Michigan State Police say they continue to work with federal agencies to prepare to respond to natural and man-made disasters, despite Trump administration budget cuts to some key agencies.
Some have criticized a slow federal response to the recent deadly flooding in Texas. Critics have linked the response to budget cuts to the National Weather Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
President Trump has defended the federal response saying, “Everyone did an incredible job, under the circumstances.”
Captain Kevin Sweeney is the deputy director of MSP’s emergency management division. He says four FEMA employees remain a part of the state police response to emergencies.
“Unfortunately there are some changes. And we’re not sure long term what that’s going to mean for those four individuals,” Sweeney told reporters during a tour Tuesday of the state emergency operations center, “One of them is actually is just now leaving here at the beginning of August. So we’ll be down to three.”
Despite other cuts to the National Weather Service, Sweeney says the weather bureau’s role in emergency management is unchanged for now.
