### Emergency Personnel Mobilize as Hurricane Milton Approaches Florida

With Hurricane Milton on the horizon, state and federal emergency management officials are racing to deploy resources and personnel across Florida. This marks the second major hurricane to threaten the state in two weeks, prompting both preparedness and concern about the impending storm.

Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) remain confident in their capability to handle the situation. Keith Turi, FEMA's acting associate administrator, assured the public this week that the agency has the necessary resources to manage both Hurricane Helene's aftermath and the approaching Hurricane Milton. "We have the resources that we need for both responses," Turi stated, deferring additional resource decisions to the White House.

Despite FEMA's assurances, overall staffing at the federal disaster response agency has been scrutinized. A May 2023 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) indicated a shortfall of 35% between the agency's workforce of approximately 11,400 employees and its staffing target of 17,670. At that time, FEMA was responding to around 500 open disasters, stretching its already limited resources.

Christopher P. Currie, director of the GAO's Homeland Security and Justice team, voiced concerns about the agency's staffing. Comparing FEMA's efforts to "trying to fight wars on multiple fronts," Currie noted that low staffing levels could severely impact morale. Although FEMA's daily operations briefing lists around 27,000 staff members, not all are typically deployed for disaster response, and only a limited number are available for specialized roles such as disaster survivor assistance and individual assistance.

NBC News reported that the agency issued a call for volunteers in mid-September due to a significant shortfall in disaster response teams. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell responded by highlighting that other full-time staff members are redeployed as needed, emphasizing the agency's adaptability and monitoring of resource levels daily.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, which left extensive destruction and over 245 fatalities across six states, FEMA has largely transitioned to the recovery phase, allowing more focus on Hurricane Milton. The impending storm has led Florida to declare emergencies in 51 counties, with predictions of a catastrophic storm surge up to 15 feet, particularly around Tampa and Sarasota.

Brock Long, former FEMA administrator and current executive chair of Hagerty Consulting, pointed out historical precedents of back-to-back hurricanes, such as in 2012 with Sandy and Isaac, and in 2004 with four major storms. Long also emphasized the necessity of collaboration among state, local, federal, and outside partners in disaster response and recovery.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reported early Tuesday that FEMA is already addressing pre-landfall requests from the state and anticipates further support post-landfall. In preparation, Florida has mobilized 8,000 National Guard members and about 2,000 state troopers, conducting over 1,250 missions, which include evacuation assistance, resource distribution, and infrastructure protection. The state also has 34 search-and-rescue aircraft on standby, showcasing an unprecedented level of resources ahead of a storm.

"We've never had this many resources prior to a storm," DeSantis stated, underscoring the state's extensive preparation efforts for Hurricane Milton.