Ike Response

I’ve spent the past two days in Texas meeting with state and local leaders and visiting evacuees and distribution centers in Houston and surrounding areas. From what I’ve seen during my two visits, there’s no question that Ike was an extremely strong storm that has left much of Galveston temporarily uninhabitable and affected millions of residents along the Texas coast.

While I can understand people’s desire to return to their homes, this environment provides a stark reminder that it’s often the after-effects of a hurricane that pose the greatest danger to health and safety. With limited electrical power, healthcare, and basic services, it’s imperative that evacuees remain patient until officials get things such as water, sewage, and electricity up and running.

Despite the widespread destruction, however, I can tell you that emergency managers and relief workers – including FEMA employees, faith-based organizations, and hundreds of volunteers – are working feverishly to provide supplies as quickly as possible to those in need. The resilience of Texas residents affected by this storm was evident in a Houston shelter I visited yesterday, where I met with several evacuees while their children played with one another in a local church (which had also been used to house Katrina and Rita evacuees three years ago).

As we work collaboratively to get these services up and running, it’s important to keep in mind an old saying, “they don’t call it a disaster for nothing.” In other words, emergency management is never an exact science and responders at every level must be prepared to adapt to unforeseen challenges. For example, earlier this week electrical workers from Ohio and other Midwestern states who were restoring power in Texas were called back to their home states following widespread power outages caused by Ike’s remnants. This reinforces the need to remain flexible, nimble, and adapt to changing circumstances.

Michael Chertoff

Hope Restored

In his remarks at the Jackson Barracks in New Orleans last week, President Bush said that “hope is being restored” throughout the Gulf Coast. As we pause to reflect on the third anniversary of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and remember the lives that were lost and the heroism that ensued, I think it’s important to acknowledge the progress that has taken place in the wake of one of our nation’s worst natural disasters.

Of course, it’s also important to apply the lessons we’ve learned along the way, and to that end, we’re working closely with our federal, state, and local partners to prepare for Hurricane Gustav’s potential impact. But I want to take just a moment to share some stories of progress along the Gulf Coast.

The hope that President Bush was referring to can be found in places like Boothville/Venice High School, which endured tremendous damage due to Katrina’s storm surge. But thanks to more than $8 million in repairs made possible by FEMA Public Assistance grants, the school now serves more than 200 students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.

Additional signs of progress can be seen at St. Margaret’s Daughters Nursing Home in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, where flood waters rendered the health care facility uninhabitable. With the help of an initial $5.59 million payment for a temporary facility, and an additional $3.7 million, St. Margaret’s was able to reopen in a newly renovated facility last September. All told, FEMA has committed more than $15.9 million in Public Assistance funds for this project.

And to ensure that the city’s law enforcement operations are efficiently coordinated, the New Orleans Police Department moved into its remodeled headquarters earlier this year, thanks in large part to repairs from $6.8 million in FEMA funding. This, of course, is just a portion of the $21.8 million granted to restore the justice complex.

But our goals are not just short-term fixes. We’re focused on rebuilding the region and making structures safer and stronger. For example, just last month FEMA approved the use of more than $96.9 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to elevate nearly 3,000 homes in Louisiana. This was one of the largest single HMGP project obligations to date, and represents successful collaboration at the federal, state, and local levels.

We also recognize that the road to recovery involves flexibility and innovation. To that end, we fully supported President Bush’s decision to grant Governor Bobby Jindal’s request that Louisiana be allowed to pay their share of levee improvement costs over 30 years instead of just three.

These examples are just a fraction of the work that is being done and the decisions that are being made on a daily basis in New Orleans and across the Gulf Coast. To be sure, there is much work ahead. But by focusing on priorities such as education, health care, public safety, and housing, we’re helping rebuild lives and communities – and the results are beginning to show. All told, FEMA has provided $11 billion for debris removal, reconstruction, and protective measures, in addition to more than $6 billion in individual assistance grants. (Of course, it is ultimately up to state, parish, and local leaders to decide where and what to rebuild).

But our progress three years after Katrina goes beyond dollars spent and structures restored. We’ve learned invaluable lessons from the storm’s devastation, and as a result, have vastly strengthened our nation’s preparedness and response capabilities. FEMA now is a forward-leaning agency, with 21st century tools capable of handling any type of disaster. Following Katrina, we placed a greater emphasis on building stronger partnerships, preparing for emergencies before they happen, and responding quickly and efficiently when they do occur. As I mentioned, this forward-leaning approach is guiding our preparations for Hurricane Gustav.

