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Dismantling fema was a disaster { September 6 2005 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050906/EDIT02/509060316http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050906/EDIT02/509060316
Tuesday, September 6, 2005
Dismantling FEMA was a disaster
William R. Turner
As our nation and the people along the Gulf Coast region respond to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we will be reminded again just how important it is to have a federal agency that is capable of dealing with natural disasters like this one. This is a human tragedy, one that affects millions of people. It is beyond the capabilities of state and local government, thus it requires a federal response.
That makes this all the more difficult to understand why, over the last four years, the federal agency for dealing with such events, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has been all but dismantled by the Department of Homeland Security.
Whether elected officials realize it or not, homeland security now consists almost entirely of protection against terrorist acts. Most agencies are operated by law enforcement and military personnel who have little knowledge of emergency management or natural disaster preparedness. FEMA is no longer responsible for disaster preparedness. How much sense does it make that homeland security is in charge of preparing for natural disasters? FEMA once was one of the most efficient federal agencies, providing assistance and direction to Americans in times of disaster. But now it is lost in the homeland security bureaucracy.
It was Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, who last year fought to keep the Emergency Management Assistance Funds in the federal budget and keep the local emergency management agencies across the country open. Everyone else focused on Homeland Security, forgetting that we have natural disasters. Hopefully, Katrina has sent a wake-up call. Now is the time for the federal government to lead state and local governments to refocus attention on emergency management at all levels, with definite separation of emergency management and homeland security.
Emergency managers at the state and local level are confused about where they fit into the homeland security system. While the focus has been on terrorism, emergency managers knew that natural disasters would continue. Those of us who have been part of emergency management for years find ourselves still trying to focus on an "all-hazards" approach, but have been overwhelmed with the responsibilities of homeland security.
Yes, another terrorist attack is not only possible but likely, and we should be prepared for such an event. But tornadoes will continue to strike all across our nation, our river valleys will continue to flood each spring and summer, winter storms will cause power outages and snarl traffic, major earthquakes in time will occur in the Midwest as well as California, and all of these disaster must be prepared for on a weekly and daily basis by all levels of our government. All of these natural disasters will happen sooner or later, we know it and we must work everyday to mitigate the damage they will cause and prepare for the response when they do occur.
Sen. Voinovich looks like the wisest man in Congress today. If not for his support of emergency management, the situation we face today might be even worse. Hopefully, he will find many supporters now to continue the work of FEMA, as well as state and local emergency management agencies.
William R. Turner is director of the Butler County Emergency Management Agency.
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