Former FEMA official thinks the White House is 'finally aware of the gravity' of the coronavirus situation

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is preparing for President Trump to make an emergency declaration in the wake of the coronavirus spread, NBC News reports, but former FEMA officials find the news reassuring.

The White House didn't comment on the matter, but there's an inkling that Trump could possibly use the 1988 Stafford Act to provide FEMA with extra money and personnel to provide assistance to communities across the United States. While that might make some people nervous, its putting others' minds at ease, since it could signify the Trump administration — which has been criticized for its response so far — isn't being too lax about the situation.

"To me this is another indication that the president and the White House are finally aware of the gravity of the situation," said Michael Coen, the former FEMA chief of staff under President Barack Obama. "They need to consider all tools available to them and have contingencies for action."

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Another Obama-era FEMA official, former deputy administrator Tim Manning, said the preparations are "reassuring," adding that he hopes "this discussion has been happening continuously over the last couple of months." Read more at NBC News.