Indiana officials say the state’s disaster recovery efforts could be the “textbook” example for natural disaster response that the federal government has been touting.
In 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing state and local governments to play a more active role in disaster preparation. At the time, Trump said he even considered getting rid of the Federal Emergency Response Agency, or FEMA, altogether.
Speaking with reporters Wednesday, debris removal task force leader for Indiana Kevin Guthrie said he thinks the state is achieving the president’s vision.
“When the president of the United States is asking us to do more at the state and local level, this is an example of a state that's leaning forward doing just that,” he said. “This is going to be the textbook example of what we take to the next Congress in January or February and say, here's how we cut costs.”
Guthrie previously served as the Director for the Florida Division for Emergency Management and on the FEMA review council.
Specifically, Guthrie said Indiana has looked to keep much of the state’s disaster management in-house, reducing the number of federal workers who need to come in from across the country.
“If we have environmental folks at the local level, if we have engineers at the state or local level that can do those jobs,” he said. “We don't necessarily need to bring somebody from Portland, Oregon, all the way across the country here to do that.”
As part of their debris management efforts, Guthrie said the state has been flying drones over disaster sites to do assessments, rather than putting boots on the ground.
“We're probably [seeing] less than 50% of the employees that would normally be here handling this particular disaster,” Guthrie said.
He added that although the state is doing more to manage the disaster, that doesn't mean the state will pay more.
So far, the state says it’s removed 80,000 yards of debris across 33 communities. The state expects there are another 190,000 yards of debris left to remove.
Gov. Mike Braun also offered an update on disaster assistance, noting that roughly $100 million dollars in FEMA funds had already reached Indiana. Another $10 million has come from national flood insurance, and the state itself has spent roughly $12 million.
“This is all to help families and individuals,” he said. “Next assessment will be: What about communities, local governments, the big bridge that was taken out up in Hamilton County-that is still being put together.”
Braun has previously estimated the cost of the disaster could cost as much as $5 billion but believes those numbers are coming down as assessments continue.
“It looks like it's clearly not going to hit the other end of it,” he said. “As we amass it each week, get the information, process the claims, we get closer to a figure, and all of that is putting less stress on us than what we thought it might.
Property owners who need assistance with debris removal are advised to contact Indiana 211.
Local governments interested in the debris removal program should email debris@erassist.com.
Contact Government Reporter Benjamin Thorp at bthorp@wfyi.org
