FEMA's Logistical Planning Efforts
Over the recent week, media has portrayed the Federal Emergency Management Agency as being very careless and wasteful with its logistical planning efforts for the hurricane seasons.
The forecast for the 2006 hurricane season predicted very heavy activity - 13 to 16 major storms with 8 to 10 projected to strengthen into hurricanes, and four to six of those becoming major hurricanes. In preparation for such a season, and after planning in coordination with 11 hurricane-impact states, FEMA procured more than 13 million meals to add to its existing food stocks. This sizable inventory of disaster food supplies was pre-positioned to support a rapid response. Yet, as nature gracefully played out in 2006, only one relatively minor storm, Hurricane Ernesto, made landfall.
Though thankful for a mild hurricane season, FEMA was left with an inventory of more than 15 million unused pre-packaged meals. Like the milk in your refrigerator, each of these meals came with an expiration date. In some cases, the date was such that the meals could last through the 2007 hurricane season. However, nearly 13 million meals, valued at $70 million, were very close to expiring and would not have been fit for another season. FEMA donated these meals to Second Harvest, a community support organization that distributes food to those in need assistance. While some may consider these meals as "lost", FEMA, by donating these meals, found a responsible way to transform food supplies that would have fed thousands of disaster victims into welcomed food supplies for thousands of others who were in need. The one loss that was preventable, however, was the spoilage of $2.2 million in meals that were regrettably stored in overheated containers. Yet, even this instance reflects the challenge of planning against the uncertainties of nature to maintain a mobile, ready and sufficient inventory of food and life-sustaining commodities across an 11-state hurricane-impact area from June to November.
Current media focus would have you to believe that FEMA is an agency that throws away food, wastes taxpayers' dollars, and fumbles with new technology. That is simply not true. FEMA is an agency in transition that has learned many lessons and adapted quickly as it continuously strives to better meet your expectations and those of the public that we serve. As one example, FEMA has entered into a strategic partnership with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) that now assures FEMA a continuous inventory of fresh meals, readily available to be shipped at anytime to any location in our Nation. FEMA will no longer experience an expired inventory.
FEMA is transitioning to a 21st century logistics system that will be managed by a new cadre of professional logisticians and experienced leaders. As a first step, in 2006, FEMA began implementing Total Asset Visibility (TAV), which is a system that provides asset and in-transit visibility as well as electronic order management for all primary commodities. Though media derided FEMA for having TAV in only two regions, this system was deployed by design to the two most active and hurricane-prone (Southeast and Texas Gulf Coast) of our ten regions. This system will bring new efficiencies as we will store and ship fewer supplies, yet have greater assurance that they will arrive when and where needed.
While the charge that FEMA continues to be wasteful and plan poorly has had some merit in the past, it is no longer a characteristic of the new FEMA. The FEMA that you saw respond quickly and efficiently to the recent tornadoes in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, and to snowstorms and floods these past few months is one that has learned from Hurricane Katrina and is pressing forward with a new leadership team and improved business processes supported by a highly motivated workforce. The new FEMA will be a resourceful steward of the taxpayer's dollar and a strong partner to other federal agencies as well as to those at the state, local and tribal levels. I will not argue that there is no room for improvement, but I commit to you that in New FEMA there is no tolerance for waste or poor planning.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 17-Apr-2007 13:44:45 EDT