Hurricane Katrina was a big threat to the coastal areas of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, and the governor declared a state of emergency in reaction towards potential destruction the hurricane may fall in New Orleans, a major city in Louisiana. To prepare for the threat of Hurricane Katrina, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), was sent to Louisiana to help aid the state. Later, a big disaster befalls in the state of Louisiana, and the governor declared a national evacuation. New Orleans, the heavily populated city, ordered its citizen to evacuate in the Superdome, with food, shelter, and rations being distributed. After the state evacuation was made, there was a shortage of food, water, and operable toilet facilities, thus creating …show more content…
First, Bush had created the Gulf Opportunity Zone- a government enterprise that he said would provide help on taxes, housing, education, and training for the victims of the hurricane. Secondly, Bush noted the he would ask Congress to pass the Urban Homesteading act to provide building sites on federal land through a lottery to low-income citizens, free of charge ( pg, 250). Lastly, a $10.5 billion given to FEMA for recovery efforts including shelter, food, and medical care. However, reconstruction and resettlement would cost around two to three times. (pg, 250). If Bush had executed a better plan for Hurricane Katrina, billions of government dollars would not have been spent …show more content…
I would have responded better to the hurricane knowing of its danger. Brown should have known that the hurricane was a level 4 or 5 danger and how dangerous it could pose. Due to his incompetence of the dangers Hurricane Katrina poses, he failed to respond and hundreds died, with many injuries included. It was also stated that Brown, “was aware that 20,000 people were at the Superdome after a news report came on 24 hours later.” He knew before had that the hurricane would cause massive damage, but he ignored it. Also, Bush’s staffing hired Brown not because of competence and demonstration but for individuals known for their strident conservative political beliefs and political loyalty. The problem is that FEMA would spend money on needless projects, criticized by politicians. If it were up to me, I would have carefully used government money, especially since Bush’s help costs two to three times
Within the political environment there are pre-existing issues that affected the Katrina crisis and made it worst. The main issue was that of constitutional power and whether in this case Bush should seize that power. Federal, state and local powers are divided and in general state that whatever the federal government is not entrusted with the state will handle to their abilities. When issues of national importance arise the federal government can take power under the Supremacy Clause but must be justified under national importance. Though the nation as a whole may have wanted the federal government and its resources to take over Bush’s office may have faced a congressional backlash. Another issue of historical value is that of sovereignty,
and federal funds. Soon after, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin ordered an evacuation of all
Hurricane Katrina, one of the most destructive hurricanes to whirl through the southern states of America in 2005, is probably one of the worst natural disasters of the United States in the 21st century. Damages from the storm were estimated at more than $100 billion . People living in the southern states fled north to reach safety from the storm after hearing about it being a category five hurricane on the news a few mornings before Katrina hit the shore. Authorities were doing what they were supposed to be doing, telling everyone to seek shelter, board up windows, head north and prepare for the storm. Everything in the beginning appeared to be just another
After reviewing the problems caused, what type of assistance should the citizens of New Orleans have expected from the federal government?
Even though it is the responsibility of the federal and state governments to aid citizens during times of disaster, the people devastated by Hurricane Katrina were not effectively facilitated as according to their rights as citizens of the United States. The government’s failures to deliver assistance to citizens stem from inadequate protection systems in place before the storm even struck. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security were the two largest incumbents in the wake of the storm. The failure of these agencies rests on the shoulders of those chosen to head the agency. These directors, appointed by then president George W. Bush, were not capable of leading large government agencies through a
FEMA was not able to provide effective disaster relief due to incompetent leadership. Those in charge, such as FEMA Director Michael D. Brown were unqualified and in power because of connections to the Bush Administration. Bush’s saving grace in this category was his quick passing of the “PATRIOT Act”. Though it can be argued that it was a poor decision in the long run, he responded quickly and innovatively in an attempt to protect America from potential terrorist attacks.
As the Gulf States begin the massive task of reconstruction after Hurricane Katrina, the nation is actively engaged in a dialogue concerning the lessons learned from this catastrophe, and the best options moving forward. Many are asking whether the aid package and policies proposed by President Bush are the right approach to rebuilding and restoring the region. While the hurricane shines a much needed spotlight on a number of societal issues, it is crucial that programs initiated in the storm¡¦s aftermath have the desired effect¡Xnot just regionally, but on a national scale. The devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina has raised other, more general public policy issues about emergency
In a time of crisis, the government response to the situation at hand was poor and inefficient. There were numerous flaws and errors in the relief plan proposed to the government which in turn led to delayed relief to victims in need. The immediate response phase after Katrina lasted roughly 12 days. During this time, “victims were evacuated, rescued, sheltered, and received medical care from first responders, charities and other non-governmental organizations, and private citizens”(McNeill, 2011). The fact that the U.S. government organizations were not the first responders to the disaster is shameful for our country.
