CNBC Poll: Is FEMA Doing A Good Job?
Flash floods, wildfires and deadly tornadoes have hit record levels this year. As disasters increase in number, so does dependency on the nation's first responder: the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA.
Six years after FEMA's post-Hurricane Katrina performance, some say the agency's problems still aren't resolved. Others argue FEMA, part of the Department of Homeland Security, has improved.
Critics, including the Government Accountability Office say FEMA suffers from inadequate management and insufficient funds. Yet, the federal flood insurance program, administered by FEMA, received a five-year extension by Congress this summer. Many say this program is underfunded.
Proponents of the agency say it is investing more effectively in readiness by hiring third-party contractors.
What's your opinion?