VERMILION PARISH — Just over a week into the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, President Donald Trump announced plans to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency after this year, signaling a major shift in how disaster response will be handled nationwide.
Trump’s proposal would shift primary responsibility for disaster relief and recovery to state and local governments, a move that has already prompted concern — and preparation — from parish leaders in south Louisiana.
Last week, St. Landry Parish President said budget cuts, layoffs and reduced work hours are already underway in anticipation of reduced federal support.
Vermilion Parish is also evaluating how to respond. Homer Stelly, director of the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP), said the parish has long operated with minimal reliance on FEMA.
“We already don't totally depend on FEMA,” Stelly said. “We depend on our parish government and the state and then from there, we go to FEMA. FEMA only comes in post-storms. They don't come in, in pre-storms, so we're going to go ahead and do what we got to do to protect the residents of Vermilion Parish.”
Stelly added that the focus will be on making sure the parish can return to pre-storm conditions as quickly as possible after a hurricane.
FEMA responded to questions about its future role in a statement Wednesday.
“There is no uncertainty about what FEMA will be doing this hurricane season,” a spokesperson said. “FEMA is laser focused on disaster response, and protecting the American people. Under Secretary [Kristi] Noem and Acting Administrator [Daniel] Richardson, FEMA is shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens. The old processes are being replaced because they failed Americans in real emergencies for decades."
The spokesperson said the agency is fully activated in preparation for the season.
The 2025 hurricane season began June 1 and runs through Nov. 30.
