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Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management Crisis and Emergency Management Newsletter Website |
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October
2005
Volume
9 - Number 1 |
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August
31, 2005: Katrina’s Aftermath On August 31, 2005, Americans began to see evidence
of the chaos and confusion that would eventually characterize the difficult
rescue and relief operations in response to Hurricane Katrina. The awesome
devastation and destruction of the Gulf Coast by Katrina became the backdrop
for human tragedies being played out in the around-the-clock media coverage
of this historic event.
The people that rode out the storm in the Louisiana Superdome quickly became witnesses to looting, violence, death, and the rapid deterioration of sanitary living conditions. Residents of Mississippi that endured Katrina’s wrath wandered around contemplating their fate amidst the piles of rubble and debris. White House spokesman, Scott McClellan, accurately described the situation when he said, “I think it’s very sobering to see from the air. I think that at some point you’re just kind of shaking your head in disbelief to see the destruction that has been done by this hurricane.” President Bush’s impromptu flyover of the Gulf Region yielded the very concise, “It’s totally wiped out.” For the first time since 9/11, an event was declared an “incident of national significance” and the National Response Plan was activated by Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) put out a detailed list of federal response activities underway in the Gulf Coast. Katrina victims were encouraged by FEMA to register on-line for disaster assistance due to the possibility of high call volume. An advisory on hiring contractors for disaster repairs was issued to prevent scam artists from taking advantage of the millions of people affected by the hurricane. An update was also posted on jurisdictions now eligible to receive public assistance in South Florida counties affected by Hurricane Katrina The president convened a Cabinet-level task force on Hurricane Katrina response and recovery and took the following actions: - The Department of Homeland Security was given authority to coordinate the hurricane response. - He called for coordination of all parties involved in the response and relief effort. - He encouraged all Americans to support the relief and rescue efforts through charitable contributions and aid. The White House informed the public that FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers were working to repair the levees in New Orleans, the National Strategic Petroleum Reserve would be used to help fulfill demand for oil, the Energy Department was working to restore electricity to affected areas, the EPA had issued fuel waivers to expedite relief and recovery, the Department of Defense would be moving military resources into the Gulf States, the Coast Guard would be conducing search and rescue operations, and that a Public Health Emergency had been declared in the affected region President Bush, Governor Blanco, and Mayor Nagin detailed the extent of damage to the city of New Orleans and the Gulf States but the media began to observe the desperation of the people as every agonizing minute passed and victims waited for the coordinated response promised to them by officials at all levels. Sources: http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/08/30/katrina.neworleans/index.html http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/08/31/bush.katrina.ap/index.html http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/08/30/katrina/index.html http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050831-4.html http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050831-3.html http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18497 http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18496 http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18500 |