IAEM makes recommendations for improved US disaster response The media statement reads as follows: On the disaster team, it is the role of local government emergency managers to call the plays and provide the framework for the supporting roles of state and federal partners. In fact, for the play to work, we fully expect our state and federal partners – Department of Homeland Security (DHS) / Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – to be in the right place at the right time with the right resources when the disaster response goes beyond our local capabilities. The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) believes now is the time for meetings with DHS / FEMA to discuss the game plan. “When we take the field in a disaster, we as local emergency managers, expect every member of our team to come equipped and ready for the game,” said Mike Selves, the association’s Government Affairs co-chair. “FEMA hasn’t been able to play up to their full potential the last few seasons.” Now is the time to strengthen FEMA before another catastrophic event such as an earthquake on the New Madrid fault or multiple catastrophic events. Restore FEMA to independent agency status or greatly strengthen it If this dramatic change is not possible then FEMA must be given significantly more resources, support and independent authority within the DHS. As local emergency managers, we have seen FEMA in the best of times and the worst of times. We saw FEMA’s ability to respond decline in the late 80s and early 90s when the agency became less focused on all hazards emergency preparedness. After the Hurricane Andrew response in 1992, FEMA was rebuilt and strengthened. A director with expertise and experience in the field was appointed and reported directly to the President. FEMA was considered one of the best performing of all the Federal agencies and was a success story. It became the agency our citizens expect and deserve. FEMA performed well in the response to the events of Sept. 11, 2001. When DHS was formed, we were told FEMA would be the cornerstone of the new department. However FEMA has suffered more than it has benefited and many consider it to be a shell of its former self. Many consider it to have been the piggy bank not the cornerstone. Funds appropriated to FEMA by Congress have been redistributed to other functions in DHS. Personnel have been detailed to other functions and FEMA was under a personnel freeze for an extended period. FEMA has gone from being an agency that was lean to one that is greatly understaffed at the headquarters and regional levels. In a Wall Street Journal article, Bill Waugh, an emergency management professional at Georgia State University, stated “We reinvented the wheel when we didn’t need to and now have something that doesn’t roll well at all.” The proof is in the results. Chairman Shuster posed the question, “Where does FEMA belong” in a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management. The answer given by two county directors of emergency management and a state director of emergency management and former Governor Bob Wise was unanimous—FEMA should be outside of DHS, independent, and reporting directly to the President. Expertise in the field necessary for FEMA leaders Preparedness function should not be moved outside of Fema in reorganization “We are very concerned about the moving of preparedness functions out of FEMA as part of the Secretary’s Second Stage Review into a new directorate of Preparedness,” West said. “Preparedness is what emergency managers do every day in order to be able to respond. The separation of this function seems to be a further dismantling. We had hoped the secretary would heed the request of numerous Members of Congress to postpone this part of the reorganization until after the reviews of the Katrina response.” West noted, however, that IAEM was very encouraged by the Oct. 21, 2005, nomination of George Foresman to be the Undersecretary of DHS for Preparedness. “George Foresman is a superb selection for this position. He has many years of experience in the field and is known for his vision and leadership,” stated West. “IAEM supports his nomination and looks forward to working with him on the challenges he will face.” IAEM calls for establishment of permanent FEMA work group
•Date: 2nd Nov 2005 • Region: US • Type:
Article •Topic: Emergency planning |
