FEMA Fails To Answer Two-Thirds Flood Calls Texas

In the wake of catastrophic floods in Central Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) failed to answer nearly two-thirds of disaster assistance calls due to the firing of hundreds of call center contractors when their contracts expired on July 5 and were not immediately renewed. The delay in contract renewal was caused by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's new policy requiring her personal approval for expenses exceeding $100,000, which took five days to process. This lapse left many flood survivors without access to essential financial aid, such as the $750 immediate relief payment, and drew sharp criticism from experts and lawmakers. Despite the crisis, President Donald Trump praised local officials and first responders for their efforts, while his administration defended the response and attributed the flooding to a "once-in-every-200-year event." FEMA's slow activation of search-and-rescue teams and the agency's overall response have faced intense scrutiny amid growing concerns about the impact of recent policy changes on disaster preparedness and management. Experts described FEMA's failure to respond adequately to calls as a "horrific" failure at a critical time for survivors.