Message from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Region VI Director William Peterson 

Hurricane Rita's Six-Month Anniversary - 'Doing a 180: From Disaster to Recovery' One in a Series

Release Date: March 22, 2006
Release Number: 1606-162

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AUSTIN, Texas -- As the new director for Region VI Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), I want to assure you that I am not new to Texas , to the emergency management field, nor, indeed, to the natural disasters inherent to our vast state and region.

In my 40 years of fighting fires and the last 23 as Plano Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator, I have seen, first hand, damaged and destroyed communities throughout the state that have been shocked by the impacts of natural disaster, but none with the residual effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Since my appointment, I have traveled extensively through Texas and Louisiana, and I look forward to working with our State partners as we commit to the challenge of leading both devastated areas during their road to recovery, as well as coordinating disasters that may strike in Region VI's other states: Arkansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

I commend the local officials, agencies, organizations, businesses and private citizens in your joint efforts. Many of you have worked tirelessly to set up recovery teams alongside state and federal officials and have provided a seamless cohesiveness in making a real difference in the lives of so many of your compatriots from neighboring coastal communities who have lost everything.

I thank each of you for your heartfelt determination as you continue your dedication to help rebuild communities and, at the same time, position yourselves to address the worst impacts of future disasters. You are making a real difference for individuals and communities during these extremely horrific times.

William Peterson
Regional Director
FEMA Region VI
Denton, Texas

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 30-May-2006 15:14:11