NATIONAL GUIDANCE ON HURRICANE KATRINA
Introduction
In the event of a natural disaster such as Hurricane Katrina, the federal government is often faced with a dilemma (in the disaster response process) determining if to be actively involved or a “hands-on” role. In this case, it becomes evident that the federal government tends to face the challenge of deciding whether to let other governing institutions handle the disaster management process. In such a situation, the rule of rational choice tends to play a vital role in directing decision-makers in the federal government to consider an alternative that considers the benefit of an option over cost. From this ideological perspective, it becomes evident that in instances of a natural disaster such as Hurricane Katrina, the government should consider a decision that facilitates the provision of public goods and maintains law and order. For example: In the event of Hurricane Katrina, EPA moved swiftly to suspend boutique fuel requirements resulting in the reopening of the American market to foreign refiners after the disaster. The federal government, therefore, facilitated the recovery of the region’s economic activity. With this in mind, it is noted that for effective natural disaster response, the government should take up an active role in mobilizing disaster management efforts during incidents such as Hurricane Katrina. All in all, the responsibility for dealing with National Emergencies does not just belong to the Federal government. It lies on the shoulders of local and state governments to manage the response to National disasters.
In light of the fact that the crisis standards of care response tend to entail the combination of efforts of emergency management and response, public health, and health care systems. There is always a significant need for effective interaction between private and public actors, state, and local authorities. In quite some cases, the health care component of crisis standards (CSC) of care response tends to take place in the private sector. From this ideological perspective, it becomes evident that governments at all levels should take up an active role in coordinating and leading CSC implementation and planning efforts. With this in mind, it becomes apparent that State and local governments are expected to be responsible for coordinating responses to disasters in their respective jurisdiction. Local government is uniquely positioned in the state’s organizational structure to interact with both the communities and state governments. Because of this, local governments are expected to facilitate effective communication some of the city’s needs to the federal government for effective disaster management measures to be put into consideration.
In quite some cases, emergencies that rise to the level of CSC are considered to be multijurisdictional, multistate, or even state-wide. With this in mind, such emergencies tend to require federal, state, regional, and local authorities to take up the role of providing emergency services that help manage the disaster incident. The overall collaboration of both state and local authority tend to facilitate effective disaster management. In a nutshell, state and local governments should be actively involved in identifying the most affected areas and facilitate the effective allocation of the required resources.
It is evident that in the event of Hurricane Katrina, approximately 150 countries managed to volunteer to offer cash and supplies to the United States. With this in mind, significant donations were received with countries such as Thailand offering rice and sixty doctors as a gesture for support during the disaster. Significant cash donations were also received from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait. Other countries such as Canada managed to offer support by sending helpers, helicopters, and navy ships to counter Hurricane Katrina’s effects on the local communities. With the donations and support that the U.S government was receiving during the natural disaster, through FEMA, the federal government took up the responsibility of responding to the disaster.
When Hurricane Katrina hit on August 29th, FEMA managed to mobilize 1000 homeland security workers as a direct response to provide aid to the affected city. In trying to organize the response towards the disaster that had taken place, FEMA requested ambulances and firefighters to respond to emergencies without being mobilized by the state and local authorities. The initiative ended up slowing the response towards the disaster. It was also noted that FEMA also seemed to be unwilling to accept help from non-governmental agencies. For example, the American Red Cross was not allowed into New Orleans, hence unable to supplement the government’s response. As the situation unfolded, it became clear that the government effort was inefficient and inadequate. It is noted that despite the number of government workers in the affected area, the hurricane continued to cause chaos, with people being stranded and looters robbing everywhere in New Orleans.
Hurricane Katrina’s devastating aftermath successfully exposed a series of deep-rooted issues relating to disaster management in the United States. Some of these issues include the lack of preparedness for the storm in the affected region, difficulty in rescue and search efforts, and controversies over the federal government’s overall response. From a broad perspective, it is noted that Katrina’s victims were mainly African Americans and low-income individuals who lost their homes. Putting in mind that the response towards Hurricane Katrina was not efficient, significant blame lies on the low participation of the state and local governments in coordinate response measures. It is quite evident that FEMA should have effectively communicated with the New Orleans state and local government to facilitate the effective distribution of resources such as ambulances and firefighter. In a nutshell, the state and local government should have played the role of identifying where the resources were most needed and providing immediate help to those affected. FEMA also bears significant blame because it did not give the private sector (American Red Cross) to supplement the government’s response.
All in all, Hurricane Katrina’s effects would not have been severe as they were if the federal government collaborated with both state or local government and the private sector. The lack of strategy and coordination in the Urban Search and rescue is an attributing factor to the government’s failure in the disaster management process. It is there clear that there needs to be an improvement in the manner in which the government responds to natural disasters. Responsibility for dealing with National Emergencies does not just belong to the Federal government. It lies on the shoulders of local and state governments to manage the response to National disasters.