Resource Management -Fema
FEMA Editorial - How FEMA Needs To Learn From Their Mistakes
By Colleen Hughes
FEMA stands for Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA's emergency management are supposed to prepare for emergencies and disasters, respond to them when they occur, help people and institutions recover from them, mitigate their effects, and reduce the risk of loss. In theory FEMA sounds like a great management agency, one that is supposed to sooth the victims of viscous natural disasters and they’re effects like property devastation, insurance issues, provide supplies like food, water, shelter and basic necessities until they can lift themselves off their feet, if they can, in the wake of devastation.
However, it has been proven that FEMA is not qualified to manage their resources efficiently or quickly. An article on CNN.com addresses the same point that I make, which states that FEMA is simply unable to do their job. For example in the effects of Hurricane Katrina, victims were left to evacuate to the Superdome and left without food or water for over five days, in filthy environments where people began dying, left unattended and alone all around the superdome for lack of supplies and assistance.
This was a cumulation of Red Cross and FEMA. But, FEMA turned away supplies to the dying victims in vast amounts. "It is indeed possible that there was additional suffering and maybe even loss of life that might not have occurred if these assets had been deployed," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chairwoman of a Senate committee with jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA, "Now, you might be able to understand if it came from outside government," she said. "But this is another federal agency, an agency that was offering trained personnel and exactly the assets that the federal government needed to assist in the search-and-rescue operations."
According to government officials, 1,322 people died from Katrina, all but 15 of the deaths occurring in Louisiana and Mississippi. A FEMA document provided to the Senate committee indicates that many of the Interior Department's resources, which included transportation, communications and engineering, were never integrated into FEMA's planning for a catastrophic hurricane. If supplies and proper communication had been implemented and FEMA had actually had organization they would have been able to save lives instead of losing them by restricting supplies and medical assistance. The Red Cross even covered it up by stating that those people trapped in the Super Dome for five or more days were receiving at least two meals per day, when in reality, they were suffering in agony.
If FEMA is better regulated and less restrictive, they would be able to solve their own problems. In working in conjunction with Red Cross, instead of having both organizations battling for control, best interest would be to put into helping the victims first instead of so much political red tape. By not turning away fireman, and aid offered to them they could actually assist and actually manage their emergencies. They should also coordinate their communication and plans in different disasters instead of running around unable to decide on a plan of action. This I feel would be the best course of improvement for managing FEMA.
Meserve, Jeanne. "FEMA failed to accept Katrina help, documents say." CNN.com. 30 Jan. 2006. 8 Feb. 2009.
By Jeanne Meserve
CNN Washington Bureau
RESOURCE ESSAY - Colleen Hughes
12/12/08
Government
Research paper
FEMA
As long as the United States has been in existence there have always been disasters and problems that have affected human lives and their lifestyles, such as fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, dust storms, tsunamis and nuclear disasters. Since the United States has been through so much life threatening weather conditions, one would assume that by now systems would be put in place to effectively ensure the safety, well being and regulate the amount of assistance given to victims quickly, clearly, and in an organized fashion.
Unfortunately, although there is a specialized government department created through the Department of Homeland Security called the Federal Emergency Management Agency or (FEMA) the clarity of its assistance and speed at which it dispatches its relief in the wake of natural disaster is slim. FEMA is supposed to prepare the supposed to prepare the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. In addition its supposed to initiate mitigation activities, train first responders, work with state and local emergency managers, and manage the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S Fire Administration. The organization at which victims and their families deserve in order to receive funding, aid, or being rescued is almost completely non- existent or has failed them in a variety of ways. Staff in FEMA has changed in the last few years from Michael D. Brown who was secretary for the Emergency preparedness and response as well as the head of FEMA to the previous director of FEMA during President Clinton’s administration James Lee Witt. However, Brown made an excellent point when he said “The response to Hurricane Katrina must be well coordinated between federal, state, and local officials to most effectively protect life and property. We appreciate the willingness and generosity of our Nation’s first responders to deploy during disasters. But such efforts must be coordinated so that fire rescue efforts are the most effective possible.” That is exactly what should be done, and it’s not getting accomplished.
