Contingency Planning

Congress, GAO Concerned About Nation's Disaster Response Capability

By Shana R. Deitch August 7, 2007

According to a recent CongressDaily article http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=37617&dcn=e_hsw , the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform http://oversight.house.gov/ is concerned that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is still unprepared to handle large-scale disasters, such as 2005's Hurricane Katrina. The committee heard testimony from the agency, the National Guard, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and disaster preparedness and emergency management researchers and experts during a July 31 hearing http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1439 on FEMA's readiness capability.

In his opening statement http://republicans.oversight.house.gov/News/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=215 , Ranking Member Tom Davis (R-VA) stated that although the Post Katrina Emergency Reform Act, authorized as part of the 2007 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations legislation, provides FEMA greater autonomy to "trigger a far more pro-active, robust, and coordinated response," there are still "troubling signs" that the agency would not function effectively in a disaster.

R. David Paulison, FEMA Administrator, testified http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20070731105123.pdf that a "new and enhanced" FEMA was established on April 1, 2007. Of the progress made thus far, Paulison noted the creation of the new National Preparedness Directorate, Logistics Management, Disaster Operations and Disaster Assistance Directorates within FEMA; a National Advisory Council; and the appointment of 10 regional administrators (posts that had been vacant). When questioned by Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-CA) regarding areas still in need of improvement, Paulison cited the need for improved end-to-end logistics for emergency supplies and an ongoing hurricane gap analysis to identify vulnerabilities and response capabilities.

William Jenkins, director of homeland security and justice issues at GAO, further reviewed changes to DHS and FEMA under the Post-Katrina Management Act. According to his testimony http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07835t.pdf , FEMA is working on improving efficiency in situational assessment and awareness, emergency communications, evacuation, search and rescue, logistics and mass care and sheltering. However, Jenkins did state that it was too early to evaluate the efficacy of changes made thus far.

References

1. Strohm C. Hill concerns persist over FEMA's readiness for disasters. Congress Daily. July 31, 2007. Available at: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=37617&dcn=e_hsw . Accessed August 1, 2007.

2. FEMA's preparedness for the next major disaster. Opening Statement delivered by Ranking Member Tom Davis. U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. July 31, 2007. Available at: http://republicans.oversight.house.gov/News/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=215 . Accessed August 1, 2007.

3. Paulison RD, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security. Testimony delivered before the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, July 31, 2007. Available at: http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20070731105123.pdf . Accessed August 2, 2007.

4. Jenkins W. Observations on DHS and FEMA efforts to prepare for and respond to major and catastrophic disasters and address related recommendations and legislation. Testimony delivered before the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, July 31, 2007. Available at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07835t.pdf. Accessed August 1, 2007.

5. Emergency Management Assistance Compact: Enhancing EMAC's collaborative and administrative capability should improve national disaster response. U.S. Government Accountability Office. Report to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate, June 2007. Available at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07854.pdf. Accessed August 1, 2007.

- Center for Biosecurity