Staff of the Federal Emergency Management Agency were left baffled on Monday after David Richardson, the head of the U.S. disaster agency, said he had not been aware the country had a hurricane season,

With an above-normal hurricane season forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), staff uncertainty and the recent loss of top officials have raised alarm about FEMA's ability to respond effectively to disasters.

The president’s request for an additional $4 billion in disaster aid indicates that he might not carry through with his threats to dismantle the Federal Emergency Management Agency.