FEMA Opens 2024 National Advisory Council Member Applications for New Members

WASHINGTON -- FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced today that the agency is taking new applications for FEMA’s National Advisory Council for qualified individuals to lend their expertise and serve on the council.  

“We at FEMA deeply value the level of expertise and commitment our NAC members bring to the table,” said Administrator Deanne Criswell. “Our NAC Members come from all walks of life and bring diverse backgrounds and experiences in a critical advisory capacity. They help us shape the future of this agency—ensuring we build a FEMA that is more reflective of the communities we serve, puts people first and meets communities where they are. I am so grateful for their commitment to helping us improve our agency, and the entire field of emergency management, so we can better serve the American people before, during and after disasters.”

The council includes a geographically diverse and substantive cross-section of 40 members. They advise the FEMA Administrator on all aspects of emergency management, ensuring input from and coordination with, state, local, tribal and territorial governments, as well as the private and nonprofit sectors. Bringing their knowledge, experiences and multi-faceted views, members also provide the Administrator consensus recommendations on a broad range of issues, engage in fact finding, receive briefings and discuss and develop draft recommendations for the council. The work of the council advances effective and efficient recovery strategies across our nation and helps to build local capacity to withstand tomorrow’s hazards. 

Administrator Criswell will appoint 11 members who will begin serving on the council in December 2024. Selected council members will guide future recommendations on topics including climate resilience, and agency and workforce readiness, which align to the FEMA strategic plan and priorities directed by the Administrator.

The agency is accepting applications for the following discipline-specific positions in 2024: 

• Climate Change 
• Communications 
• Elected Government Official
• Emergency Management 
• Emergency Response Provider
• In-Patient Medical Provider

The Administrator may appoint additional candidates to serve as FEMA Administrator Selections. For a description of each position, please refer to the National Advisory Council Charter. In 2023, the NAC expanded the number of positions and specialties on the council to include climate change and public health expertise, they also hosted a first-ever meeting on tribal land and the council continues to represent the populations FEMA serves.   

Newly selected members will serve up to a three-year term on the council. If other positions open, FEMA may select qualified candidates from the pool of applications. 

If you are interested in applying to serve on FEMA’s National Advisory Council, please follow the instructions listed in the Federal Register Notice and submit your application package no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on May 12, 2024. Per the Federal Advisory Committee Act, federal employees are ineligible to apply.