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The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) urban search and rescue unit abruptly resigned on Monday, telling colleagues he was frustrated with hurdles imposed by the Trump administration that had slowed the agency’s response to the deadly floods in Texas earlier this month.
Ken Pagurek had led the urban search and rescue unit for a year after serving in the unit himself for over a decade, responding to natural disasters all over the country. In his resignation letter, he indicated that he would be moving back to Philadelphia to work for the city’s fire department.
“This decision was not made lightly, and after much reflection and prayer, it is the right path for me at this time,” Pagurek said.
Three sources familiar with Pagurek’s rationale told The New York Times that his departure was prompted by deep frustration with how the agency was being managed, particularly when it came to the regulations imposed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which FEMA is a part of.
Pagurek had expressed concerns about the agency’s management since the start of hurricane season, those sources said. But he was also upset with a new policy requiring any FEMA expenditure over $100,000 to be personally reviewed and approved by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
The changes have caused “chaos” within FEMA, those sources said Pagurek told them.
DHS officials shrugged off the news of Pagurek’s departure, dismissing his concerns about the public’s safety.
“It is laughable that a career public employee, who claims to serve the American people, would choose to resign over our refusal to hastily approve a six-figure deployment contract without basic financial oversight,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said.
“We’re being responsible with taxpayer dollars, that’s our job. Attempting to spin a personal career decision into some big scandal is ridiculous,” McLaughlin added.
The new rule was in place during the flooding in Central Texas earlier this month. As flood waters were rising and the death toll was rapidly increasing, Noem ignored several FEMA requests (including a request to dispatch response teams throughout the state), taking four days to approve the lifesaving measures.
During that time, however, Noem did take the time to ask her Instagram followers which photograph of her they preferred for an official portrait.
“Which one do you like for the official Governor’s portrait to hang in the South Dakota State Capitol?” she asked, as the requests remained unsigned at her desk.
The Texas floods killed at least 135 people, including dozens of children.
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