During a recent briefing, FEMA's acting head, David Richardson, confused staff by joking about the hurricane season, which began on June 1. His comments, perceived as either a joke or genuine ignorance, have raised concerns about the agency's preparedness for an above-average hurricane season predicted by NOAA. Richardson, who lacks disaster management experience, was appointed last month after his predecessor was fired. The Department of Homeland Security stated that Richardson was joking, but employees remain worried about his familiarity with FEMA's operations and the agency's ability to respond effectively to the predicted 13 to 19 named storms this year. Following Richardson's remarks, the White House defended him, asserting that FEMA is taking the hurricane season seriously, despite internal reviews indicating the agency is not ready.