President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an agency he has heavily criticized recently.
If selected, Guthrie would take charge of FEMA amid a challenging period that includes ongoing wildfires in California and recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.
The California wildfires are expected to require tens of billions in federal aid, while North Carolina is still grappling with the aftermath of Helene, which caused over 200 fatalities and is the deadliest hurricane to hit mainland U.S. since Katrina.
Guthrie, appointed as Florida's emergency management chief by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2021, has extensive experience in disaster response. His responsibilities have included coordinating logistics for large-scale hurricane responses and overseeing Florida's participation in FEMA's Public Assistance grant program, POLITICO detailed. The program has provided the state with billions of dollars for federal recovery.
However, he has also been the subject of criticism for his handling of Hurricane Ian in 2022. He has been criticized for not moving fast enough with evacuation orders during the hurricane, where over 100 people died.
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