Ex-Administrator: We have to stop considering FEMA as a 911 & # 39;



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Former Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Brock Long warned Sunday that Congress, local institutions and individuals should help FEMA carry out its mission.

"FEMA faces unrealistic expectations from Congress and the American public," Long told Margaret Brennan of CBS about "Face the Nation." "We need to stop considering FEMA as 911, it's a partnership."

Long, who led FEMA from June 2017 to May 2019, called for a "refocusing of training" to better equip citizens with disaster preparedness, noting in particular that "insurance is the first line of defense".

"Until Congress encourages building codes, land-use planning, and encouraging state and local governments to provide public infrastructure, FEMA's work is impossible, "said Long.

"We need to set realistic expectations for the agency and really build the capacity of the neighbors who help them up to emergency management by the federal government," he added.

Long's comments came soon after. Hurricane Dorian was turned into a Category 5 storm. The storm is not expected to affect the United States at this time, but preparatory experts and meteorologists have pointed out that its trajectory could change without notice.

"What I would really like to pay attention to is the speed of this storm," Long said. "The track can change a lot in the next 24 to 48 hours."

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