In the company of family and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees, W. Craig Fugate was sworn in as the new FEMA Administrator by DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano on Tuesday, May 19, 2009.
Prior to coming to FEMA, Administrator Fugate served as Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. In that role since 2001, he coordinated disaster response, recovery, mitigation, and preparedness efforts with each of the state’s 67 counties and local governments.
Following his oath ceremony, Fugate expressed gratitude by saying “it was an honor and a pleasure to be asked to serve.” He noted to employees that he looks forward to “doing a lot of great things together.” Fugate concluded by saying, “When disaster strikes, we are going to be there as a team to support governors, tribal, state and local officials to meet the needs of survivors.”
In the coming weeks, Administrator Fugate will work closely with Secretary Napolitano, FEMA teams at headquarters and in FEMA regions, and with local, state, tribal, and federal partners to ensure the nation is prepared for this hurricane season.
