FEMA Now Requires Disaster Victims to Have an Email Address (wired.com)

This would be fine if the government offered you a free email account they'd maintain, with login provided by login.gov. But that is not on offer, and likely won't be for the next 4 years.

This is also more or less a requirement to own a cellphone, as every free major email now does SMS verification to cut down on spam accounts.

Never mind that having an undamaged internet connected device and functioning internet service after a natural disaster is a big if.

This has major "poll test" energy: a transparent attempt to deny people their rights with an intentional bureaucratic hurdle.

This is the essence of why using a "business mindset" in government is doomed.

A central question of business is market - who am I trying to reach, and who do I exclude? Trying to sell to every one is doomed. Ignoring market segments as unprofitable to reach or server is smart business.

But for government this is completely wrong! They are obliged by law and justice to serve everyone. Or "equal protection" is just words on paper.

I've worked several disaster responses, and in my experience, many individuals who need FEMA assistance often face challenges like illiteracy or disabilities that make using email and other essential tasks difficult (impossible without constant and regular help). Its not possible to force everyone to use only one method of communication and the nature of a disaster may render email unusable as well. Disaster response can and should be very strongly prepared to handle the widest variety of situations and outages, especially when pertaining to communication. We are all at a higher risk otherwise.