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

Stay Healthy in a Crisis

This week, Tropical Storm Fay has been a reminder to us all that we are in the heart of hurricane season. But, even as it lingers in the Gulf many Americans do not believe that a disaster can really happen to them. Unfortunately, too often, people learn the hard way that they could have done more to prepare.

From the wildfires in the West, to the floods across the Midwest, to tornadoes that tear through the center of the country, Americans often find themselves thrust into an emergency. September is National Preparedness Month, a time when we highlight the simple steps we can take now to prepare for the unexpected.

As many Americans can attest, such planning can make recovering from a disaster a bit easier. Still, many don't spend enough time getting ready.

This kind of planning is particularly important when it comes to staying healthy in a crisis. As the Chief Medical Officer for the Department of Homeland Security, part of my job is to provide guidance about how our employees can protect themselves in an emergency.

Our advice goes out to everyone, from TSA security officers to the federal agents who protect our borders, even to our Secretary. Each of my coworkers must feel confident that they are prepared and that their families are weathering a crisis, so they can focus on performing their core duties. This same kind of preparedness goes on in many of the homes of first responders, law enforcement and government officials at all levels.

In a crisis, doctors, nurses, paramedics and other first responders rush to help their neighbors. A community's resilience – the nation's resilience -- depends largely on the individual preparedness of all of our vital workers and many others. Utility crews who get the power back on, truck drivers who keep food and other supplies moving, and the heroic people who look after their neighbors who have special needs all mitigate suffering and speed the recovery – if their own family is safe.

As we are told during our safety briefing before every airline flight, we must take care of ourselves before we can take care of others. I encourage you to go to http://www.ready.gov/ for information on getting an emergency supply kit, making a family emergency plan and being informed about the different types of disasters and their appropriate responses. But don't forget the medical issues that are individual to every family and every family member. In addition to water, food, etc., these are my "medical must haves:"

1. An extra supply of prescription drugs; don't forget the over the counter medications that you may need such as analgesics, antacids, anti-diarrheal, etc.


2. A good medical record for each family member that includes medications they take, allergies to medications, past surgeries and other key medical information a doctor might need to treat them in an emergency.


3. Key contact names and phone numbers on a laminated card that includes relatives, friends, personal physician and emergency work and school contacts.


4. For those with special medical needs, extra oxygen and batteries for equipment might be needed to survive away from home for a few days. An extra wheelchair, walker or cane might be needed to evacuate. Simple repair equipment, such as a bicycle repair kit, help keep a wheelchair rolling.


5. A basic first aid kit.

A more detailed checklist for people with disabilities and other special needs is available.

As an emergency physician, I have seen firsthand how important being prepared is and how the American spirit is strongest when we come together to weather an unforeseen challenge. We're proud to help prepare the nation to react with strength and compassion.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to your comments.

Dr. Jon Krohmer,
Assistant Secretary (acting), Office of Health Affairs, and Chief Medical Officer

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

Securing Our Schools

Yesterday I visited a local high school in Northern Virginia to meet with school officials and local emergency managers to discuss school safety, and the federal government’s efforts to help schools prepare for emergencies – both man-made incidents and natural disasters. I was joined by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, who outlined their respective departments’ efforts to enhance school safety.

The tragedies we saw at Columbine, Virginia Tech, and even earlier this month in Cleveland seem to point to an increased risk of violence in schools. But despite these high profile incidents, the fact remains that schools are some of the safest places for children in our country.

We would be remiss however, if we failed to acknowledge that our children do face a minimal amount of risk at school. We need only recall earlier this year when a tornado hit Enterprise High School in Alabama, tragically killing several students.

In light of this risk, teachers, parents, administrators, and local first responders should take a few common-sense steps to be prepared for an emergency of any kind. It’s important that schools have emergency plans in place, practice those plans, coordinate with parents and local first responders, and if an incident does occur, follow the plan to reduce potential harm to students.

DHS is actively engaged with our federal partners, as well as with state and local officials to help schools be prepared. We have a number of resources available for teachers, parents, and school administrators, including interactive threat assessment CDs, safe school design manuals, and funding available through our grant programs. I encourage you to visit our Ready Kids website at http://www.ready.gov/ for additional information and preparedness tips.

I’ll leave you with an important statistic from the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Education’s Safe School Initiative. They found that in 81% of the cases of targeted school violence they studied, other people had some type of prior knowledge that an attack was being planned. The lesson here for everyone – students, teachers, administrators, coaches, and parents – is if you see something, say something.

We can’t completely eliminate violence in schools, and we certainly can’t prevent natural disasters or other emergencies from occurring. But we can ensure that our schools are as prepared as possible and that we’re all working together toward the common goal of safer schools for our children.

Thanks for reading.

Michael Chertoff

For Yourself, Your Family and Your Community

As part of my job, I am frequently reminded of the dangers America faces from disasters, both natural and man-made. From hurricanes to terrorist attacks, they can strike suddenly and without warning, leaving behind a devastating trail of lost lives and property.

Astonishingly (to me), according to a recently released Harvard study, 31 percent of people in high-risk coastal areas would refuse an evacuation order in the event of a major hurricane. Even as Hurricane Dean approached, one-fourth of potentially at-risk Texans surveyed said they would not evacuate, either.

Over the past year, people across America have lost their lives and property due to damage caused by floods, tornadoes and wildfires. Today many Americans remain in a state of denial when it comes to disaster preparedness. Americans must be prepared for all types of disasters including the threat from terrorists, who can attack without warning and cause catastrophic damage and loss of life.

To help America handle disasters better, our Department is striving to promote a new culture of preparedness.

One way we’re doing this is through our annual National Preparedness Month, which we promote every September. Throughout this month, with the help of our Ready campaign, we have been encouraging everyone to develop their own individual and family preparedness plan, including an emergency supply kit, a family emergency plan, and emergency information. This is common sense which we owe our families.

But is it enough to encourage people to help themselves and their families in the event of an emergency or disaster? Shouldn’t we also want them to help their neighborhoods and communities? That’s why, throughout this month, we’ll also be highlighting our work with Citizen Corps, a nationwide movement of volunteers who are donating their time in precisely that way. (See my op-ed for further discussion.)

Through a network of state and local councils, Citizen Corps programs give volunteers a chance to do such things as assist law enforcement, acquire terrorism awareness education and basic emergency response skills, provide medical and public health expertise, and support fire and rescue departments.

Clearly, judging from that list, those who wish to join Citizen Corps will have a good menu of opportunities to help. They will also be satisfied in knowing that they are building community pride and patriotism, acquiring skills to help them take better care of themselves, their families, and their neighbors in a crisis, and reducing the burden on fire fighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians, and others who risk their lives and safety for all of us each day.

If you want to learn more about how you can help yourself, your family, and your community to be better prepared, feel free to contact Ready and Citizen Corps.

Michael Chertoff