NCJ Number
218452
Date Published
May 2007
Length
46 pages
Annotation
This testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security summarizes the U.S. Government Accountability Office's (GAO's) findings on the challenges facing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in preparing for and responding to catastrophic and major disasters, and it discusses disaster management issues that require congressional attention.
Abstract
GAO's analysis of the preparation for and response to Hurricane Katrina showed the need for clearly defined and understood leadership roles and responsibilities, development of capabilities to prepare for and respond to disasters, and the installation of accountability systems that balance the need for fast and flexible response with the need to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. Of particular concern are the roles and responsibilities of Federal Coordinating Officers (FCOs), who have been assigned to regions that include States at risk for hurricanes. FCOs have the authority to make mission assignments to Federal agencies for response and recovery. Also of concern is the role and responsibilities of the Principal Federal Official (PFO), whose role is to provide assessments of situations to the Secretary of Homeland Security. Developing the ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from major and catastrophic disaster requires an overall national preparedness effort that will integrate and define what needs to be done, where, and by whom; how it should be done; and how well it should be done as measured by performance standards. Response capabilities must be developed in the areas of situational assessment and awareness, emergency communications, evacuations, search and rescue, logistics, and mass care and sheltering. Among the five issues mentioned for congressional attention is the assessment of State and local capabilities and the use of Federal grants in building and sustaining the capabilities. Appended supplementary information