
“They’re trying to systematically erase everything that happened before,” shared a FEMA employee working at a disaster site, who has been reassigned from assisting survivors with home inspections necessary for repairs. “It is taking away from time doing on-the-ground disaster-recovery work.”
The potential layoffs could further strain an agency that has already been grappling with staffing shortages amidst increasing natural disasters and mounting scrutiny. In response to significant hurricane damage in six states last October, FEMA found itself overwhelmed and had to request assistance from other federal agencies.
“The next time there’s a major catastrophic event that requires extensive manpower, FEMA’s going to be at a disadvantage,” commented Michael Coen, the agency’s chief of staff during the Biden administration.
Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the leading Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, stated that “FEMA was actually short-staffed before Elon and his minions went to FEMA headquarters, and now the agency will be further hampered.”
FEMA confirmed to E&E News that it had terminated more than 200 employees and that additional job cuts were made by other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, totaling around 200.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are making sweeping cuts and reform across the federal government to eliminate egregious waste and incompetence that has been happening for decades at the expense of the American taxpayer,” a DHS spokesperson asserted. The spokesperson added that these dismissals would result in approximately $50 million in saved personnel costs.
The department indicated that it let go of “non-mission critical personnel in probationary status” and is “actively identifying other wasteful positions and offices that do not fulfill DHS’ mission.”
Since taking office, President Trump has criticized FEMA, suggesting the possibility of shutting down the agency due to its handling of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and forming a review council overseen by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The anticipated layoffs could have far-reaching effects as FEMA had prioritized climate change and equity under former President Biden's administration.
“This will impact the majority of our staff,” the email mentions, highlighting that climate and equity were key components of the latest agency strategic plan released in 2022, which has now been removed from FEMA’s website.
FEMA leadership is set to "compile the names of ALL employees that worked on these topics," as noted in the email from a senior FEMA executive. The official elaborated that the agency would differentiate between employees with "significant involvement" in the targeted initiatives and those with "insignificant involvement."
"I know this feels like a shock to many of you and is an exceedingly difficult task," the official acknowledged.
The upcoming layoffs “put a lot of really important programs on life support,” remarked a former senior FEMA official. “If you care about government efficiency, you don’t indiscriminately fire. You focus on honing your capabilities to be more efficient.”
It appears that FEMA’s resilience directorate, which includes the agency’s grant and flood insurance programs, may be among the primary targets of these layoffs. FEMA consists of three other directorates, including the Office of Response and Recovery, responsible for immediate disaster response.
On Monday, FEMA notified more than 200 probationary employees across the nation through emails with the subject line “Termination Notice.”
“Your position with the Federal Emergency Management Agency will end on Tuesday, February 18, 2025,” stated an email reviewed by E&E News.
The email specified that a decision was made after the Office of Personnel Management received a list of FEMA probationary employees that it was “not in the best interest of the government to retain you in your current role.”
“Thank you for your contributions furthering the FEMA mission of helping people before, during, and after disasters,” it concluded.
The affected employees held full-time positions at FEMA headquarters and its ten regional offices. Reservists, who respond to disasters when needed, were not included in the layoffs.
The decision to target probationary employees resulted in the dismissal of senior FEMA staff with substantial roles.
Christopher Page, who had been with FEMA since 2011, primarily as a lawyer, was let go on Monday following a recent position change within the agency that placed him in probationary status.
“It’s weird to spend nearly 15 years dedicated to public service, a decade of which I spent working specifically in the flood insurance space, and then get terminated for being a ‘new’ employee,” Page expressed Monday on his LinkedIn page. He previously led efforts to improve public access to FEMA’s flood insurance program, covering 4.7 million properties.
David Maurstad, a former head of the insurance program and FEMA veteran, called Page’s dismissal “a travesty,” adding, “Chris was among the finest I worked with. I hope everyone truly understands what collateral damage looks like.”
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
