DHS Leads Historic, Nationwide Response as Winter Storm Slams 12 States at Once

WASHINGTON - In one of the most expansive and severe winter weather emergencies in recent history, a powerful storm system simultaneously impacted 12 states, triggering rapid federal action to protect American lives, infrastructure, and communities. At the direction of President Donald J. Trump, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem led an immediate, coordinated response funneling critical resources directly to states before, during, and after the storm to support governors and emergency managers as they worked around the clock to respond.

"Over the last year, this administration has transformed FEMA into a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers and supports state and local governments," said Secretary Noem. "Through every stage of this winter storm, the new FEMA delivered results to American communities, leveraging interagency resources and working with state and local governments to solve problems and keep people safe."

Before the Storm

Last week, weather forecasts predicted that snow, freezing rain, and blistering cold temperatures would impact up to 33 U.S. states spanning from Massachusetts to Florida to New Mexico. Secretary Noem swiftly reached out to governors to ask them whether they anticipated needing additional resources. As the former governor of South Dakota, she understands the perils that severe winter weather can bring. Also last week, DHS approved $2.2 billion in public assistance funding for states across the country-many of which were impacted by this storm.

On Thursday, January 22, FEMA activated the National Response Coordination Center (NRCC), a central hub where FEMA staff work side-by-side with specialized teams from more than 10 federal agencies to share information and make decisions quickly during a disaster. The NRCC staff immediately began working together to prepare for the storm, coordinate requests from states, and provide technical assistance. FEMA staged resources-including more than 300 generators, 7 million meals, 3 million liters of water, and over 650,000 blankets-at federal sites across the country to streamline potential state requests. FEMA also ensured that its 28 Urban Search and Rescue task forces were on standby to assist if needed.

On Friday, December 23, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the FEMA Administrator Karen Evans participated in a briefing call with emergency managers from every state predicted to be impacted by the storm and cold front. She assured them that FEMA was ready to support them with whatever they needed. She even gave out her personal cell phone number and invited them to call her directly if they were not seeing action quickly enough.

Before the storm, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the FEMA Administrator Evans also began regularly communicating with private companies in the energy sector through the Department of Energy. These critical partners who manage major pieces of the country's infrastructure were grateful for the coordination, which continued through the storm and into the recovery period.

That same day, DHS and FEMA began sharing crucial, life-saving preparedness information with the American public, urging them to get ready for severe weather and extended power outages. Secretary Noem released a Public Service Announcement to encourage residents to stay alert, stay off the roads, and follow directions from local officials. FEMA developed specialized toolkits to help state and local government officials, first responder agencies, private companies, and non-profit organizations further amplify preparedness messaging.

On Saturday, January 24, President Donald Trump approved 12 federal emergency declarations for Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. These emergency declarations allow states to tap into federal support for lifesaving, life-sustaining resources. By approving these requests, President Trump directed FEMA to provide federal assistance to nearly 900 counties and parishes, and four Tribal Nations affected by the storm.

During the Storm

During the storm, the DHS Executive team embedded in the NRCC with FEMA. As the storm descended on Washington, D.C. and snow began to fall, FEMA, DHS, and the interagency apparatus continued to monitor the storm through the night. They were in constant contact with the FEMA Region Offices and the over 20 FEMA staff directly embedded in state emergency operations centers.

As the storm moved through the United States, Secretary Noem and her team received reports every thirty minutes and additional updates as needed in between. To ensure that no Americans were left behind, she insisted that FEMA notify her immediately of any unmet needs from states so that she could take action and direct additional resources. On January 25, the day of the storm, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem visited the NRCC at FEMA Headquarters for a briefing on response efforts. Secretary Noem thanked FEMA staff for their dedication and shared her appreciation for their emergency management expertise.

After the Storm

As states assessed damage in real time like impassable roadways and widespread power outages, DHS and FEMA were already mobilizing resources and deploying teams to support recovery. For example:

• After the storm, Louisiana's I-20 Interstate was blocked by snow, impeding first responders' ability to get to the people who need them. Governor Landry and Louisiana's emergency management officials alerted the FEMA Region 4 office. Following the direction of Secretary Noem to promptly provide states with critical support to help them recover, FEMA staff brought the issue to the NRCC. In coordination with Senior Official Performing the Duties of the FEMA Administrator Karen Evans, the team quickly connected with the Department of Transportation liaison who confirmed that their department could help. The next day, the Department of Transportation delivered sand and road-treatment resources to Louisiana, enabling the state to clear the road and continue critical work.
• The winter storm brought significant power outages to Mississippi and Tennessee. As the states sent out crews to restore power, their work was hindered by debris blocking roadways. The team followed Secretary Noem's guidance to leverage all available federal resources and raised this problem to FEMA. FEMA staff connected with colleagues in the NRCC to find a quick solution consistent with instructions from FEMA's Karen Evans, who oversaw the coordination. On January 28, three specialized "hotshot crews" from the U.S. Forest Service deployed to Mississippi and Tennessee to help remove debris, allowing linemen to reach impacted areas and restore power to homes across both states.

The NRCC remains staffed, operational, and ready to support state and local governments with any unmet needs.

Today, Louisiana Governor Landry visited the NRCC at FEMA HQ to meet with Karen S. Evans, the senior official performing the duties of the FEMA administrator, and the associate administrator of FEMA's Office of Response and Recovery Gregg Phillips. During this visit, he also received a briefing on ongoing operations and thanked FEMA staff for their support to Louisiana.

Although the storm is over, many Americans are still without power, many businesses are still struggling to re-open, and many communities are still working to recover. DHS and FEMA will continue to work closely with states to ensure they get what they need to continue moving forward.

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