FEMA at it's crossroads

[Downdraft]

For 10 years FEMA under the direction of James Lee Witt FEMA was a model to the world of an agency that could handle disasters. Despite how many Andrew survivors feel, looking back FEMA wasn't the real problem in Andrew relief. Now, things have changed and unfortunately for the worse. I think it's safe to say as a Floridian that FEMA's marks for 2004 in our state are less than sterling. The disgrace of paying millions of dollars to people in the Metro-Dade area that weren't even impacted by the 4 landfalling hurricanes last year has raised many eyebrows.
FEMA is an agency that needs to be able to respond virtually on a moments notice to crisis events around our country. Personally, I believe it is hamstrung now in the beauracratic mess we call the Department of Homeland Security. What FEMA needs are people like Rudy Guillani or General Honore that cut the strings and just get the job done. My hope is that once we finally get to the stage where we can rationally look at how we did with Katrina we recognize the need to once again make FEMA it's own independent agency. I'm not going to judge Brown's competence to lead FEMA but he may very well be to much of a beauracrat to get the job done. He certainly doesn't inspire the type of visual leadership we need in situations like this.

[themusk]

For 10 years FEMA under the direction of James Lee Witt FEMA was a model to the world of an agency that could handle disasters. Despite how many Andrew survivors feel, looking back FEMA wasn't the real problem in Andrew relief. Now, things have changed and unfortunately for the worse. I think it's safe to say as a Floridian that FEMA's marks for 2004 in our state are less than sterling. The disgrace of paying millions of dollars to people in the Metro-Dade area that weren't even impacted by the 4 landfalling hurricanes last year has raised many eyebrows.
FEMA is an agency that needs to be able to respond virtually on a moments notice to crisis events around our country. Personally, I believe it is hamstrung now in the beauracratic mess we call the Department of Homeland Security. What FEMA needs are people like Rudy Guillani or General Honore that cut the strings and just get the job done. My hope is that once we finally get to the stage where we can rationally look at how we did with Katrina we recognize the need to once again make FEMA it's own independent agency. I'm not going to judge Brown's competence to lead FEMA but he may very well be to much of a beauracrat to get the job done. He certainly doesn't inspire the type of visual leadership we need in situations like this.

I think we'd be better off with a not-so-household-name emergency management professional to head FEMA. That's why James Lee Witt did such a good job, and that's what past capable directors were. The General is good at doing his part, and the Mayor did his part, and either would be politically popular and tempting for a politician to support as the head of FEMA, but neither of them are professionals exclusively dedicated to emergency management, and neither would be familiar with the nuances of the job.

It's better for us that we and our leaders avoid temptation and go with our blander, less glamorous, good sense.

[Downdraft]

For 10 years FEMA under the direction of James Lee Witt FEMA was a model to the world of an agency that could handle disasters. Despite how many Andrew survivors feel, looking back FEMA wasn't the real problem in Andrew relief. Now, things have changed and unfortunately for the worse. I think it's safe to say as a Floridian that FEMA's marks for 2004 in our state are less than sterling. The disgrace of paying millions of dollars to people in the Metro-Dade area that weren't even impacted by the 4 landfalling hurricanes last year has raised many eyebrows.
FEMA is an agency that needs to be able to respond virtually on a moments notice to crisis events around our country. Personally, I believe it is hamstrung now in the beauracratic mess we call the Department of Homeland Security. What FEMA needs are people like Rudy Guillani or General Honore that cut the strings and just get the job done. My hope is that once we finally get to the stage where we can rationally look at how we did with Katrina we recognize the need to once again make FEMA it's own independent agency. I'm not going to judge Brown's competence to lead FEMA but he may very well be to much of a beauracrat to get the job done. He certainly doesn't inspire the type of visual leadership we need in situations like this.

I think we'd be better off with a not-so-household-name emergency management professional to head FEMA. That's why James Lee Witt did such a good job, and that's what past capable directors were. The General is good at doing his part, and the Mayor did his part, and either would be politically popular and tempting for a politician to support as the head of FEMA, but neither of them are professionals exclusively dedicated to emergency management, and neither would be familiar with the nuances of the job.

It's better for us that we and our leaders avoid temptation and go with our blander, less glamorous, good sense.

Good Point! The challenge will be finding someone totally qualified that can also inspire confidence in front of a t.v. camera.