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Skriven 2006-02-23 23:33:26 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (060223) for Thu, 2006 Feb 23
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Fact Sheet: The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 23, 2006

Fact Sheet: The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned


ÿÿÿÿÿThe Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned

Today, The Administration Released Its Review Of The Federal Response To
Hurricane Katrina. The President's charge to evaluate the Federal
government's response to the storm resulted in the report and
recommendations released today by the Administration, The Federal Response
to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned. The product of an extensive review,
led by the President's Homeland Security Advisor Fran Townsend, the Report
identifies deficiencies in the Federal government's response and lays the
groundwork for transforming how the Nation - from every level of
government, to the private sector, to individual citizens and communities -
pursues a real and lasting vision of emergency preparedness and response.

The Lessons Learned Report Assesses The Federal Response, Identifies
Lessons Learned, And Recommends Appropriate Corrective Actions. The Report
identifies the systemic problems in Federal emergency preparedness and
response revealed by Hurricane Katrina - and the best solutions to address
them. Where actions at the State and local level had bearing on Federal
decisions or operations, they are included in order to provide full
context. The Lessons Learned report includes:
  þ 17 lessons the Executive Branch has learned after reviewing and
    analyzing the response to Katrina;
  þ 125 specific recommendations to the President, which have been reviewed
    by relevant Federal departments and agencies, and will now enter an
    implementation process; and
  þ 11 critical actions to be completed before June 1, 2006 - the first day
    of the next hurricane season.

The President's Charge: The Government Will Learn The Lessons Of Hurricane
Katrina

President Bush Ordered A Comprehensive Review Of The Federal Response To
Hurricane Katrina. In his September 15, 2005, address to the Nation from
Jackson Square in New Orleans, the President made clear that the Federal
government would learn the lessons of Hurricane Katrina so we as a Nation
can make the necessary changes to be "better prepared for any challenge of
nature, or act of evil men, that could threaten our people."

Hurricane Katrina Was A Deadly Reminder That We Can And Must Do Better In
Responding To Emergencies. Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent sustained
flooding of New Orleans exposed significant flaws in our national
preparedness for catastrophic events and our capacity to respond to them.
Emergency plans at all levels of government - including the 600-page
National Response Plan that set forth the Federal government's plan to
coordinate all its departments and agencies and integrate them with State,
local, and private sector partners - were put to the test and came up
short.

The Federal Response To Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned

We Are Not As Prepared As We Need To Be At All Levels: Federal, State,
Local, Community, And Individual. Hurricane Katrina obligates us to
re-examine how the Federal government is organized to address the full
range of potential catastrophic events - both natural and man-made.

Hurricane Katrina And Its Aftermath Provide Us With The Imperative To
Design And Build A Unified System. The Lessons Learned Report confirms the
imperative of integrating and synchronizing the Nation's homeland security
policies, strategies, and plans across Federal, State, and local
governments, as well as the private sector, non-governmental organizations
(NGOs), faith-based groups, communities, and individual citizens. To
achieve this, the Report identifies three immediate priorities:
  þ First, we must implement a comprehensive National Preparedness System
    to make certain that we have a fully national system that ensures unity
    of effort in preparing for and responding to natural and man-made
    disasters;
  þ Second, we must create a Culture of Preparedness that emphasizes that
    the entire Nation - at all levels of government, the private sector,
    communities, and individual citizens - shares common goals and
    responsibilities for homeland security; and
  þ Third, we must implement corrective actions to ensure we do not repeat
    the problems encountered during Hurricane Katrina.

    A Comprehensive National Preparedness System

      þ The Existing National Preparedness System Must Be Improved To
        Minimize The Impact Of Disasters On Lives, Property, And The
        Economy. Pursuant to the National Strategy for Homeland Security,
        the President directed the creation of a comprehensive national
        preparedness system in Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8
        (HSPD-8), starting with a national domestic all-hazards
        preparedness goal. In response, the Department of Homeland Security
        (DHS) has developed an Interim National Preparedness Goal. We must
        now translate this Goal into a robust preparedness system that
        includes integrated plans, procedures, training, and capabilities
        at all levels of government. The System must also incorporate the
        private sector, NGOs, faith-based and other grassroots groups,
        communities, and individual citizens. The objective of our National
        Preparedness System must be to achieve and sustain risk-based
        target levels of capability to prevent, protect against, respond
        to, and recover from major natural disasters, terrorist incidents,
        and other emergencies.
      þ The Response To Hurricane Katrina Revealed A Lack Of Familiarity
        With Incident Management, Planning Discipline, And Field-Level
        Crisis Leadership. Going forward, the Federal government must
        clearly articulate national preparedness goals and objectives. It
        must create the infrastructure for ensuring unity of effort. The
        Federal government must manage the National Preparedness System for
        measuring effectiveness and assessing preparedness at all levels of
        government. The Lessons Learned report outlines five elements that
        are critical for a National Preparedness System:

