Sandy Update for you guys. Coming from recent CNN article
about FEMA.
After sandy ravaged parts of the East coast earlier this week, we can now
reflect on some of the immediate disaster reaction.
After being heavily, and rightfully so, criticized in response to Hurricane
Katrina, FEMA has done a much better job with the relief efforts with Sandy.
Katrina marked the end of FEMAs old methods, the article describes new
requirements for FEMA head honchos,
"One of the post-Katrina reforms passed by Congress was to require that
FEMA administrator have an experienced chief, said Bruce Lockwood, an officer
with the U.S. Council of the International Association of Emergency Managers.
"It couldn't be just a political appointee," Lockwood said. "It
had to be somebody who had a practitioner background in emergency management or
public safety field. It had to be somebody who knew what they were doing before
they got into that position.""
This is definitely important to note. The position could have been used as a
political tool for higher-ups to reward loyal campaign aides, but now that is
not a possible outcome. The new administrator must be someone with some
credentials.
One aspect to the new FEMA is called "leaning forward". This tool is
used where FEMA puts medical supplies, relief supplies and people in place
BEFORE major disasters happen. That way, when the disaster hits, they are far
better prepared to act fast.
"The agency is now aimed at "leaning forward," moving supplies
like food, water, generators, blankets and cots into an expected disaster zone
ahead of time, said Lockwood, the deputy emergency management director in New
Hartford, Connecticut. "Before, they would have to wait for a call from a
state before they started moving material," he said. They still need a
request from a state to distribute those supplies, but "They have things
on the ready in a very immediate location."
Efforts like 'leaning forward' has paid off for Sandy relief efforts and FEMA
has been praised for their diligence and hard work by many political figures on
the east coast (of both parties, I might addd). FEMA is however, not with out
criticism. Staten Island Borough President is unhappy with FEMAs supply of knowledge
to the citizens post disaster. He says that FEMA did not do a good enough job
helping the citizens figure out where to retrieve supplies from after the storm
hit. A huge agency like FEMA can only do so much, and obviously you are not
going to please everyone, every time.
It's good to see some good news coming out of Sandy aftermath. Although still a
huge effort and serious undertaking, it seems FEMA did a fairly good job with
disaster mitigation in the wake of Sandy. Far better than it did during Katrina
at least.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/01/us/sandy-fema/index.html
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