Recovering from Katrina: a work in progress—2007: Gulf Coast states have improved local emergency management, but more is needed to upgrade overall performance as the region struggles to recover from the storms of 2005

Public Manager, The, Winter, 2007 by Frances L. Edwards

Transportation-Related Issues

Transportation infrastructure is crucial to emergency response. Road restoration materials should be prepositioned outside of the immediate disaster area to speed restoration of transportation systems. Water, food, and medical supplies were not reaching the people in flooded New Orleans because the roads and bridges were damaged and no materials were available for rapid repairs. Evacuation planning needs to be improved. The issue of evacuating pets was emphasized in New Orleans, along with the ability to assist people with mobility disabilities. Plans are also needed for people with other health problems, such as those with sensory disabilities (deaf and blind) and chronic health problems like diabetes and heart ailments, especially the poor. A stronger bond is needed between the non-governmental organizations that serve the vulnerable populations and the emergency management agencies of government, especially for future evacuation planning.

Health Services

Health services in New Orleans are still inadequate. Major hospitals are still shuttered, and doctors have not returned. Hospital repairs lag due to a lack of federal agreement on costs of repairs or rebuilding, and many private insurance policies did not include flood coverage through FEMA. Hospital emergency rooms are burdened with routine care because the clinics and doctors are gone.

Conclusion

The first full year after Hurricane Katrina destroyed the levees around New Orleans has caused a reexamination of emergency management in the United States. Progress has been made on better land-use planning, a recognition of the need to build stronger levees, and a rebuilding process energized by federal funding and insurance proceeds. Much is left to be done to improve the U.S. emergency management system, as the federal government refocuses its efforts toward mitigation for natural disasters. Local governments must enhance their plans and capabilities to care for their communities alone or with intrastate mutual aid resources. There is much more to be done.

References

Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) materials. www.iaem.com/certification/generalinfo/intro.htm.> Community Emergency Response Training. www.citizencorps.gov/cert/training_mat.shtm.> "The New FEMA."Discussion with Marko Bourne. www.emforum.org/vforum/lc070411.htm.> U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina Lessons Learned. February 2006.

--. "Hurricane Katrina Impact on the National Preparedness Goal and Target Capability List." www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ odp/docs/KatrinasImpactontheGoalandTCL.pdf.

Frances L. Edwards, PhD, CEM, is with the Mineta Transportation Institute and is director of the master of public administration program, San Jose State University. She can be reached at kc6thm@yahoo.com.