FEMA Director Makes No Guarantees For
2006 Hurricane Season
Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 04:32 PM
|
Martha Hunn
Anchor 5 & 11
p.m. Send e-mailBiography |
Email to a
Friend
Printer FriendlyLast August, the world witnessed the fury
of Hurricane Katrina, and the chaos that a storm of that magnitude
can cause. What were the biggest mistakes from Hurricane Katrina?
And were any lessons learned? To prepare for the 2006 season.... i
sat down with the man in the hot seat, FEMA Director David
Paulison.
I asked him to talk about the lessons learned, and the guarantees that he'll be able to make to the Grand Strand that we will not experience that when we get our Katrina.
Paulison said, "Well, I'm not going to make any guarantees. I can tell you what we did learn."
He says Hurricane Katrina pointed out some serious problems, that he worked to fix. "During Hurricane Katrina, it was obvious to me that there was not good situation awareness, of what was actually happening on the ground. You have to know what is going on," said Paulison. And that, he says, all boils down to one major issue.... a huge communication breakdown between all levels of government. "FEMA has to know what's wrong, where it's wrong, what are the issues, and what the state needs so we can help them right away."
Paulison says Katrina caused the largest migration in the history of the united states.. the first time ever a major city was evacuated... 2.1 million people left their homes, and 93% couldn't go back home. he hopes that would never happen to South Carolina. "But it could happen. You could have a category 5 storm comin' in, and you could have a major migration that can't go home. We are taking these lessons learned," said Paulison.
Evacuation of epic proportions, no situation awareness and communication breakdown. But the biggest problem of all... no teamwork. Locals blaming FEMA, FEMA blaming locals, governors blaming mayors. I asked him what can FEMA do... or is FEMA doing to change that whole situation so that everyone is working together?
"I think you laid it out... First of all there was a lot of finger pointing, and I'm not into that," said Paulison. He says he's met with state emergency managers, that he and the staff will review each state's emergency plans. and he's changing FEMA, to operate more nimble... not so bureaucratic... better able to adapt. Paulison promised to implement changes, all before june first, the start of the 2006 hurricane season.
I asked him to talk about the lessons learned, and the guarantees that he'll be able to make to the Grand Strand that we will not experience that when we get our Katrina.
Paulison said, "Well, I'm not going to make any guarantees. I can tell you what we did learn."
He says Hurricane Katrina pointed out some serious problems, that he worked to fix. "During Hurricane Katrina, it was obvious to me that there was not good situation awareness, of what was actually happening on the ground. You have to know what is going on," said Paulison. And that, he says, all boils down to one major issue.... a huge communication breakdown between all levels of government. "FEMA has to know what's wrong, where it's wrong, what are the issues, and what the state needs so we can help them right away."
Paulison says Katrina caused the largest migration in the history of the united states.. the first time ever a major city was evacuated... 2.1 million people left their homes, and 93% couldn't go back home. he hopes that would never happen to South Carolina. "But it could happen. You could have a category 5 storm comin' in, and you could have a major migration that can't go home. We are taking these lessons learned," said Paulison.
Evacuation of epic proportions, no situation awareness and communication breakdown. But the biggest problem of all... no teamwork. Locals blaming FEMA, FEMA blaming locals, governors blaming mayors. I asked him what can FEMA do... or is FEMA doing to change that whole situation so that everyone is working together?
"I think you laid it out... First of all there was a lot of finger pointing, and I'm not into that," said Paulison. He says he's met with state emergency managers, that he and the staff will review each state's emergency plans. and he's changing FEMA, to operate more nimble... not so bureaucratic... better able to adapt. Paulison promised to implement changes, all before june first, the start of the 2006 hurricane season.
