After Mississippi video journalist Sophie Bates’ story highlighting the more than two months the Tylertown, Mississippi, community waited for federal aid after a March 15 tornado, The Associated Press partnered with Alex Rozier of Mississippi Today and Illan Ireland of Mississippi Free Press on a broader project examining disaster recovery amid evolving federal policies.
Together, they investigated FEMA’s shifting approach to disaster relief, using recovery efforts in Tylertown and Jayess as a lens to illuminate national changes. Data reporting by David Lieb and M.K. Wildeman revealed that average wait times for presidential disaster declarations have doubled since 1989 — now stretching to more than a month under the Trump administration, compared with less than two weeks in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Returning to the region, Bates deepened the reporting with compelling video, photos and narrative that walked readers through the aftermath alongside survivors like Buddy Anthony, who was forced to live in his truck while waiting for assistance.
Our Mississippi newsroom partners captured the concerns of local officials, while colleagues from AP’s Washington bureau secured crucial White House comment. The story not only illuminates a national trend but also shows its real human cost. It underscores what communities nationwide could face as FEMA undergoes turmoil on the eve of hurricane season.
To support broader coverage, Lieb and Wildeman collaborated with Jennifer Lehman to produce a Localize It guide, enabling newsrooms across the country to customize reporting on how delays affect their communities. In addition, Wildeman produced a graphic tracking the expanded delay times over the years that was a part of the digital presentation and animated for Bates’ video.
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