The federal agency responsible for providing natural disaster assistance to states will likely see its workforce slashed by thousands of jobs, according to new leaks from federal workers.
Advocates said Appalachian communities in Kentucky, already facing longer wait times for FEMA reimbursement application processing, would be negatively affected by the cuts.
Dana Kuhnline, program director for ReImagine Appalachia, said FEMA workers are typically the first to provide boots-on-the-ground help to remote areas, including to provide essentials such as food, clothing, lodging assistance and baby formula.
"A lot of the folks that they're looking to lay off from FEMA are the people who help facilitate disaster recovery and emergency preparedness," Kuhnline explained. "It’s pretty concerning."
In 2025 alone, the state dealt with multiple major flooding events triggering FEMA disaster declarations, along with a deadly tornado, landslides and mudslides. Kuhnline added eastern Kentucky communities are still trying to recover from devastating flooding nearly three summers ago.
A 2023 report from the Government Accountability Office found the agency lacked reliable hiring data and struggled with persistent hiring gaps.
Regional workers employed through FEMA's "CORE" program make up a sizable portion of its workforce. Kuhnline believes the staffing cuts will create even more barriers for residents who lack the local infrastructure and resources need to deal with major disasters.
"I don't want an Appalachian Community to be the next Hurricane Katrina," Kuhnline stressed. "Because we unraveled all of these safety nets that were put in place after that disaster."
Lawmakers recently sent a letter to President Donald Trump criticizing the decision by Department of Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem to greenlight the job cuts. Additionally, the letter argued some of the policy changes the agency has undergone may be violating the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, which put in place guardrails aimed at ensuring disaster preparedness and response.