Repeat hurricanes have not only left our countries citizens homeless, and in need of relief, but have displaced natural resources such as the 1.3 million acres of forest land that was destroyed in Mississippi with a total loss through the forest industry of $5 billion from Hurricane Katrina, it wrecked homes, lives, jobs, families and had an unfortunate impact on the economy. There was a loss of 75 billion dollars in physical damage with the total economic impact in Louisiana and Mississippi exceeding $158 billion dollars in damages. Such notable hurricanes which occurred recently include not only Hurricane Katrina which was the largest hurricane of it’s strength in U.S history and the third costliest which attacked the Gulf coast of Louisiana, Florida, and Mississippi in 2005 that started at a level 3 and quickly escalated to a level 5. But, three years later Hurricane Ike with which it’s devastating, horrifically strong wind and rain flooded and destroyed Galveston, Texas in 2008. To date, 2008 has been the worst hurricane season in history with six hurricanes that have nearly destroyed entire cities, killed injured, displaced thousands and cost the United States government billions of dollars in damages. Not including the fiscal and social impact these displacements have had on the cities and states these hurricane victims have evacuated to.
A large demonstration of the severity of the government mismanagement in regards to their emergency response and aide to those severely affected by natural disasters is shown in Hurricane Katrina and the years following. FEMA over regulated where, when and how many people were needed to effectively assist and aid those in need. One might say it was a mismanagement of regulation in power through panic and force. Aaron Broussard, president of Jefferson Parish, South of New Orleans was quoted as saying
Far from deferring to state or local officials, FEMA asserted its authority and made things worse. When Wal-Mart sent three trailers trucks loaded with water, FEMA officials turned them away. Agency workers prevented the Coast Guard from delivering 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and on Saturday they cut the parish’s emergency communication line, leading the sheriff to restore it and post armed guards to protect it from FEMA.
In addition, further sources have concluded several other problems attributed to FEMA’s overall failure; Ms. Bottcher, the governor’s press secretary believed that FEMA had interfered with the delivery of aid including offers from the Mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley, and the Governor Democrat of Louisiana, said “The problem was not who was in command. FEMA repeatedly held up assistance that could have been critical.” Nearly every emergency worker told agonizing stories of communications failures, some of them most likely fatal to victims. Much of the blame is circulated around; however Mayor Nagin said it best when he said “The root of the breakdown was the failure of the federal government to deliver relief supplies and personnel quickly. They kept making promises and saying things would happen.
Therefore a proposed solution to this problem includes restructuring the Emergency response system in the government by organizing how they respond and thoroughly conducting the distribution of help, aid, volunteers, supplies, experienced personnel, efficiently by meticulously and strictly monitoring the usage of the fiscal donations, thereby avoiding confusion. This revised structure should come with a capacity for leniency in the event of emergency that would grant outside help permission to assist, participate and utilize their skills and expertise without hassle. Whereas with the FEMA system coroners, doctors, paramedics, firemen, out of state policeman, civilians and caring individuals were all prevented from helping because of rigid government bureaucracy and miscommunication. Ironically, in the disaster that affected her own state, the Governor of Louisiana and the mayor of New Orleans were both overridden in almost every manner in their efforts to assist and comfort their disaster and grief stricken state. In a structural overhaul of the system as it currently stands the revised solution would be respect and authority given to those politicians in charge of the disaster affected areas as it is their job such as the Governor and mayor. Not to be controlled by a third party when they are the authority over their own jurisdictions.
While no one can ever be fully prepared for all natural disasters or life threatening situations, it is the responsibility of the United States government to ensure that its citizens are well protected to avoid the potential of injury or death and the severity of the aftermath in the event that they lose their homes, possessions and jobs. Alone, as one student there are not many things that can be done to influence the government into changing Homeland Security regulated systems, therefore as a United Community we should do all we can to assist and make the necessary precautions available and at the ready.
