Deanne Criswell was in Florida Friday with Gov. Ron DeSantis, assessing the historic damage from Hurricane Ian and facing her biggest challenge yet as the new head of FEMA — the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Not only is she the first woman to hold that critical job — the face of FEMA when desperate Americans are demanding help they can’t get fast enough — the agency, before her time, has been roundly criticized for not delivering on its core mission.
Will Criswell make a difference when FEMA is needed most — and have lessons been learned so it can respond better now?
On Thursday, she voiced confidence when she joined President Joe Biden at FEMA headquarters in Washington to give an update on Ian’s path of destruction, saying her “heart aches” for those whose lives have been devastated.