FEMA job fair set for Oct. 30

(Editor’s note: The original story quoted Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson who on Oct. 24 said there were about 200 FEMA jobs. FEMA officials said this number is closer to 169. The story has been updated to reflect this change and add details on how to apply online)

It’s been four weeks since Hurricane Helene touched down in the Augusta area, leaving a swath of destruction behind.

FEMA intends to be in Augusta for the “long haul,” according to its deputy regional administrator and a job fair will be held at May Park from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday as part of FEMA’s commitment to recovery efforts.

“Recovery, as the mayor pointed out, is a long process. This is not something that will take weeks or a few months, and we’re done. This will take years,” said Rob Ashe, FEMA deputy regional administrator, on Oct. 24 at a dinner discussion event at Good Shepherd Baptist Church.  “But it’s an opportunity to repair some of the things that were broken. It’s also an opportunity to look at mitigation measures that allow us to look forward in terms of how we want to do things to prevent some of the damage that occurs when these storms do come. We’re not going to stop the storms, but we can do everything we can to try to mitigate against the effects they do have.”

FEMA representatives will be at Wednesday’s event to provide training on how to navigate through usajobs.gov website, create a profile and build an effective resume in the resume builder tool, according to a FEMA news release. Computers will be available at the fair to help attendees access the website and create their online profile. 

FEMA is currently hiring locals to ensure Georgia’s recovery is led by the people who know the area best. If you live in Georgia and want to help your community recover after Hurricane Helene, FEMA encourages you to apply for a temporary or permanent local hire position, according to a FEMA news release.

The agency is hiring for positions in a variety of fields, including emergency management, logistics management, information technology, grants management and more to assist with disaster response and recovery efforts. These positions are normally for 120 days but may be extended based on agency needs, according the release.

How to Apply

• Visit USAJobs.gov to see all open positions. Type keywords “FEMA, Local Hire” and enter your location as “Georgia”. 
• Click “Apply Online” and follow instructions in the “How to Apply” section of the job opportunity announcement.
• You will need to submit the documents and information outlined on the page.

Registration is not required to attend Wednesday’s job fair.

Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years and is a Georgia Press Association award winner. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.