[IP] Federal Katrina response could have bypassed state govt
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Rood, Justin" <JRood@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: October 19, 2005 10:31:01 AM EDT
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: important story - Federal Katrina response could have
bypassed state govt
Dave,
For IP if you wish – according to the nation’s disaster response
plan, the Federal government could have activated special powers to
push their assets into affected areas without waiting for state
requests. This, despite administration claims that they were forced
to follow the states’ lead. (The powers were never invoked, needless
to say.)
DHS failed to use catastrophe response plan in Katrina's wake
By Chris Strohm
cstrohm@xxxxxxxxxxx
The Homeland Security Department did not use a plan for handling
catastrophes in its response to Hurricane Katrina, even though some
officials say that doing so could have saved lives and brought the
chaotic situation in New Orleans under control.
The department didn't activate a section of the National Response
Plan that deals specifically with responding to catastrophes, DHS
spokesman Russ Knocke confirmed this week. The section -- called the
Catastrophic Incident Annex -- is tucked deep within the 426-page
plan, which was published last December.
. . .
The Catastrophic Incident Annex, however, gives the federal
government special powers, including the ability to bypass state
governments. But Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff or one
of his designees has to approve use of the annex.
That was not done during Hurricane Katrina. Instead, the federal
government and state of Louisiana got caught up in negotiations over
what kind of federal assistance would be provided in the first few
days after the storm hit, while thousands of people were stranded in
New Orleans and others died in hospitals, nursing homes and their
houses.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=32586&dcn=todaysnews
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