Prevention, Preparedness, and Response
Helicopter Rescue in Response to Hurricane Katrina
U.S. Coast Guard
Whether the result of nature or acts of man, catastrophic disasters can strike at any time. Effective preparation for and response to these disasters requires well-coordinated planning, preparation, and actions among all levels of government and their nongovernmental partners. DHS has taken a number of actions to define national roles, responsibilities, and capabilities for preparedness and response. However, DHS faces continued challenges in more clearly defining leadership roles and responsibilities; developing necessary disaster response capabilities; and establishing accountability systems to provide effective response while also protecting against waste, fraud, and abuse. These issues are highly complex and challenging for all levels of government. Hurricane Katrina dramatically demonstrated the consequences of being unprepared to respond effectively to a major disaster. Specific challenges include the following:
- DHS issued the January 2008 National Response Framework to guide preparedness, response, and recovery activities. However, it has not yet completed supporting plans needed to effectively implement the framework.
Highlights of GAO-08-868T (PDF)
- DHS has not yet coordinated planning, preparation, and response activities for catastrophic incidents among all levels of government and their nongovernmental partners.
Highlights of GAO-08-868T (PDF)
- DHS faces continuing challenges in implementing the provisions of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act; developing, exercising, and evaluating necessary disaster response capabilities for disasters of any size or cause; and developing comprehensive risk assessments that can be used to target resources.
Highlights of GAO-07-1142T (PDF), Highlights of GAO-08-369 (PDF)
- While actions taken since Hurricane Katrina resulted in improvements in the preparation and response to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, continuing problems exist in clarifying the roles and responsibilities affecting coordinated response actions.
Highlights of GAO-08-868T (PDF)
- The nation's Emergency Alert System has several limitations, including a slow and unreliable relay system to disseminate national-level alerts, system redundancy, and use of only a few media to transmit messages, among other issues.
Highlights of GAO-07-411 (PDF)
^ Back to topWhat Needs to Be Done
- DHS needs to complete supporting plans for the January 2008 National Response Framework, such as partner guides delineating roles and responsibilities; and incident annexes—including the catastrophic incident annex, which is to further clarify federal roles, responsibilities, and relationships among federal, state, and local governments and responders related to catastrophic incidents.
Highlights of GAO-08-868T (PDF)
- DHS needs to assess lessons learned from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike to further clarify roles and responsibilities for preparedness and response for major disasters. This clarification is critical given the coming changes in administrations and officials with federal preparedness and response roles and responsibilities.
Highlights of GAO-08-868T (PDF)
- To rectify many of the problems that surfaced during Hurricane Katrina, DHS needs to effectively implement the provisions of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act, which delineates a number of roles and responsibilities and areas for improvement related to logistics, emergency communications, and capability assessments, among other areas.
Highlights of GAO-07-1142T (PDF), Highlights of GAO-08-369 (PDF)
- DHS needs to build partnerships to assess the capabilities of nongovernmental entities that have disaster response resources and capabilities in such areas as mass care and shelter. During a catastrophic disaster, the demand for mass care and shelter services would likely far exceed the capacity of voluntary agencies to deliver needed support.
Highlights of GAO-08-369 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-08-823 (PDF)
- DHS needs to develop a methodology for assessing disaster risks from all causes, natural or man-made, that can be used to target grant allocations.
Highlights of GAO-08-852 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-08-488T (PDF)
- DHS needs to develop and implement a plan to verify the dependability and effectiveness of the relay distribution system for the Emergency Alert System, and ensure that system participants have the training and technical skills needed to effectively issue alerts.
Highlights of GAO-07-411 (PDF)
^ Back to topKey Reports
- Emergency Management: Observations on DHS's Preparedness for Catastrophic Disasters
- GAO-08-868T, June 11, 2008
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 21 pages) Accessible Text
- National Response Framework: FEMA Needs Policies and Procedures to Better Integrate Non-Federal Stakeholders in the Revision Process
- GAO-08-768, June 11, 2008
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 42 pages) Accessible Text Recommendations (HTML)
- Homeland Security: DHS Risk-Based Grant Methodology Is Reasonable, But Current Version's Measure of Vulnerability is Limited
- GAO-08-852, June 27, 2008
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 72 pages) Accessible Text Recommendations (HTML)
- Homeland Security: DHS Improved its Risk-Based Grant Programs' Allocation and Management Methods, But Measuring Programs' Impact on National Capabilities Remains a Challenge
- GAO-08-488T, March 11, 2008
- Summary (HTML) Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 28 pages) Accessible Text
