FEMA supervisor fired, under investigation after allegedly advising team to avoid homes with Trump signs

"This is a clear violation of FEMA’s core values and principles."

November 9, 2024, 3:46 PM

A Federal Emergency Management Agency supervisor was fired and is under investigation for allegedly asking team members to not inspect homes in a hurricane-ravaged Florida town that had signs supporting Donald Trump's campaign, the agency said.

The incident occurred when the unidentified FEMA supervisor was surveying damage from Hurricane Milton in Florida and allegedly instructed their members to avoid the homes that had the signs, the agency said in a statement.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell called the incident "reprehensible."

In this Oct. 13, 2024, file photo, a FEMA truck is shown parked next to debris and damage from Hurricane Milton in St. Pete Beach, Fla.
MediaPunch/IPx via AP, FILE

"This is a clear violation of FEMA’s core values and principles to help people regardless of their political affiliation," she said in a statement.

The supervisor has been terminated and the matter has been turned over to FEMA's Office of Special Counsel, according to Criswell.

PHOTO: In this Oct. 7, 2024, file photo, a box of drinking water distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sits on a counter in Treasure Island, Fla.
In this Oct. 7, 2024, file photo, a box of drinking water distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sits on a counter in an apartment damaged by Hurricane Helene ahead of Hurricane Milton's expected landfall in the middle of this week, in Treasure Island, Fla.
Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images, FILE

"This type of behavior and action will not be tolerated at FEMA and we will hold people accountable if they violate these standards of conduct," she said.

"I will continue to do everything I can to make sure this never happens again," Criswell added.

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