Shumita Basu

Carrie Davis from London, Kentucky, showed Fox News the wreckage of her home.

With the frequency and severity of major storms on the rise, this has raised questions about how well-equipped federal agencies like FEMA and NOAA are to prepare for and respond to severe weather events. Both have recently been subject to deep cuts by DOGE.

With the frequency and severity of major storms on the rise, this has raised questions about how well-equipped federal agencies like FEMA and NOAA are to prepare for and respond to severe weather events. Both have recently been subject to deep cuts by DOGE.

With the frequency and severity of major storms on the rise, this has raised questions about how well-equipped federal agencies like FEMA and NOAA are to prepare for and respond to severe weather events. Both have recently been subject to deep cuts by DOGE.

Since returning to office, President Trump has threatened to disband FEMA entirely, and he fired the acting head after he said he disagreed with that plan. The agency's preparedness plans, along with billions of dollars in disaster assistance and grant funding, have been stalled.

Since returning to office, President Trump has threatened to disband FEMA entirely, and he fired the acting head after he said he disagreed with that plan. The agency's preparedness plans, along with billions of dollars in disaster assistance and grant funding, have been stalled.

Since returning to office, President Trump has threatened to disband FEMA entirely, and he fired the acting head after he said he disagreed with that plan. The agency's preparedness plans, along with billions of dollars in disaster assistance and grant funding, have been stalled.

The administration stopped approving new money for a federal program that has historically supported disaster-prone states like Florida, Oklahoma, California, and Missouri. The administration also halted federal programs to reduce wildfire risk in the western U.S. About a third of FEMA's permanent full-time workforce has been fired or accepted buyouts.

The administration stopped approving new money for a federal program that has historically supported disaster-prone states like Florida, Oklahoma, California, and Missouri. The administration also halted federal programs to reduce wildfire risk in the western U.S. About a third of FEMA's permanent full-time workforce has been fired or accepted buyouts.

The administration stopped approving new money for a federal program that has historically supported disaster-prone states like Florida, Oklahoma, California, and Missouri. The administration also halted federal programs to reduce wildfire risk in the western U.S. About a third of FEMA's permanent full-time workforce has been fired or accepted buyouts.

At the National Weather Service, which falls under NOAA, fewer weather balloons are being sent into the air. Seth Borenstein, a science writer with the AP, recently explained to PBS NewsHour how they work and why they're important.

At the National Weather Service, which falls under NOAA, fewer weather balloons are being sent into the air. Seth Borenstein, a science writer with the AP, recently explained to PBS NewsHour how they work and why they're important.

At the National Weather Service, which falls under NOAA, fewer weather balloons are being sent into the air. Seth Borenstein, a science writer with the AP, recently explained to PBS NewsHour how they work and why they're important.

The Weather Service has been hit by staffing cuts, too. According to an AP analysis, almost half of all National Weather Service forecast offices nationwide have a 20 percent vacancy rate. That's double the rate from four years ago. And the Union for the National Weather Service workers says for the first time in decades, not all forecast offices have 24-7 staffing.

The Weather Service has been hit by staffing cuts, too. According to an AP analysis, almost half of all National Weather Service forecast offices nationwide have a 20 percent vacancy rate. That's double the rate from four years ago. And the Union for the National Weather Service workers says for the first time in decades, not all forecast offices have 24-7 staffing.

The Weather Service has been hit by staffing cuts, too. According to an AP analysis, almost half of all National Weather Service forecast offices nationwide have a 20 percent vacancy rate. That's double the rate from four years ago. And the Union for the National Weather Service workers says for the first time in decades, not all forecast offices have 24-7 staffing.

We saw some of these effects in Kentucky over the weekend. A local weather office that serves the eastern part of the state, which saw the highest number of fatalities, had lost employees to federal cuts. They had no meteorologists left working overnight. And USA Today reports that the office had to scramble to call in workers to help fill the gaps.

We saw some of these effects in Kentucky over the weekend. A local weather office that serves the eastern part of the state, which saw the highest number of fatalities, had lost employees to federal cuts. They had no meteorologists left working overnight. And USA Today reports that the office had to scramble to call in workers to help fill the gaps.

We saw some of these effects in Kentucky over the weekend. A local weather office that serves the eastern part of the state, which saw the highest number of fatalities, had lost employees to federal cuts. They had no meteorologists left working overnight. And USA Today reports that the office had to scramble to call in workers to help fill the gaps.

Kentucky's Democratic Governor Andy Beshear said that while he was worried about the cuts more broadly, he didn't see any evidence that they impacted the agency's response.