So as we mark Katrina’s third anniversary and acknowledge the progress we’ve made (as well as how much work remains), I encourage everyone involved in this endeavor to continue their efforts and recommit themselves to rebuilding this vital region of our country.

The daily work of our Office for Gulf Coast Recovery in Baton Rouge is indicative of our long-term commitment to work side-by-side with the people of the Gulf Coast as they rebuild their homes and communities.

Through the strong partnerships we’ve forged during the past three years, I’m confident that our progress will continue full steam ahead.

General Douglas O’Dell, USMC (Ret.)
Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding

A Wake Up Call

Tuesday’s earthquake in California was yet another reminder for Americans that mother- nature can strike an instant leaving little time for citizens who aren’t prepared to get prepared. Fortunately, there were only a handful of injuries and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said it best “this earthquake reminds us to be prepared.”

Since early spring, Americans have been faced with an onslaught of severe weather from tornadoes, wildfires, flooding, a hurricane and now an earthquake all of which have put Americans on the front lines to face mother-nature. But despite the news coverage of these disasters Americans still seem to remain complacent when it comes to personal preparedness. Many believe that it won’t happen to them or if it does there isn’t anything they can do to protect themselves or their homes. This is simply untrue.

By having an emergency supply kit, an emergency plan, and being informed about the different types of emergencies that can happen and the appropriate responses, you will be able to make better choices when faced with an emergency in which you have only seconds to respond. Also, you are the first line of defense to any emergency or disaster and by taking steps to prepare you will not only be able to sustain yourself and your family for up to 72 hours or 3 days; but you will be freeing up valuable resources and allowing first responders to get to those who can’t take care of themselves first. Therefore, personal preparedness also becomes a civic responsibility.

But what does “being prepared” mean? The Department of Homeland Security’s Ready Campaign encourages everyone to have an emergency supply kit with basic essentials like food and water and unique family needs such as medication; to make an emergency plan that allows you and your family to establish meeting places, key contact information as well as plan ahead for an evacuation--you can find an emergency plan at www.ready.gov; and to be informed about the different types of emergencies that can happen in your area and learn the appropriate responses to them.

For example, earthquakes are sometimes believed to be a West Coast phenomenon, but there are actually 45 states and territories throughout the United States that are at moderate to high risk for earthquakes including the New Madrid fault line in the central U.S.

The federal government has taken many steps to improve our coordination with state and local authorities in times of emergencies and disasters. But it is also up to our citizens to take responsibility and make sure they and their families are prepared to deal with everything from power outages to large scale events such as Hurricane Dolly.

So let yesterday’s earthquake serve as a wake up call to you – visit www.ready.gov and make sure you are protecting yourself and your family for the unexpected.

David Paulison
FEMA Administrator

Get Serious! Hurricane Prep

Every year, as hurricane season approaches, I take the time to make sure my home is ready. Like Americans in many coastal states, I make sure my supplies and plans are all up-to-date.

This year, I was joined by members of the media and showed them exactly what I do in the hope that they would get out our message to everyone: Get Serious, Be Prepared.

At my home we have a generator, and I make sure before the season starts that we have sufficient fuel on hand to run it. I bought new batteries for my flashlights and radio. I checked my storm shutters to make sure they were in good shape and also confirmed I had little things like tarps and duct tape that can be essential if my shutters, windows or roof are damaged by a storm. I made sure I had enough prepared food and water on-hand to support my family for at least three days.

Go to ready.gov for some helpful information to help you prepare.

Sadly, there are some who still wait until it’s too late. In fact, a recent Mason-Dixon poll shows 85% of coastal residents made no additional preparations for a Hurricane in the past year; 50% said they would not make any preparations until two days before a hurricane is predicted to hit them. On top of that, 13% said they would not evacuate even if ordered to do so. More on the Mason-Dixon poll.

FEMA is doing our part to get ready.

This year, FEMA has teams standing by to be on the ground within hours of a storm or other disaster striking. FEMA has worked with vulnerable states to identify where they will most need support. We have improved our logistics and can better get the supplies and resources to a disaster site more quickly than in the past. We have plans in place to coordinate our activities with our partners at every level of government as well as with the private sector. Simply put: we are all better prepared.

FEMA has also improved our ability to deliver assistance through simple and effective delivery mechanisms, while also minimizing possible waste, fraud and abuse. We have expanded our capability to register those in need for aid and have mobile registration centers that can be on hand to help those without access to phones or computers.

As the official Hurricane Season for 2008 opens, I hope all Americans will join me in building a culture of preparedness. Whether your home is at risk from a hurricane, tornado, flood, fire or earthquake, every community faces its own risks. Being properly prepared can make a big difference.

