Mississippi Today Ideas is a platform for thoughtful Mississippians to share their ideas about our state’s past, present and future. Opinions expressed in guest essays are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of Mississippi Today. You can read more about the section here.
In the U.S., the number of billion-dollar disasters is increasing each year. Wildfires, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and extreme weather events are hitting communities with increasing frequency and severity, placing more Americans at risk of losing their homes, livelihoods and financial stability.
Mississippi offers a clear example of this growing threat. Over the past decade, the state has faced a steady drumbeat of tropical storms and hurricanes, not always direct hits, but often just as damaging. In 2020 alone, multiple storms, including Hurricane Zeta, Hurricane Sally and Tropical Storm Cristobal, brought flooding, storm surge and widespread power outages. In 2021, Hurricane Ida tore through the region, causing severe flooding and fatalities even after making landfall in Louisiana.
These are not rare, once-in-a-generation events. They are recurring disruptions that strain infrastructure, delay recovery and test the limits of state and local response systems.
In recent years, Mississippi also has been hit with other disasters, ranging from tornadoes to ice storms to droughts.
Yet, instead of preparing for this reality, the Trump administration stopped tracking these disasters to advance an alternate-reality narrative and an out-of-touch ideology cooked up by a Beltway think tank. Dismantling the Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA, the very system millions of Americans rely on when disaster strikes, is not something a president can do alone. Congress has the power to stop it, and right now, too many members are choosing not to.
Brian Lowery stands before what remains of his home, which was ripped apart by a tornado, in Tylertown, Miss., on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Sophie Bates) Credit: AP Photo/Sophie BatesThis follows a familiar pattern. Promises to put Americans first have repeatedly translated into gutting programs that actually serve the public, while costly, high-profile political priorities move forward unchecked. The rhetoric may win headlines. The consequences, however, fall squarely on American communities.
FEMA is not an abstract federal agency. It is one of the most widely relied upon forms of federal support in the country. Around 94% of Americans live in a county that has received FEMA assistance since 2011. From 2017 to 2023, $267.7 billion in disaster aid and reconstruction supported communities across rural and urban areas, in red states and blue alike.
If FEMA disappears, what happens to your community after the next wildfire, flood, hurricane, tornado or terrorist attack?
Last year, Trump said, “I’d say after the hurricane season we’ll start phasing [FEMA] out.” Interesting delay from an administration so confident that FEMA is not essential. The same overconfidence already resulted in multiple “fire-first-then-realize-the-wrong-people-were-fired” moments. Let’s remember that there is no serious plan to replace FEMA’s capabilities.
Without FEMA, disaster response responsibilities shift to state and local governments that are already stretched thin and to families who cannot afford to wait for help that may never come.
Ben Smilowitz, of Rockville, Maryland, witnessed the bungled Hurricane Katrina response while managing a Red Cross Client Service Center in Gulfport. Soon after, he launched Disaster Accountability Project – SmartResponse, an independent watchdog, to confront the root causes of the failed Katrina response and maximize the impact of billions of dollars of disaster relief and humanitarian aid.
DAP – SmartResponse has successfully advocated for the release of millions of dollars of disaster relief and recovery funds after Superstorm Sandy, investigated deficiencies in emergency planning surrounding 19 commercial U.S. nuclear power plants and improved the transparency of nearly $2 billion dollars of disaster relief donations after disasters in the U.S., Haiti and Nepal. DAP’s reports, advocacy and op-eds have been covered by global news media
Prior to starting DAP – SmartResponse, Ben had a background in civic engagement and issue advocacy. He wrote successful legislation in Connecticut and created a youth cabinet in Missouri. Ben is an Echoing Green fellow, studied political science and nonprofit management, and holds a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
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