Carrie Pallardy, Contributing ReporterApril 22, 20254 Min ReadNovember 1, 2019: Flooding in the village of Dolgeville, Herkimer County, New YorkPhilip Scalia via Alamy Stock PhotoNatural disasters are indiscriminate. Businesses and critical infrastructure are all vulnerable. In the wake of a disaster, public and private organizations face the responsibility of recovery and resilience. That typically requires public-private coordination, but sweeping staff cuts at the federal level could significantly reshape what those partnerships look like.  More than 600 workers were laid off and the total job cuts may exceed 1,000 at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), of which the National Weather Service is a part. More than 200 employees at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have lost their jobs as well.  Legal pushback resulted in some employees being reinstated across various federal agencies, but confusion still abounds, NBC News reports.  InformationWeek spoke with a local emergency manager and a cybersecurity leader to better understand the role these federal agencies play in disaster response and how their tenuous future could impact recovery and resilience.  Public-Private Partnership and Disaster Recovery  CIOs at enterprises need plans for operational continuity, disaster recovery, and cyber resilience. When a natural disaster hits, they can face major service disruptions and a heightened vulnerability to cyber threats. Related:“Hurricane Sandy in New York or floods in New Orleans or fires in LA, they may create opportunities for folks to be a little more vulnerable to cyberattacks,” says Matthew DeChant is CEO of Security Counsel, a cybersecurity management consulting firm. “The disaster itself [creates] an opportunity for bad actors to step in.” Speed is essential, whether responding to a weather-related incident or a cyberattack. “What we typically say to our clients is that in order to run a really good information security program you have to be very good at intelligence gathering,” says DeChant.  For weather-related disasters, the National Weather Service is a critical source of intelligence. “The National Weather Service in particular is a huge partner of emergency managers at the local, state and federal level. Any time that we are expecting a weather-based incident, we are in constant communication with the national weather service,” Josh Morton, first vice president of the International Association for Emergency Managers and director of the Saluda County Emergency Management Division in South Carolina, tells InformationWeek.  FEMA plays a pivotal role in disaster recovery by facilitating access to federal resources, such as the Army Corps of Engineers. “Without FEMA or some other entity that allows us to access those resources through some type of centralized agency … you would have local jurisdictions and state governments attempting to navigate the complexities of the federal government without assistance,” Morton points out. Related:FEMA’s other role in disaster recovery comes in the form of federal funding.  “All disasters begin and end locally. The local emergency management office is really who is driving the train whenever it comes to the response. Once the local government becomes overwhelmed, then we move on to the state government,” Morton explains. “Once we get to a point where the state becomes overwhelmed, that's when FEMA gets involved.”  The Cuts The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is orchestrating job cuts in the name of efficiency. In theory, greater efficiency would be a positive.  “I don't think you will find anybody in [emergency] management that doesn't feel like that there is reform needed,” Morton shares. “Following a disaster most of us end up having the higher contractors just to help us get through the federal paperwork. There's a lot of barriers to accessing federal funding and federal resources.” Related:But are these mass job cuts achieving the goal of greater efficiency? In the case of FEMA and NOAA, cuts could compound preexisting staff shortages. In 2023, the US Government Accountability Office reported that action needed to be taken to address staffing shortages at FEMA as disasters increase in frequency and complexity.  When Hurricane Helene hit last year, Saluda County, where Morton works, was one of the affected areas.  “A slower more intricate reform is what is needed. What we really need right now is a scalpel and not a hacksaw,” says Morton. “If we simply go in and start just throwing everything out without taking a hard look at these programs, we're going to do a lot more damage than good.” Rethinking Disaster Recovery Plans  “All business is generally run on good intelligence about their marketplace and various other factors here. So, if you can't get it from the government today then you're going to need to replace it,” says DeChant. “Not every local emergency management office has the resources to be able to have commercial products available,” says Morton. “So, really having that resource in the national weather service is very beneficial to public safety.” With the shifts in the federal government, Mortan says it is more vital than ever for organizations to make sure they have insurance resources available. Enterprise leadership may also have to adapt in unexpected ways should calamity strike under these circumstances. “There's going to be a lot of uncertainty and that hurts the ability to make decisions with confidence,” says DeChant. About the AuthorCarrie PallardyContributing ReporterCarrie Pallardy is a freelance writer and editor living in Chicago. She writes and edits in a variety of industries including cybersecurity, healthcare, and personal finance.See more from Carrie PallardyReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like