Posted on 04/08/25
| News Source: WBAL TV
Baltimore, MD - April 8, 2025 - More federal cuts are affecting funding for emergency responses and preparedness programs in Maryland.
Reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to Maryland are frozen, 11 News has learned. When catastrophe strikes, the Maryland Department of Emergency Management steps up with an arsenal of resources.
MDEM draws down rebuilding money from FEMA, but since March 31, federal funds are nowhere to be found. MDEM told 11 News on Tuesday that it can't get money from FEMA's drawdown system that's used to request funding.
"Emergency management only works when there is collaboration, partnership and trust among the local, state and federal governments," MDEM spokesman Jorge Castillo said in a statement sent to 11 News.
FEMA sets aside funding to go toward programs like preparedness efforts as well as mitigation for emergency responses.
Some programs that have been in place for years could be affected as FEMA is now following top-level direction to manually review funding requests, which could lend to more scrutiny and potential for cuts, MDEM told 11 News.
Emergency management officials are now going through all the grants to determine what other initiatives are impacted.
FEMA has since cut funding for the Building Resilience Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, according to MDEM.
"The cancellation of BRIC, in such an abrupt manner and without a replacement plan in place, has deeply affected our ability to reduce community risk to hazards we face in Maryland like those we are highlighting during Maryland Severe Storms Awareness Week," Castillo said in a statement. "We will continue to work on behalf of all Marylanders to reduce our vulnerability to natural and human-made threats as we continue to shape a more resilient Maryland where communities thrive."
Upon request for comment from 11 News, a FEMA representative sent a statement, saying: "At the direction of (Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem), FEMA has implemented additional controls to ensure that all grant program activity is consistent with law and does not promote fraud, waste or abuse, as it has in the past."