“The number one goal of FEMA is to instill equity in emergency management. It's not to save lives. It's not to create stronger communities that will weather future disasters,” revealed Kelsey Goodman, a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Emergency Manager for REGION 4. Goodman has come forward to discuss concerns about FEMA’s response to recent disaster-stricken communities.

After Hurricane Helene, North Carolina residents reported seeing few FEMA responders on the ground, despite widespread devastation and flooding. Many people, Goodman observed, were "videoing themselves stranded" with little to no visible federal help. She described how “residents are very upset. They don't see FEMA on the ground,” adding, “We are not there, and they're very frustrated.”

Goodman expressed frustration about FEMA’s approach, stating that their internal narrative differed from the experiences of those in the affected areas. She explained that, internally, employees were told they were doing everything right, and “Anyone who has a problem with the way we're doing things, they're bad actors, they're spreading misinformation.”

She detailed FEMA’s increasing focus on equity initiatives, revealing, "We are prioritizing disadvantaged communities when there's no clear definition of what that is,” Goodman said. According to her, this focus is detracting from FEMA’s core mission to assist all Americans facing urgent needs after disasters. “When you're dedicating that time and those resources to things that you can't tie to fact… you're not dedicating to the things that matter, which is helping American families stay safe.”

Despite potential risks, Goodman explained her motivation for coming forward: “If you feel a calling from the Lord…you need to speak the truth.” She called on FEMA to refocus on disaster response essentials, stating, “We have the resources. We need to get back to basics and use them to actually help people.”