I took the time to prepare my home this weekend. Now it’s your turn.

David Paulison
FEMA Administrator

Responding to the Oklahoma and Missouri Tornadoes

Today, Secretary Chertoff and I traveled to Picher, Okla. and Seneca, Mo. to asses the damage caused by the recent storms. I was struck by the severity of damage to the area. We would like to offer our condolences to those who lost loved ones.

In the aftermath of the storms FEMA was on the ground within hours and are on site to support local emergency managers and officials. We will continue to support the authorities on the ground.

The residents of Picher and Seneca have strong leadership from their local and state leaders. These leaders have spoken to the President as well as met with myself and Secretary Chertoff. They will receive support as requested to recover.

Bad weather continues to move through the Midwest, and I urge all residents in area to listen to the local authorities and head all warnings. Thankfully, most of the residents in the area were able to seek shelter and escape injury from the tornadoes.

From what we saw today the resiliency and spirit of the people remains strong. The residents of these two towns are committed to rebuilding and getting life back to normal. FEMA will continue to be there to support the local and state officials as needed as they continue the recovery effort.

David Paulison
FEMA Administrator

Tornado Response

Early this morning Secretary Chertoff and I flew to Tennessee in response to the recent tornadoes that devastated communities across the region.

We are deeply saddened by the lives lost. Our prayers are with the friends and families of those who lost loved ones and with all those now rebuilding from these devastating storms.

Today, the Secretary and I are traveling with Governor Bredesen to assess the damage and tomorrow we'll begin the physical accounting of damage with our preliminary damage assessments. The big challenge is to get people back into their homes and back to work.

Our efforts are focused on partnering with the state and local officials and private groups to respond quickly and efficiently as a team. FEMA is leaning forward, and had people on the ground before the storms struck. Today, we have teams in place helping state and local officials to evaluate damage to these communities.

Many of the affected states are shifting their operations from the initial emergency response phase to damage assessment and recovery duties. There are still hundreds of people who will need shelter, basic relief supplies, and other support, and we have FEMA teams to assist the response on the ground. We have FEMA liaisons deployed to Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, Arkansas and Alabama in addition to the regional personnel already on site.

As we work together in a partnership to meet the needs of these communities, we remember that the first response always rests with the people in their communities. We stand ready to assist those on the ground as they respond to these horrible storms.

David Paulison
Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency

The National Response Framework

Today Secretary Chertoff and I released a new National Response Framework to guide how our nation plans, prepares for, and responds to disasters and emergencies of all kinds and all sizes.

The National Response Framework builds on the previous National Response Plan. It is designed to give senior elected and appointed officials from federal, tribal, state, and local government, as well as members of the private sector, a clear, straightforward, easy-to-understand system for working together before, during, and after disasters. It can be used to manage everything from the smallest local incident to a major catastrophic event that impacts our entire nation.

The Framework was not written by Washington bureaucrats working in isolation. It reflects extensive coordination and input from state and local officials and emergency managers from across the country – the very people who will be using the plan. As such, the National Response Framework is not a federal plan; it is a national plan that will make sure everyone involved in the response effort is working from the same sheet of music.

The new Framework builds on a set of core principles

• It stresses the need for partnerships across government and the private sector.
• It emphasizes a “bottom up” approach that recognizes most incidents are managed locally and that all incidents should be handled at the lowest jurisdictional level.
• It is designed to be scalable so that it can be expanded or narrowed based on the scope and nature of the incident, and it is flexible and adaptable to different kinds of disasters.
• It recognizes that successful emergency preparedness and response depend on unity of command and a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities among all involved.
• It is always activated and encourages a forward leaning posture by emphasizing preparedness planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising and applying lessons learned. Planning ahead of the disaster is critical to a successful response, and the Framework encourages such coordination.

Today’s release of the National Response Framework marks the culmination of extensive outreach and coordination among the Department, FEMA, and literally thousands of people across the country involved in emergency management. We are grateful for the expertise that so many individuals lent to its creation, and we are pleased to present the Framework today to federal, state, local, and private sector partners and to the American people.

David Paulison
Federal Emergency Management Agency

The Midwest Ice Storm Response

The holiday season doesn’t slow our work at FEMA.

Even before I returned to the United States last week from a trip to meet with our international partners in Brussels (NATO) and Russia, I was working to coordinate FEMA’s response to the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides in Oregon and Washington. Then, right after I returned, the Midwest was hit by snow and ice storms.

