Acting FEMA head David Richardson steps down after troubled tenure

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is David Richardson.

The announcement on Monday brings an unhappy presidency to an end. Even though the Atlantic hurricane season is still in full swing, Richardson took the job just six months later.

The second FEMA head to leave or be fired since May is Richardson, a former Marine Corps officer. He leaves amid criticism for keeping a low profile during the deadly Texas floods in July, which killed 130 people, and for staff’s confusion in June, when he claimed he had no idea the nation was in hurricane season.

No explanations were provided by a DHS representative for the FEMA chief’s departure. Richardson’s departure was first reported by The Washington Post.

Richardson will be replaced by Karen Evans, the DHS spokesperson said in a statement, and FEMA and DHS are happy with Richardson’s service.

Cameron Hamilton, Richardson’s predecessor, retaliated against President Donald Trump’s plans to shut down the organization in May.

State governments can handle many of FEMA’s functions, according to President Trump, who has stated he wants to significantly reduce the size of the federal agency that oversees natural disaster preparation and response.

FEMA is a significant player in the US’s response to major natural disasters, including hurricanes. This month is when the Atlantic hurricane season will come to an end.

Richardson appeared infrequently in public compared to FEMA leaders under previous presidents, maintaining a low public profile. During Trump’s second term, Kristi Noem, the administration’s secretary of homeland security, was responsible for managing natural disasters.

Richardson’s abrupt departure is a terrible end for a government official who promised to “run right over” anyone who opposed changes and that he would now have to make all decisions.

He said at the time, “I alone speak for FEMA,” and I do so for it.

According to a report released in September from the Government Accountability Office, FEMA has lost about 2,500 employees since January as a result of buyouts, firings, and other incentives for staff to leave. This leaves the agency with about 23, 350 employees overall.