As the federal policy landscape shifts and calls for urgent reform increase, the question is no longer whether the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) needs change—but how. In a recent interview with Federal News Network, former FEMA Administrator and Hagerty’s current Executive Chairman, Brock Long, shared his perspective on the future of FEMA, including the steps needed to ensure a more resilient emergency management system.
FEMA’s Mission and the Need for Holistic Reform
Reflecting on FEMA’s original purpose under President Jimmy Carter, Brock stated that the agency’s foundational vision was clear: “A disaster relief agency that helps people on their worst days.” Since 1979, however, FEMA’s mission has expanded far beyond relief, evolving into a sprawling agency expected to manage everything from immediate disaster response to long-term community recovery.
This mission creep, Brock argues, has stretched FEMA far beyond what it was designed to do. Consequently, past reform efforts have often been piecemeal and insufficient in addressing the agency’s challenges.
“Our previous attempts to reform FEMA have been equated to strapping shiny parts to a rusty bicycle,” he said.
Instead, Brock proposes a holistic, phased approach that strengthens state and local governments, clarifies FEMA’s federal support role, and empowers communities to manage disasters effectively.
Shared Responsibility and Community Lifelines
Central to Brock’s perspective is a need for renewed focus on community lifelines—the essential services and systems that must remain operational to sustain communities during disasters. These include energy, communications, hospitals, food logistics, and transportation systems.
According to Brock, many of these lifelines are privately owned, meaning FEMA has limited direct control over them, yet the agency is often blamed when they fail. To break this cycle, he urges leaders to prioritize protecting and strengthening these lifelines, ensuring they are resilient and recover quickly after disruption.
Ultimately, Brock stressed that true disaster resilience requires a shared responsibility and whole-community approach, likening it to a chair with four legs:
- Prepared citizens equipped with skills and insurance.
- Strong state and local emergency management capacity.
- Resilient private-sector infrastructure.
- Federal support through agencies like FEMA.
“Emergency management is like a chair,” he said. “Remove one leg and it’s unstable. Remove two, and it collapses.”
To succeed, all four must work together—underscoring that effective emergency management cannot rely on FEMA alone. By redefining federal support roles, empowering state and local governments, and protecting community lifelines, we can build a stronger, more resilient foundation for the next disaster.
Watch the full interview with Brock Long on Federal News Network to hear his complete insights on FEMA’s mission, reform priorities, and the steps communities can take to prepare for disasters.
Brock Long is the Executive Chairman of Hagerty Consulting and the former FEMA Administrator. During his tenure at FEMA, he led responses to major disasters and implemented pivotal initiatives to strengthen emergency management systems. Previously, Brock served as Director of Alabama’s Emergency Management Agency, where he played a key role in responding to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. With over 25 years of experience, Brock now enhances Hagerty’s leadership and advocacy efforts, advancing the future of emergency management.