Cameron Hamilton | Former Acting FEMA Administrator
Update: 2025-09-03
Description
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On May 7, Cameron Hamilton testified before Congress that abolishing FEMA would put Americans at risk. Hours later, his access was revoked, and he was effectively fired by the Trump Administration. In this episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast, Hamilton shares the inside story of that testimony, the fallout with DHS, and why he chose survivors over politics, even though it cost him his job.
Host John Scardena calls FEMA the “IRS of disasters” because so much of the agency’s work revolves around grants, reimbursements, and auditing rather than direct disaster response. Hamilton explains why FEMA has become overloaded with non-core missions and why shifting responsibilities to other agencies is smarter than eliminating FEMA altogether.
Hamilton also discusses his survivor-first reforms, including the FEMA “pizza tracker” for disaster assistance, and his belief in empowering regional leaders to act quickly, even at the risk of audit scrutiny. Drawing from his background as a Navy SEAL medic and State Department crisis responder, he shares hard-won lessons on leadership, risk-taking, and team building.
Listen now for Cameron Hamilton’s unfiltered perspective on FEMA reform, survivor-centric leadership, and why he risked his career to speak honestly before Congress.
On May 7, Cameron Hamilton testified before Congress that abolishing FEMA would put Americans at risk. Hours later, his access was revoked, and he was effectively fired by the Trump Administration. In this episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast, Hamilton shares the inside story of that testimony, the fallout with DHS, and why he chose survivors over politics, even though it cost him his job.
Host John Scardena calls FEMA the “IRS of disasters” because so much of the agency’s work revolves around grants, reimbursements, and auditing rather than direct disaster response. Hamilton explains why FEMA has become overloaded with non-core missions and why shifting responsibilities to other agencies is smarter than eliminating FEMA altogether.
Hamilton also discusses his survivor-first reforms, including the FEMA “pizza tracker” for disaster assistance, and his belief in empowering regional leaders to act quickly, even at the risk of audit scrutiny. Drawing from his background as a Navy SEAL medic and State Department crisis responder, he shares hard-won lessons on leadership, risk-taking, and team building.
Listen now for Cameron Hamilton’s unfiltered perspective on FEMA reform, survivor-centric leadership, and why he risked his career to speak honestly before Congress.
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