Media: US agency fails to answer thousands of Texas flood calls

Two days after devastating floods swept through Central Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) failed to answer nearly two-thirds of calls to its disaster assistance line, according to internal documents reviewed by The New York Times.

The sharp decline in responsiveness occurred after FEMA abruptly fired hundreds of call centre contractors on July 5, when their contracts expired and were not immediately renewed. A source familiar with the matter, speaking anonymously, confirmed the layoffs were due to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s new policy requiring her personal approval for expenses exceeding $100,000—a process that delayed contract renewals by five days.

On July 5, as floodwaters began to recede, FEMA received 3,027 calls and answered 3,018, a near-perfect 99.7 per cent response rate. The following day, however, after the layoffs, the agency answered only 846 out of 2,363 calls (35.8 per cent). By July 7, the agency’s capacity had deteriorated further, responding to just 2,613 of 16,419 calls (15.9 per cent).

The unanswered calls left many disaster survivors without access to essential financial aid, such as the $750 one-time payment meant to help cover immediate needs like food and supplies.

FEMA officials expressed frustration over the contract delays, with one employee emailing colleagues on July 8, “We still do not have a decision, waiver or signature from the DHS Secretary.”

Democratic lawmakers also criticised Noem for delaying the deployment of critical search-and-rescue teams to Texas until three days after the floods began.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity, insisted that despite high call volumes, FEMA’s call centre responded “swiftly and efficiently” to all callers.

Experts condemned the lapse. Jeffrey Schlegelmilch, director of Columbia University’s National Centre for Disaster Preparedness, called it “pretty horrific,” emphasising the critical need for survivors to have access to clear guidance amid disaster recovery.

The episode adds to scrutiny of FEMA’s overall response to the Texas floods, which have claimed more than 120 lives. President Trump has repeatedly called for FEMA’s elimination, while administration officials have signalled plans to overhaul the agency and shift more disaster responsibility to states.

By Vugar Khalilov