Lauren Sommer

Oakland

Correspondent at NPR

Climate correspondent for @NPR, West Coast-based. Wildfires, water, oceans, adaptation and accountability. @KQEDscience alum.

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Articles

FEMA leader is out, amid questions over future of the agency

6 days ago | boisestatepublicradio.org | Rebecca Hersher |Lauren Sommer

The acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Cameron Hamilton, has been replaced, according to a statement from the agency. The move comes at a time of turmoil for FEMA, after President Trump has said repeatedly that the country's primary disaster response agency should be eliminated.
FEMA leader is out, amid questions over future of the agency

6 days ago | kuow.org | Lauren Sommer

Acting FEMA administrator Cam Hamilton testified before the House Committee on Appropriations that the agency should not be eliminated, contrary to suggestions from President Trump. FR159526 AP The acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Cameron Hamilton, has been replaced, according to a statement from the agency.
Rural communities were promised millions in disaster funds. Trump is ending it

1 week ago | mprnews.org | Lauren Sommer |Rebecca Hersher

In DePue, Ill., sewage will keep backing up into people's basements when there's heavy rain. In Rising Sun, Md., a mobile home park that has already flooded six times will remain in harm's way. And in Kamiah, Idaho, houses won't get upgrades that would protect them from wildfiresThese rural communities were awarded grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to fix long-standing infrastructure problems, and they expected funding to be delivered this year.
Rural communities were promised millions in disaster funds. Trump is ending it

2 weeks ago | tpr.org | Lauren Sommer

Local governments are scrambling after the Trump administration canceled billions in disaster grants. Many were counting on the funds for vital infrastructure fixes to help withstand future disasters. Copyright 2025 NPR
Why some Los Angeles homes are being built to resist wildfires - and some aren't

1 month ago | laist.com | Lauren Sommer

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Rebuilding in Altadena

1 month ago | laist.com | Lauren Sommer

Homeowners in Los Angeles have started the long process of rebuilding after the destructive wildfires in January. Some are constructing homes that are much less likely to burn when the next wildfire hits. That's because California is one of the few states with building codes that require using fire-resistant materials in places prone to wildfires.
Why some Los Angeles homes are being built to resist wildfires - and some aren't

1 month ago | nhpr.org | Lauren Sommer

The wildfires in LA were so large, they burned areas that weren't considered at risk. That means as residents start the process of rebuilding, thousands of them won't be required to use fire-resistant building materials. Experts say those materials dramatically reduce the chance a house will burn. But now, Los Angeles officials are changing the rules to require more homeowners to use these materials - a rare example of tightening the rules post-disaster, instead of loosening them. Copyright 2025 NPR
Going Back in Time: Increasing Penicillin Susceptibility among Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Osteoarticular Infections in Children

2 months ago | digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu | J McNeil |Lauren Sommer |Jesús Vallejo |Mary E. Boyle

KeywordsHumans, Child, Child, Preschool, Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin, Penicillins, Multilocus Sequence Typing, Staphylococcal Infections, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, penicillin, MSSA, osteomyelitis, children, pediatricsAbstractIn the late 1940s to 1950s, Staphylococcus aureus isolates first-gained resistance to penicillin. Recently, some centers have described an increase in the proportion of methicillin susceptible S.
This rare, intelligent species of crow is taking flight in Hawaii again

2 months ago | kpbs.org | Lauren Sommer

For the first time in years, a rare bird is flying free in the forests of Hawaii. The ʻalalā is a species of crow found only on the Hawaiian Islands, one that holds an important place in Native Hawaiian culture. When it was clear decades ago that the chatty, intelligent birds were heading toward extinction, they were brought into captivity as a last resort. They went extinct in the wild in 2002.
What the firings at FEMA could mean for the next hurricane or wildfire

2 months ago | kpbs.org | Lauren Sommer

More than 200 employees at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have been fired, according to the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA. The move is part of the Trump Administration's sweeping layoffs across government which have led to thousands so far losing their jobs. The loss is likely to hinder FEMA's ability to respond to disasters, according to several current and former FEMA employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity over concerns of reprisal.