The Federal Emergency Management Agency insists its hurricane response efforts in Puerto Rico was the same as, it not greater than, the amount of support given to Texas when a major storm struck there a month earlier — and pointed to the island’s poor governance as a reason why the responses were different.
A FEMA spokesman told the Washington Examiner on Tuesday afternoon that a recent report saying President Trump, the Department of Homeland Security, and his agency collectively dropped the ball when tragedy struck the U.S. territory is false.
“FEMA categorically rejects the idea that Puerto Rico was treated differently. FEMA provided Puerto Rico the same, if not more support, as we have for all presidentially declared disasters across the nation,” FEMA’s Director of Public Affairs William Booher told the Examiner in an email.
Booher added that the poor condition Puerto Rico was in prior to the disaster made it harder for federal resources to be brought in, unloaded, and transported around the island.
“FEMA’s ability to provide support in disasters builds on, and is subject to, the capacity of the state, territorial, tribal & local governments. There were real challenges in Puerto Rico that had to be overcome – including aging infrastructure, a decayed power grid and liquidity issues,” he said. “The bottom line is that FEMA was in Puerto Rico before Hurricane Irma ever struck, and will be there for years to come, supporting the government of Puerto Rico and the Governor’s recovery goals.”
In Puerto Rico’s case, Congress passed three supplemental funding packages, and Trump approved a request that the federal government cover 100 percent of costs related to the removal debris and emergency protective measures.
Still, the story takes issue with Trump visiting Houston twice in the first eight days following Hurricane Harvey’s descent, but only traveled to the Caribbean island on day 13 after Hurricane Maria had swept through.
It also insinuates Trump’s tweeting more about Texas than Puerto Rico affected the federal government’s response efforts.
The 2017 hurricane season marked the most challenging year in FEMA’s 39-year history, even forcing DHS to ask for volunteers from all 15 government departments.
