The slow response of the federal government to the Hurricane Katrina disaster raises the question: Is the United States prepared for any future domestic catastrophes like 9/11?
The category-four hurricane was detected in advance similar to the prior warnings of terrorist attacks before 9/11.
The tragedy that was 9/11 will forever be imprinted in our minds. We will never forget the terror ensued on our own soil or the great courage of Americans thereafter. We came together and vowed to keep or country secure.
However, when nature struck a deadly blow in the form of Hurricane Katrina, we were not prepared. The government failed us on every level. The planning was poor and the response even worse.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, which was merged into the Department of Homeland Security, did not do its job. FEMA was unable to efficiently or quickly respond to the disaster. Nor was the agency able to make definitive decisions in the crucial moments after the storm hit.
Despite warnings and years of scientific research, no one-not city, state or federal government officials-was prepared for a total evacuation of New Orleans and the other Gulf Coast areas nearby.
The moment disaster struck, the entire nation should have been mobilized immediately, sending every bus, boat, aircraft, healthcare worker, soldier to the south. The present response by the Red Cross and other aid organizations and individuals is appropriate in helping the victims recuperate.
Yet, when this phase of rebuilding is over, America needs to have a plan of action and learn from its mistakes. A reliable government organization needs to be in place to investigate the damage that has been done and assure the American people that it will not happen again.
A complete implementation of the recommendation of the 9/11 commission could have averted the current problem. The fundamental problem again was that the local, state and federal agencies were not talking to each other clearly. A uniform plan was therefore not put in place. Mixed messages were coming back and forth from various levels of government. Furthermore, no agency took complete command initially.
The government should have learned from 9/11 and immediately heeded the warnings it received prior to the hurricane. The first responders should have been well organized and effective in executing a plan. The loss of life, the family members who have been separated and the number of people who have been left homeless is unacceptable. The American people deserve to have confidence in a government that has its best interests at the forefront of any political agenda.
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