The head of FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue branch, which runs a network of teams stationed across the country that can swiftly respond to natural disasters, resigned on Monday.

Ken Pagurek’s departure comes less than three weeks after a delayed FEMA response to catastrophic flooding in central Texas caused by bureaucratic hurdles put in place by the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the disaster response agency.

Pagurek told colleagues at FEMA that the delay was the tipping point that led to his voluntary departure after months of frustration with the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the agency, according to two sources familiar with his thinking. It took more than 72 hours after the flooding for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to authorize the deployment of FEMA’s search and rescue network.

  • anon6789@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    1 day ago

    It doesn’t seem the MAGAs have publicly been a fan of his, so I wouldn’t be totally sure on that.

    State Sen. Devlin Robinson, R-Allegheny, referred to Ken Pagurek, a first responder from Pennsylvania Task Force 1, as a “dick,” using the slur during a committee meeting on Tuesday.

    A video shows Robinson, who serves as the chair of the Labor and Industry Committee, leaning towards Sen. Doug Mastriano, making the disgraceful comment, presumably and wrongfully assuming that the microphone was off. The delegation noted that Mastriano seemed amused by the observation.

    Philadelphia House Delegation calls out Sen. Devlin Robinson for disrespecting Pennsylvania firefighter

    August 4, 2023