Everyone should read this and understand how disaters like KAtrina can be mitigated and minimized. I don't have anything to say but Please read this story in the Houstan Chronicle.
"The advent of the Bush administration in January 2001 signaled the beginning of the end for FEMA. The newly appointed leadership of the agency showed little interest in its work or in the missions pursued by the departed Witt. Then came the Sept. 11 attacks and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. Soon FEMA was being absorbed into the "homeland security borg."
The author is no rabid Dem, but an expert.
Holdeman is director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.
link:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/editorial/outlook/3332040
More quotes:
"This year it was announced that FEMA is to "officially" lose the disaster preparedness function that it has had since its creation. The move is a death blow to an agency that was already on life support. In fact, FEMA employees have been directed not to become involved in disaster preparedness functions, since a new directorate (yet to be established) will have that mission."