I’ve been participating this week in our interagency calls on the storms and have talked with our people on the ground. It’s great to see the team working together, involving all federal and state partners. And the new technology we’re using to track the shipment of pre-positioned supplies is helping us “lean further forward.”

FEMA is continuing to work hand-in-hand with our partners in federal, tribal, state and local government, as well as the private sector and nonprofit community, as we respond to these winter storms. We're not only addressing the needs identified today, but we’re also looking ahead to anticipate the needs of the states for tomorrow and the next days ahead.

Even before officials asked for the disaster declarations, FEMA had been working with them to offer assistance. Federal assets are in the affected states to assist as needed with emergency power restoration, essential commodities and life-sustaining missions.

The new FEMA is about a stronger presence on the ground, and our Regional Response Coordination Centers have been activated to facilitate those efforts.

Regional disaster specialists have been deployed to assist with identifying needs and provide technical support to the state emergency managers in the affected states. Additionally, Preliminary Damage Assessment teams are standing by in each Region and are prepared to assist state and local emergency managers in assessing any damage and the need for more federal aid.

I'm extremely pleased with the coordination so far. Winter weather is already here but we’re all prepared and working together when weather emergencies hit.

R. David Paulison

FEMA Administrator

The California Fires

America has witnessed the wildfires raging in California this week, and our thoughts and prayers remain with the victims, evacuees, and responders who are working around the clock to gain control of this disaster. I want to take a brief moment to share a few comments with you from my experience on the ground.

Early Tuesday, FEMA Administrator Dave Paulison and I flew to Southern California to assess the situation and support the state and local officials managing the response effort. When we arrived we saw massive fires fueled by near-hurricane force winds engulfing thousands of acres of land and threatening property and lives.

What we also saw were heroic firefighters battling these infernos with exceptional bravery. We witnessed emergency managers efficiently directing relief supplies, personnel and evacuations. I want to personally thank all the men and women who have had a hand in fighting these fires and helping during this disaster. Many firefighters and response personnel work 18 to 20 hour shifts, rest a few hours, and then go back into the hot zones to relieve their colleagues. They are the true heroes of this story, and deserve the support and gratitude of everyone in southern California and throughout the country.

These wildfires have demanded an efficient, coordinated response from all levels of government, and have underscored the value of being prepared for emergencies. San Diego’s reverse 911 system is a great example, and the shelter situation at Qualcomm Stadium is a useful model for future disasters.

We were also impressed by the incredible spirit of volunteerism throughout the communities we visited. The massive volunteer effort, coupled with orderly and successful evacuations, are examples the entire country can learn from when preparing for and responding to emergencies of any kind.

Thankfully, Mother Nature is beginning to cooperate and reduced winds are allowing firefighters to get a better handle on these massive fires. We’re still not out of the woods, but as we begin to transition from response to long-term recovery, the people of southern California can rest assured that we will continue to support them as they rebuild their homes and businesses.

Thanks for reading.

Michael Chertoff

Responding to the California Fires

I’m writing this from the air as I make my way to southern California with Secretary Chertoff to take a closer look at the areas impacted by the wildfires. Later today, we’ll meet with the local officials on the ground that are fighting the fires and coordinating the emergency response to make sure they have everything they need to gain control of the situation. I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you about some of the steps the Administration is taking to support the emergency response effort.

Earlier today President Bush issued an emergency disaster declaration for California. FEMA began mobilizing resources on Sunday, and we are currently establishing a Joint Field Office in Pasadena. The Joint Field Office will coordinate federal, state, tribal, and local response to operations throughout the area.

FEMA has also established a staging area in southern California that will assist in mobilizing federal assets for emergency response operations. We have stood up our Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) which will function around the clock to support operations. The RRCC consists of federal agencies including the Department of Interior, Department of Transportation, United States Forest Service, United States Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Heath and Human Services, and the DHS Infrastructure Protection Office.

The American Red Cross is also playing a crucial role in assisting our operations. Currently it has opened shelters in five counties throughout southern California. Numerous Red Cross assets have been mobilized and deployed to the affected areas.

My biggest concern is the safety of the firefighters, individuals and families of those impacted in the area. I want to stress how important it is for all individuals and families to have a plan in place in case of an emergency such as this. Whether it’s a hurricane, wildfire or terrorist attack, families need to be prepared. I encourage everyone to visit http://www.ready.gov/ and learn what you and your family can do to be prepared.

We’re fully committed to assisting state and local responders and officials on the ground, and will provide whatever assistance they need to control these dangerous wildfires.

Thank you.

R. David Paulison
FEMA Administrator