Two anonymous FEMA managers say the agency will resume cutting CORE staff after a brief pause during January’s winter storm, stoking agency-wide concern about disaster response capacity. CORE employees — more than 10,000 workers and nearly half of FEMA — often serve as supervisors on two- and four-year contracts funded by the Disaster Relief Fund. Critics warn that recent departures, a GAO-reported 10% workforce loss in early 2025, and recommendations to halve FEMA’s staff could undermine disaster response; lawmakers and unions have pushed back.
FEMA Set To Restart CORE Staff Reductions After January Storm Pause, Managers Say
FILE - People work at the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Two Federal Emergency Management Agency managers say FEMA plans to resume reductions to its Cadre Of On-Call Response/Recovery (CORE) staff after a temporary pause during January’s severe winter storm, raising concerns across the agency about its ability to respond to disasters with fewer experienced personnel.
What Happened
At the beginning of January, FEMA abruptly stopped renewing contracts for many CORE employees — a category of term-limited hires who frequently hold senior roles in response and recovery operations. FEMA briefly paused those nonrenewals in late January as the country prepared for a major winter storm; the agency did not confirm whether the pause was linked to that event.
Who Is Affected
CORE workers number more than 10,000, representing nearly half of FEMA’s workforce. They typically serve on two- and four-year contracts that are often renewed and include many longtime supervisors and managers. CORE staff are paid from FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, which allows them to be hired and paid more quickly than permanent federal employees and, in some circumstances, paid during a government shutdown so long as disaster funds remain available.
Concerns Inside FEMA
Two FEMA team managers who spoke on condition of anonymity told reporters they were informed this week that dismissals would resume soon but were not given a firm date. Current and former FEMA staff told The Associated Press that the policy has led to widespread, sometimes indiscriminate, terminations that do not always account for the critical nature of roles or the years of institutional experience those employees hold.
“It’s a big impact to our ability to implement and carry out the programs entrusted to us,” one FEMA manager told the AP.
Employees said hundreds of CORE departures have dismantled entire teams or left units without managers, increasing burnout and reducing available backups during emergencies.
Leadership And Oversight
Officials said it is unclear whether the Department of Homeland Security or internal FEMA leaders are leading the reductions. Managers said they used to make renewal cases months in advance, but now are often learning about terminations at the same time as affected staff.
In an emailed statement, FEMA spokesperson Daniel Llargues neither confirmed nor denied that new reductions were imminent, saying the CORE program is designed to fluctuate with operational needs and available funding. “We are confident that our staffing decisions are consistent with both the mission and the intended structure of the CORE program,” Llargues said.
Broader Context
The staffing changes come amid the administration’s push for FEMA reforms that officials say will reduce waste and shift more emergency-management responsibilities to states. At the same time, the Department of Homeland Security has faced criticism for delays in distributing disaster funding and for workforce reductions.
The Government Accountability Office reported that FEMA lost nearly 10% of its workforce between January and June 2025, prompting increased alarm among staff and disaster experts that deeper cuts may be planned. A draft report from a Trump-appointed FEMA Review Council reportedly recommended cutting the agency’s workforce in half; the council’s final report, which was due last November, has not been released publicly.
Political And Legal Response
Lawmakers and labor groups have pushed back. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D‑Miss.), ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, introduced a resolution condemning FEMA staff cuts and warned that slashing the workforce will jeopardize Americans during disasters. Last week, a coalition of unions and nonprofits led by the American Federation of Government Employees filed a legal complaint challenging the reductions.
One anonymous CORE employee at FEMA headquarters said that although the agency managed to support states during Winter Storm Fern, the effects of a year of staff losses are already apparent: fewer backup personnel, increased workloads and staff fatigue from months of uncertainty.
What to watch: Whether FEMA provides a timeline or scope for the resumed CORE nonrenewals, and whether Congress, DHS leadership or the courts intervene to limit further reductions.
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