DOGE burns national fire academy up in Emmitsburg?
The flamethrower-style DOGE operation to cut federal government spending has burned a significant agency in Frederick County, the National Fire Academy (NFA) up 15 near the PA line in Emmitsburg.
The Washington Post reported that an email from FEMA its parent agency March 7 ordered the NFA to cancel all in-personal classes immediately, saying: "FEMA is currently in the process of evaluating agency programs and spending to ensure alignment with Administration priorities."
The cancellation of courses has provoked quite an outcry. Of course there's all the predictable special pleading and groan-inducing rhetoric. "Firefighters and other first responders lay their lives on the line every day for our communities," said a letter signed by a bunch of politicians.
But there's room for real puzzlement in the manner of the cancellation:
-- why does a 'process of evaluating' programs and spending require immediate cancellation of courses underway?
-- firefighters are a MAGA constituency and the firefighters union (IAFF) endorsed Kristi Noem in January when nominated for Secretary of Homeland Security (see above)
-- the move against NFA appears to have originated inside DHS or FEMA, not DOGE
So Musk can't be scapegoated for this one.
Then who's behind the politically odd takedown of the National Fire Academy?
Trump's Secretary of Homeland Security, the doll from S Dakota, Kristi Noem has to be the prime suspect. Talk about a dumb brunette! Who can forget her bragging about how she disposed of a mischievous pet dog out back of her home with a blast from her shotgun.
No messin with Kristi! Tough gal that.
At Christmas she was given as a present by her staff a flamethrower -- a real firemaking one (see screenshot from an X posting above.) She's apparently the one who set this political fire at the Fire Academy. Suspecting some DEI or woke programs up there in Emmitsburg? Or just going after wasteful spending? She hasn't said a word.
How much does the Fire Academy cost taxpayers?
Amid all the wailing and gnashing over the Fire Academy takedown, there is zero discussion of what this venerable institution costs. The best $# I have been able to find is $65.1 million. That's the line item in the FY2025 FEMA budget for education, training and exercises under the heading US Fire Administration. See https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2024-04/2024_0320_federal_emergency_management_agency.pdf
$65 million (if I have the $# right) is not much in a $33 billion FEMA budget. The National Fire Academy's website has no financial accounting, not a mention about its revenues and expenditures. Or its staff number.
But it does tell readers it is exceedingly generous with taxpayer-$s:
-- unlike other firefighter training outfits it has no tuition fees, all its courses are free of charge
-- it covers the lodging costs of students 1-week or 2-week stay in Emmitsburg, their only living expense while training being cafeteria charges
-- also, the academy compensates students' travel expenses to and from Emmitsburg MD, whether air fares or car travel on a per-mile basis
Putting the national academy on the same financial footing as most other fire training etablishments (tuition, pay-your-own lodging & travel) seems a perfectly reasonable reform.
The Academy's parent agency FEMA has been the object of Trump's wrath with his dubious allegation that it funded illlegal immigrants' housing. Trump has also been strongly critical, and with more basis, of FEMA over its performance in its core mission of responding to disasters.
He has suggested FEMA might be abolished, its relief efforts left to state governments. Just talk? Who knows? Big cuts are quite possible there with GOP control of the Congress.
But for the Fire Academy, no. Not a chance.
My prediction: Trump will restore funding to the Fire Academy and maintain all the $-perks of free tuition, travel and lodging. Maybe enhance them, upping the mileage rate for their great big pickups? Because, you can hear the breathy phrases already: firefighters are "great people, great people, the greatest of very great people," and "beautiful people, just beautiful" and "I love firefighters. Love 'em."
PSam 20250318