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Biosecurity Briefing
Congress, GAO Concerned about Nation’s Disaster Response Capability By Shana R. Deitch, August 3, 2007 According to a July 31, 2007, CongressDaily article, the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is concerned that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is still unprepared to handle large-scale disasters such as 2005’s Hurricane Katrina.1 The Committee heard testimony from the agency, the National Guard, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and disaster preparedness and emergency management researchers and experts during a July 31 hearing on FEMA’s readiness capability. In his opening statement, Ranking Member Tom Davis (R-VA) stated that although the Post Katrina Emergency Reform Act, authorized as part of the 2007 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations legislation, provides FEMA greater autonomy to “trigger a far more pro-active, robust, and coordinated response,” there are still “troubling signs” that the agency would not function effectively in a disaster.2 R. David Paulison, FEMA Administrator, testified that a “new and enhanced” FEMA was established on April 1, 2007. Of the progress made thus far, Paulison noted the creation of the new National Preparedness Directorate, Logistics Management, Disaster Operations, and Disaster Assistance Directorates within FEMA; a National Advisory Council; and the appointment of ten Regional Administrators (posts which had been vacant).3 When questioned by Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-CA) regarding areas still in need of improvement, Paulison cited the need for improved end-to-end logistics for emergency supplies and an ongoing hurricane gap analysis to identify vulnerabilities and response capabilities.1 William Jenkins, Director of Homeland Security and Justice Issues at GAO, further reviewed changes to DHS and FEMA under the Post Katrina Management Act. According to his testimony, FEMA is working on improving efficiency in situational assessment and awareness, emergency communications, evacuation, search and rescue, logistics, and mass care and sheltering.4 However, Jenkins did state that it was too early to evaluate the efficacy of changes made thus far. In related news, a June 2007 GAO report released on July 31 finds that improving the administrative and collaborative capacity of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) should improve the capacity for disaster preparedness and response.5 The EMAC, a voluntary mutual aid agreement, allows member states and territories to share resources during a disaster. The report found that although the EMAC is relatively effective in smaller emergency settings, policies, procedures, and practices have not been adapted for use of the EMAC in larger-scale, or different types, of catastrophic events.5 According to the report, “The EMAC network has begun to develop the basic administrative capacity necessary to facilitate efficient and effective sharing of resources between members in a disaster, but opportunities exist to further build and sustain these efforts.” GAO is making recommendations to DHS and the Department of Defense to increase administrative capacity to support EMAC and to develop guidance and formal procedures to help alleviate financial and administrative burdens on EMAC members in the event of a disaster. References
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