A federal watchdog report that surfaced in news coverage Thursday, Aug. 13, warns that FEMA lost 17% of its workforce without analyzing whether it could still do its job, raising questions about how quickly the agency could respond if a major hurricane strikes League City and Galveston County during the peak of the 2026 season.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office found that more than 4,300 employees left FEMA in fiscal year 2025, a 55% jump in separations from the prior year. The agency made those cuts without conducting a workforce analysis, meaning no one assessed whether enough qualified staff remained to carry out disaster response. FEMA also rescinded its strategic plan in 2025, leaving it without overall direction for workforce planning.
The report pointed to the deadly July 2025 Texas floods as a real-world consequence: only 15% of FEMA's incident management workforce was available when the flooding began. The agency had slashed surge call-center resources by roughly 50%, leaving some survivors facing long waits or unanswered calls when they sought help.
For the current hurricane season, FEMA anticipates having about 240 employees available through the DHS Surge Capacity Force, down from approximately 600 in 2025.
"I'm hopeful they will. But hope is not the best plan. I'm not sure FEMA will be ready to do what needs to be done," Rep. Al Green, a Houston-area Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, told KHOU on Thursday, Aug. 13. Green called the findings "exceedingly alarming."
GAO director Chris Currie, who oversaw the review, warned that residents will "see less qualified people respond because they cut some of the most important parts of their workforce."
FEMA pushed back. In an official statement, the agency said it is "ready for the 2026 hurricane season" under new leadership, calling itself "leaner, faster and laser-focused" on supporting local partners. The Senate confirmed Cameron Hamilton as FEMA's permanent administrator on Aug. 10.
Why it matters here
Galveston County sits squarely in the crosshairs. FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's hurricane risk, coastal flood risk and inland flood risk all as "Relatively High," with estimated annual hurricane losses of $42 million and inland flood losses of $63 million.
The county has been included in 21 federal flood-related disaster declarations since 1978, most recently Hurricane Beryl in 2024. Over that span, residents have filed 60,618 flood insurance claims totaling $2.4 billion in payouts.
League City participates in FEMA's Community Rating System with a Class 5 rating, which qualifies residents in the Special Flood Hazard Area for up to a 25% discount on flood insurance premiums. That program depends on a functioning FEMA.
The League City Herald sought comment from local emergency management officials regarding the GAO report but did not receive a response.
What residents can do now
League City Mayor Nick Long has urged residents to check insurance coverage, know evacuation routes, stock hurricane kits and sign up for the city's free emergency alert system at leaguecitytx.gov/3991/Emergency-Management.
Residents can purchase or review flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program at FloodSmart.gov or by calling 1-877-336-2627. After a declared disaster, assistance is available at DisasterAssistance.gov or 1-800-621-3362.
The 2026 hurricane season runs through Nov. 30, and the Gulf Coast is now entering its historically most active stretch.
