Another hurricane season is here for the Gulf and East Coasts, but the usual anxiety is no longer just about the storms themselves. This year, a deeper fear is setting in — what happens after the storm, when federal support may no longer be there?

A national conversation is unfolding about how federal, state and local governments should share responsibility for disaster management. While that debate continues, emergency managers of all backgrounds agree on two things: the system needs reform, and communities need better tools to respond to disasters.

In 2024 alone, more than 550 lives were lost to major storms, and damages topped $182 billion. Tampa, Fla., saw its worst storm surge on record. Asheville, N.C., is still recovering from Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic flooding. This year,

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