Leadership Shake-Up at FEMA Raises Questions for Local Disaster Preparedness

On the river path near Sertoma Park, some Bismarck residents still point to where sandbag walls ran shoulder-high during the 2011 Missouri River flood. That lived memory sharpened attention Friday when FEMA said there would be a leadership transition after acting administrator David Richardson resigned, according to a notice on the agency’s leadership page and subsequent media briefings from FEMA officials. The agency emphasized that core disaster operations continue under established continuity plans, according to FEMA’s Continuity Guidance Circular.

Why it matters: FEMA ties together federal support for state and local response, from flood-fight reimbursements to disaster housing, according to FEMA’s mission overview. A change at the top can raise questions about timing on grant approvals, coordination during spring flood season, and continuity in Region 8, which covers North Dakota, according to FEMA Region 8.

Understanding FEMA’s Role in North Dakota

FEMA’s job is to support, not supplant, state and local leaders during disasters—a structure summarized in the National Response Framework as “locally executed, state managed, and federally supported,” according to FEMA’s framework guidance. In North Dakota, the Department of Emergency Services (ND DES) requests federal help after the Governor issues a disaster declaration and the President approves a federal declaration, unlocking public assistance for infrastructure and, in some cases, individual aid, according to ND DES.

That framework was critical during the 2011 Missouri River flood, when unprecedented water releases from upstream reservoirs pushed prolonged high water along the Bismarck-Mandan reach, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 2011 flood reports. FEMA’s role included coordinating federal resources, supporting temporary housing, and helping reimburse eligible public costs after the waters receded, per FEMA disaster assistance program descriptions.

Today, most federal touchpoints in North Dakota run through FEMA Region 8 in Denver and program offices that handle grants, hazard mitigation, and flood insurance, according to FEMA Region 8 and FEMA’s grants portal overview. That means day-to-day work—like reviewing mitigation projects or processing reimbursements—continues through established staff and systems even during leadership changes, per FEMA’s continuity guidance.

Local Perspectives on Emergency Readiness

In Bismarck and Burleigh County, emergency plans spell out who leads what, from river flood monitoring to shelter operations, according to local emergency management program materials. Those plans rely on the Incident Command System (ICS) and mutual-aid agreements with partners such as Bismarck Police, Bismarck Fire, Burleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and volunteer organizations active in disaster, frameworks that remain in place regardless of federal leadership, as described in FEMA’s National Incident Management System guidance.

The business community also watches FEMA for signals on flood mapping, insurance, and recovery timelines that affect small employers. The Bismarck-Mandan Chamber EDC notes that federal disaster designations and hazard-mitigation grants can influence everything from construction schedules to insurance costs for river-adjacent firms, based on the Chamber EDC’s economic development guidance and FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program resources.

Residents looking for practical steps can review Ready.gov’s flood checklist and confirm they’re signed up for local alerts through county emergency management channels, according to Ready.gov and Burleigh County Emergency Management information. For river-specific updates, the National Weather Service Bismarck office provides hydrographs and flood outlooks that inform local response, according to NWS Bismarck.

Impact on Community Confidence and Response Plans

Leadership changes at federal agencies can shake public confidence, but disaster operations rest on written plans, trained personnel, and redundant systems, according to FEMA’s Continuity Guidance Circular. Locally, that means existing protocols for opening sandbag sites, staging pumps, and coordinating shelters do not hinge on a single federal official; they are activated by city and county leaders with state support, per ND DES response doctrine.

Practically, Bismarck’s near-term calendar matters more than Washington’s headlines. Spring flood outlooks, ice-jam risks, and reservoir release forecasts drive local readiness, with technical input from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and daily watches from NWS Bismarck, according to both agencies’ public briefings. For households and businesses, the most constructive moves are to verify flood coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program, store records off-site or in the cloud, and keep go-kits updated, according to FloodSmart.gov and Ready.gov.

Anecdotally, longtime volunteers say consistent drills build trust. Annual exercises with first responders and public works crews maintain muscle memory for sandbagging, traffic control, and river access closures, as outlined in ICS-based training curricula through FEMA’s National Incident Management System.

What’s Next for FEMA and Bismarck’s Preparedness

FEMA said the agency will operate under its order of succession, with an acting leader designated while the administration names a permanent nominee, according to FEMA’s leadership and continuity materials. Program offices for public assistance, hazard mitigation, and individual assistance continue to process applications and grants through the Grants Portal and established regional workflows, according to FEMA’s grants guidance.

Locally, Bismarck-Burleigh emergency planners typically update flood and severe-weather plans ahead of spring runoff and will continue coordinating with ND DES and FEMA Region 8 on exercise schedules and grant timelines, per ND DES planning guidance and FEMA Region 8. Residents can track municipal agendas for any updates to emergency protocols or public briefings (City Commission agendas are posted by the City of Bismarck), and businesses can consult the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber EDC for continuity-of-operations resources.

Quick resources:

• FEMA leadership and continuity overview: https://www.fema.gov/about/leadership

• FEMA Continuity Guidance Circular: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/national-preparedness/plan/continuity

• FEMA Region 8 (serves North Dakota): https://www.fema.gov/region-8

• ND Department of Emergency Services: https://www.nd.gov/des/

• National Response Framework (roles and responsibilities): https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/national-preparedness/frameworks/response

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2011 Flood archive: https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/Emergency-Management/2011-Flood/

• National Weather Service Bismarck: https://www.weather.gov/[bis](https://www.bismarckairport.com/)/

• National Flood Insurance Program (FloodSmart): https://www.floodsmart.gov/

• Ready.gov flood preparedness: https://www.[ready.gov](https://www.ready.gov/)/floods

• Bismarck-Mandan Chamber EDC: https://www.bismarckmandan.com/

What to Watch

• FEMA is expected to name an acting successor and outline any interim policy guidance in the coming days; watch the agency’s leadership page for updates.

• Locally, monitor NWS Bismarck’s river forecasts and City Commission agendas for any adjustments to spring flood readiness or public drills as runoff season approaches.