Works Cited
Associated, Press, comp. "FEMA under fire for Ike snafus Texas state government also gets some blame for distribution problems." MSNBC.com. 17 Sept. 2008. The Associated Press. 09 Dec. 2008
"First Responders Urged Not To Respond To Hurricane Impact Areas Unless Dispatched By State, Local Authorities." FEMA Site. 29 Aug. 2005. FEMA. 09 Dec. 2008
"Katrina's Toll." Make It Right Foundation New Orleans. 2008. 09 Dec. 2008
New York, FT Reporters, comp. "Federal agency 'slow' to accept business help." FT.com. 05 Sept. 2005. Financial Times. 09 Dec. 2008
Shane, Scott. "After Failure Government Officials Play Blame Game." 05 Sept. 2005. New York Times. 09 Dec. 2008.
Zarend-Kubatko, Jill, ed. "Disaster touches area residents." Zwire.com. 02 Sept. 2005. Casa Grande Valley Newspaper Inc. 09 Dec. 2008
FEMA Outline-
What is the Resource?
The resource is FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
What is the issue or problem?
The issue is that FEMA is mismanaged, it’s response to natural disasters quite frankly has been unable to do anyone justice and it’s not satisfactory. FEMA cannot manage its resources. Its response is slow, they do not communicate correctly and in the past they have failed to manage the emergencies in which it is their job.
-What is the history of how the resource has been managed?
The straw that broke the camels back was really Hurricane Katrina and FEMAs response in the wake of it. Supplies were turned away, people were left in overcrowded stadiums, on roof tops, without aid, dying of dehydration and without food, medicine or able to take care of themselves. Needing help from FEMA but destitute. The issue is that they were short communication, aid, assistance and unable to help themselves in the aftermath of a disaster many residents of the gulf coast and specifically New Orleans, Louisiana where the level 5 hurricane hit and the additional catastrophe of the combined levees breaking over the lower ninth ward. The Red Cross and FEMA fought against each other with paperwork and bureaucracy behind them before helping the people that needed it and the overall way they went about helping the victims was difficult, lengthy and did not accomplish what needed to be done.
-What is the significance of this issue?
The significance is that without fixing FEMA, we cannot ensure that the victims of the effects of natural disaster can get help. If they don’t get help, most of them may die or resort to lives of crime or other dire consequences which are not pleasant and will most likely affect the United States in a domino effect.
-What would happen if we did nothing to address it?
People would live in poverty, die, or become criminals to ensure their means of survival.
As demonstrated in many victims from Hurricane Katrina and former residents of New Orleans before the Hurricane hit.
How is the resource being mismanaged? When FEMA is so bad that their slow response time and poor management requires not two but nearly three separate requests from the Governors of both Louisiana and Texas. As well as sparking the Governor of Texas to set up his own system of disaster management that works in conjunction with the Hurricane Weather channel. That in itself should be an alarm that our Federal emergency management failed so inadequately to respond to the needs of victims that it caused a Governor to take matters into his own hands and in effect, replacing the ill system set up by the government.
Are there any laws that are currently in place to protect or manage the resource?
There is legislation in the making that would have the victims stay at “camps” on military bases. That in itself is an issue that would strike controversy.
What is the solution you are proposing?
I propose that to solve the endless problem of communication and no service etc that FEMA members should be properly trained in HAM radio and have portable ones because they don’t rely on satellite and always have service.
That there should be a new agency per region that is specifically tailored to help the region and its specified natural disaster that affects those regions.
What should the government do to bring about your solution?
Easily put, they should work on there communication of FEMA, work on time management, amount of assistance given, how they locate the victims and anything that could possibly be filed under the order of Federal Emergency Management Agency. The government should re evaluate the entire system and find solutions based upon each problem.
The letter I sent to the official will be on today.
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