         1. Building and integrating the Federal government's operational
            capability for emergency preparedness and response;
         2. Strengthening DHS's capacity to direct the Federal response
            effort while providing resources to responders in the field;
         3. Ensuring unity of effort and eliminating red tape and delays in
            providing Federal assistance to disaster areas;
         4. Strengthening homeland security education, exercises, and
            training programs; and
         5. Ensuring that homeland security assessments, lessons learned,
            and corrective action programs are institutionalized throughout
            the Federal government.

    Creating A Culture Of Preparedness

      þ The Creation Of A Culture Of Preparedness Will Emphasize That The
        Entire Nation Shares Common Goals And Responsibilities For Homeland
        Security. A Culture of Preparedness must build a sense of shared
        responsibility among individuals, communities, the private sector,
        NGOs, faith-based groups, and Federal, State, and local
        governments. Our homeland security is built on a foundation of
        partnerships. The Lessons Learned Report outlines four principles
        to guide the development of a Culture of Preparedness:

         1. A prepared Nation will be a long-term continuing challenge;
         2. Initiative and innovation must be recognized and rewarded at
            all levels;
         3. Individuals must play a central role in preparing themselves
            and their families for emergencies; and
         4. Federal, State, and local governments must work in partnership
            with each other and the private sector.

    Ensuring That The Federal Government Does Not Repeat Problems
    Encountered During Hurricane Katrina

      þ Changes Must Be Made Immediately To Prepare For The 2006 Hurricane
        Season. The 2006 hurricane season is just over three months away.
        Even while the process to implement the lessons learned from
        Katrina is underway, there are specific steps the Federal
        government can and should take now to be better prepared for future
        emergencies. The Lessons Learned Report recommends 11 critical
        actions to strengthen Federal response capabilities before June 1,
        2006, many of which the Administration has already begun to
        implement:

         1. Ensure that relevant Federal, State, and local decision-makers,
            including leaders of State National Guards, are working
            together and in close proximity to one another in the event of
            another disaster;
         2. Ensure that for events preceded by warning, we are prepared to
            pre-position an interagency Federal Joint Field Office (JFO) to
            coordinate and, if necessary, direct Federal support to the
            disaster;
         3. Ensure situational awareness by establishing rapid deployable
            communications, as well as instituting a structure to
            consolidate Federal operational reporting with DHS;
         4. Embed a single Department of Defense point of contact at the
            JFO and FEMA regional offices to enhance coordination of
            military resources supporting the response;
         5. Designate locations throughout the country for receiving,
            staging, moving, and integrating military resources to ensure
            the most effective deployment of Federal disaster relief
            personnel and assets;
         6. Identify and develop rosters of Federal, State, and local
            government personnel who are prepared to assist in disaster
            relief;
         7. Employ all available technology to update and utilize the
            national Emergency Alert System in order to provide the public
            with advanced notification of and instruction for disasters and
            emergencies;
         8. Encourage States to pre-contract with service providers for key
            disaster relief needs, such as debris removal and the provision
            of critical commodities;
         9. Enhance the mechanism for providing Federal funds to States for
            preparations upon warning of an imminent emergency;
        10. Improve the delivery of assistance to disaster victims by
            streamlining registration, expediting eligibility decisions,
            tracking movements of displaced victims, and incorporating
            safeguards against fraud; and
        11. Enhance ongoing review of State evacuation plans and
            incorporate planning for Continuity of Government to ensure the
            continuation of essential and emergency services.

Transforming The Federal Response To Future Emergencies

Acting On The Recommendations In The Lessons Learned Report Will Enable The
Federal Government To Respond To Natural And Man-Made Disasters More
Effectively And Efficiently. The lessons of Hurricane Katrina cannot be
learned and put into action without change. As the Federal government works
to implement the near-term critical activities and 125 recommendations,
State and local governments, the private sector, NGOs, faith-based and
community organizations, the media, communities, and individuals should
undertake a review of their respective roles and responsibilities in
preparing for and responding to catastrophic events.

Together, We Will Strengthen Our Ability To Prepare For, Protect Against,
Respond To, And Recover From Catastrophic Events. The lessons learned from
Hurricane Katrina and the recommendations set forth in today's Report will
yield preparedness dividends that transcend Federal, State and local
boundaries. Their full implementation will help the entire Nation achieve a
shared commitment to preparedness.

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