Love Him or Hate him, he's gone!
Release Date: January 21, 2009
Release Number: HQ-09-010
WASHINGTON, D.C. --
I will be stepping down as Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) effective 12:00 p.m. on 21 January 2009. I want to take this opportunity to thank President Bush and Secretary Chertoff for the opportunity to serve them and the American public in this critical position during such an important time. Since 2006, I have had the great honor and fortune to work with dedicated people and oversee marked progress in this organization. We have embraced a culture of preparedness, dispersing billions of dollars in emergency preparedness grants, publishing the National Response Framework, the National Disaster Housing Strategy and conducting gap analysis activities working with state emergency managers to balance strengths and gaps before a disaster strikes. We have enhanced training and readiness through pre-scripted mission assignments, we have increased our staff from 1,500 people to more than 3,700 highly-trained experts in their field, and we continue to build upon critical emergency responder partnerships.In 2008 alone, we responded to 90 declared disaster, assisting 36 states. There were record floods in the Midwest, affecting a six-state area. It was the fourth busiest hurricane season since 1944. We managed more than 1.5 million disaster assistance applications, provided more than $1 billion to assist individuals in their recovery and obligated an additional $1.4 billion to assist local communities. It was a busier year, and there is still much work to do.We have put in place a robust transition plan to assist the incoming Administration to build upon this foundation. Nancy Ward has been assigned as the Senior Career Transition Officer to ensure a smooth changeover. I have the utmost confidence in her and each career deputy among our directorates to steer the ship until the new senior leadership team is in place.I leave FEMA with the same core beliefs I have tried to instill since my arrival. Everyone is part of the emergency management process. We must continue to develop a culture of preparedness in America in which every American takes personal responsibility for his or her own emergency preparedness. Lastly, I wish to thank Admiral Harvey Johnson whose support, leadership and vision provided enormous value every single day to the Agency, the Nation and the people of this great country.FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
FEMA Leadership as of January 21, 2009
Acting Administrator – Nancy WardActing
Deputy Administrator – David Garratt
Associate Deputy Administrator – Bob Shea
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