Tariq HollandsworthURST 241Anthony PratoTHE STORMWhat government leaders, agencies, and officials were responsible for the political falloutof Katrina?● FEMA director Michael Brown gave a false and misleading statement about theeffort and effectiveness given by the president and governor to the public. Makingthe situation look as though it were being taken care of. He also said thegovernment just learned about the information “today”. Also says he couldn’thelp because he says the people didn’t ask exactly what they needed or a list ofpriorities. FEMA didn’t deliver any of the requests specifically from the 45 pagerequest sheet. Also the president didn’t make enough effort or initiative afterKatrina. It took the president 6 days
Hurricane Katrina is a historical storm that hit the United States on August 29, 2005. The country experienced the storm exactly four years after the occurrence of the terrorist attack on 9/11/2001. This was three years after the establishment of a crucial department of Homeland Security. However, regardless of the intensified concentration to homeland security, response to Hurricane Katrina was a huge failure. The unfortunate response was due to lack of adequate planning and ability to take care of the risks. The possibility of New Orleans experiencing the effects of Hurricane had been put into consideration for quite a long time. There were enough warning signs of the hurricane. Declarations and deliberations were made days before the landfall. However, responders did not transfigure this information into the extent of preparedness suitable with the range of the imminent disaster.
On August 29th, 2005 Hurricane Katrina caused catastrophic damage and flooding in Mississippi, Louisiana, New Orleans and areas in between. It destructed the lives and homes of thousands of people, with a total of 1,883 fatalities (Hurricane Katrina Statistics Fast Facts, 2015). Hurricane Katrina left many homeless and hospitals unprepared for the challenges posed to the healthcare system as a whole. Some of these challenges included gaining access to healthcare facilities, providing expedited care to those most in need, and preventing spread of disease that commonly occurs during natural disasters. Many facilities did not evacuate in time and many were left stranded in flooded waters as patients conditions worsened and access to essential medications and treatments became limited.
On the morning of August Twenty-ninth, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region. The storm brought the water to about twenty feet high, swallowing eighty percent of the New Orleans city immediately. The flood and torrential rainstorm wreaked havoc and forced millions of people evacuate from the city. According to the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, Katrina caused approximately one hundred and eight billion dollars in damage. Hurricane Katrina was one of the most destructive disasters have ever occurred in the United States, but it also revealed a catastrophic government at all levels’ failure in responding to the contingency.
Critics claim that the government’s mismanagement of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is to blame for the disappointing relief efforts. FEMA has been accused of taking too long to act and then for not even having a plan of action. Many people agree that the agency had no idea of just how much damage the storm caused and failed to accurately prepare for such a catastrophe (“Hurricane Katrina”, 2015). Senator Joseph Liberman stated, “’Government failures preparing for and responding to Hurricane Katrina allowed much more human suffering and property destruction to occur than should have. That is the sad and stunning fact’” (Shoup, 2005). Local officials accused FEMA of inadequate communication practices and lack of leadership. The Louisiana Governor complained saying, “’we wanted helicopters, food and water. They wanted to negotiate an organizational chart’” (Shoup, 2005). There were even “reports of FEMA turning down personnel and supplies offered by police forces and emergency crews” (Shoup, 2005). The director of the agency, Michael Brown came under a lot of fire for his execution of the relief efforts. His defense was simple: “no one could have prepared for the extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing flooding of New
First, the horrific events of Katrina were devastating to the citizens who were affected by this massive hurricane. Many people lost just about everything they owed and some even lost their lives. The federal government could have implemented a better strategy on how to take care of those affected. Before the hurricane made landfall, the state government should have put martial law in affect and deployed the National Guard to force people to leave their homes and seek shelter outside of the city or area that was going to be hit the hardest. The news networks should have sent out better information and outlined the hurricane evacuation routes more effectively. The people who were left behind and survived the hurricane should have been provided
Natural Disaster have affected many cities across the world in so many different countries but the one incident that stands out to me is the natural disaster that took place in New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans stood out to me because it my favorite city in the United States that I have visited due to its rich culture and history going back to the slavery days being the main import location. Also, New Orleans is the city in which two of my uncles currently live and have been living in for the past 20 years. This incident went by the name of Hurricane Katrina and would leave a devastating impact on The Big Easy.