Dawn Brantley, director of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, told a joint hearing that federal grant reductions are already constraining the state’s ability to prepare for and respond to disasters. "In FY25 MEMA's costs were approximately $24,000,000," Brantley said, noting that roughly 54% of the agency’s funding historically came from federal sources and that a recent 10.11% reduction to the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) required staff and service cuts.

Brantley described steps MEMA took to balance a lean budget — cutting overtime by more than 20%, eliminating an all‑hazards planner position, and reducing mobile emergency operations center support — and warned that further federal reductions or less predictable Stafford Act declarations would leave the Commonwealth to cover response and recovery costs that FEMA previously supported. "When federal funds slow or shrink, it can become more challenging to plan and prepare for disasters and to support local and state capabilities," she said.

Public‑health officials raised parallel concerns. Karen Maleski, director of the Department of Public Health’s Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management, said the department relies on two main federal grants — the CDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program and ASPR’s Hospital Preparedness Program — that together account for about $18,000,000 annually, roughly 90% of its preparedness budget. Maleski warned that the president’s FY26 proposal would eliminate ASPR funding and cut CDC grants, leaving preparedness activities vulnerable once continuing resolutions expire.

Local emergency managers and chiefs described how those federal changes translate into operational risk. Chief Michael Cassidy, emergency management director for Holliston, said shortening federal grant periods from three years to one year would be "an operational trap" for municipalities bound by Massachusetts procurement rules and long vendor lead times, because equipment orders often have 12–18 month delivery windows. "A one‑year window sets us up to fail," Cassidy said, urging immediate state guidance for a dedicated disaster relief fund and fast‑track procurement mechanisms.

Fire Chief John Burke of Sandwich highlighted how federal pass‑throughs sustain local programs, saying EMPG pass‑through dollars support emergency‑manager stipends and preparedness activities. He added that Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) awards have funded local hiring and equipment purchases and that cuts would force the state and communities to find replacement funding.

Several witnesses and legislators pressed for state solutions. Panelists recommended protecting critical life‑safety systems from local budget cuts, accelerating guidance and access to the state disaster relief fund, and exploring state revenue or revolving‑fund mechanisms to replace lost federal investments. The committee heard that the Commonwealth’s disaster relief and resilience fund has been created but that access rules remained unresolved at the time of testimony.

The hearing illustrated broad agreement on the stakes: federal retrenchment makes preparedness less predictable and more costly for municipalities, and local officials asked the Legislature to prioritize funding and administrative fixes so communities can sustain readiness and protect residents during future disasters.