Urban search leader steps down over deployment delay
Ken Pagurek, chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) branch, has resigned following reported delays in the agency’s deployment during the recent floods in Texas.
According to CNN, Pagurek’s resignation came after internal frustration with new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policies that delayed rescue operations by over 72 hours.
The delay followed a new requirement that all FEMA contracts exceeding $100,000 must receive personal sign-off from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
Sources told CNN that the Texas response was the final straw in a wider pattern of challenges faced by Pagurek under the Trump administration.
In his resignation letter, obtained by CNN, Pagurek did not cite the Texas floods but stated he was returning to the Philadelphia Fire Department.
FEMA response times questioned after flooding in Texas
The CNN report stated that FEMA’s elite rescue teams were not deployed until several days after the flooding began.
Officials within FEMA attributed the delay to new internal cost controls introduced by Secretary Noem, which required personal approval for larger contracts.
Noem’s office defended the response, stating that other DHS assets, including the Coast Guard and Border Patrol, were used before FEMA resources were authorised.
A DHS spokesperson told CNN: “It is laughable that a career public employee… would choose to resign over our refusal to hastily approve a six-figure deployment contract without basic financial oversight.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s office reported that the state deployed more than 2,100 personnel from 20 agencies in response.
President Donald Trump supported the federal response and endorsed the policy of shifting disaster response responsibilities to individual states.
FEMA director defends agency at Congressional hearing
Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson defended the agency’s response during a hearing of the House transportation and infrastructure committee.
According to the Guardian, Richardson described FEMA’s handling of the Texas floods as “a model how disasters should be handled”.
Representative Greg Stanton criticised the response as both “incompetence” and “indifference”, suggesting lives may have been lost as a result.
Richardson denied wrongdoing, stating that the agency was realigning with its original mission to support state-led responses.
He was unable to confirm whether FEMA would continue to exist under current reforms, saying only that “the president wants better emergency management”.
FEMA launches new task force for rapid funding
CNN reported that FEMA is creating a Disaster Funding Adjudication Task Force to speed up internal approval of critical emergency contracts.
Internal memos obtained by CNN show that the task force is designed to process requests within hours to avoid operational delays during federally declared disasters.
However, despite the new process, all approvals will still be subject to Richardson and then Noem, raising questions about the system’s effectiveness.
A FEMA official told CNN: “It’s just a shotgun approach to guidance that we are constantly reacting to… to make sure we can answer the bell when it’s rung.”
The DHS responded by questioning the policy relevance of the internal memos.
Congressional concerns and proposed FEMA reforms
Members of Congress raised concerns about FEMA’s direction and accountability.
Representative Rick Larsen cited 518 statutory mandates FEMA must follow, claiming the agency was not in compliance.
Richardson replied that FEMA had identified eight mission-essential tasks it prioritises based on its own analysis.
Representative Dina Titus said the $100,000 contract approval threshold constituted bureaucracy, not oversight.
A bipartisan bill to reform FEMA, including proposals to centralise disaster funding information, was announced during the hearing.
The Environmental Defense Fund has expressed support for the legislation, citing the increasing severity of disasters.
FEMA official resigns following delays in Texas flood rescue response: Summary
Ken Pagurek has resigned as chief of FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue branch.
CNN reported the resignation followed delays in FEMA deployment during Texas floods.
The delay was attributed to a DHS rule requiring Kristi Noem’s personal approval of contracts over $100,000.
Pagurek’s resignation letter did not reference the flood but cited personal reflection.
FEMA is launching a new task force to speed emergency contract approvals.
The task force will still require Richardson and Noem’s sign-off.
DHS defended the process as responsible financial oversight.
Richardson called FEMA’s flood response a “model” at a congressional hearing.
Congressional representatives criticised the response and FEMA’s current leadership.
A bipartisan FEMA reform bill was announced during the hearing.
Richardson denied FEMA made errors and said states should take more responsibility.
President Trump supports reducing FEMA’s role in disaster management.
FEMA has been under internal strain with multiple resignations.
Richardson denied claims that calls to FEMA’s disaster hotline went unanswered.
The Guardian reported that Democrats challenged FEMA’s climate and disaster readiness.
Richardson said FEMA would respond to disasters “regardless of their origin”.