FEMA, State Emergency Managers Gather in New Orleans to Enhance Hurricane Readiness

2026 Gulf and Atlantic Hurricane Summit Delivers Results

WASHINGTON - FEMA convened emergency management leaders from across the Gulf and Atlantic coasts yesterday to strengthen coordination and readiness at the start of hurricane season. During the 2026 Gulf and Atlantic Hurricane Summit, state officials identified challenges, aligned response plans and shared best practices with one another.

Senior Official Performing the Duties of the FEMA Administrator Robert J. Fenton led the summit, which was attended by FEMA Regional Administrators and officials from Delaware, Maryland, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, New York and Texas. Over the course of the summit, these leaders worked through practical challenges and identified opportunities to improve coordination across state lines.

"We came together today to listen, learn, and strengthen coordination before the next storm arrives," said Robert J. Fenton Jr., Senior Official Performing the Duties of the FEMA Administrator. "I am grateful for the candid discussions and honest feedback from state emergency managers who know their communities better than anyone else. These conversations matter because every improvement we make before a disaster strikes helps us deliver assistance faster and more effectively to people who need it."

During yesterday's summit, FEMA officials and state leaders discussed ways to make the disaster declaration process more efficient, improve information and data sharing between partners and ensure that survivors understand what programs and resources are available to them. Additionally, the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) Executive Director Trina Sheets outlined how states can support one another through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a nationwide mutual aid agreement that allows states and territories to share resources with each other during disasters and emergencies. As the summit ended, participants reflected on the importance of partnerships and strengthening the nation's resilience by ensuring every American community is prepared.

FEMA entered this hurricane season with one of the strongest readiness postures in recent years. The agency has nearly 20,000 trained and deployable personnel ready to support communities-and more than 5,500 of those personnel are available to deploy immediately. This includes 28 Urban Search and Rescue teams and six Mobile Emergency Response Support units. FEMA also has the lowest number of incident management personnel currently deployed and the second-highest number available for deployment in the past five years, ensuring capacity to surge wherever needed. Together, these capabilities position FEMA to rapidly support state, local, tribal and territorial partners.

Learn more about FEMA's hurricane readiness at https://www.fema.gov.