la fires prompt earlier appointment of FEMA leader

One thing huge disasters do is point the finger and elevate the importance of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The Los Angeles fires are providing the emphasis today on the need for an appointment to be made by the Trump Administration for the position of FEMA Administrator.

See this Politico article, Trump eyes Florida’s emergency management director to lead FEMA  As I surmised earlier here in the DZ Blog, a state director from a Red State would be a natural selection. Someone coming from the state of Florida is also a trend that has emerged from other Trump appointments.

FEMA is a second-tier agency in the federal government. Getting someone appointed much sooner than is typically expected would be a good thing. It takes a period of time for the new appointee to get his or her team selected, vetted and in position. Nine months for that effort would not be unusual. What that means is that many times it takes another year and the 2026 legislative cycle to start to see new programs being rolled out or adjustments being made to existing grants, etc.