Homeland Security chief plans to retool FEMA

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff this week unveiled what he called "initial recommendations" for changes at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, saying Hurricane Katrina was an "extraordinary test" that "simply overwhelmed" the agency's capabilities.

"One of the first things we must do is retool FEMA and enhance this vital agency's capabilities so that it can fulfill its historic and critical mission of supporting response and recovery," Chertoff told a special House committee investigating the government's response to the storm.

But the secretary defended a plan he had unveiled over the summer to make FEMA a stand-alone agency focusing on response and recovery efforts. Under the reorganization proposal, a separate Preparedness Directorate would be established.

Chertoff said the hurricane revealed shortcomings in FEMA's logistics, contracting and procurement systems, communications capabilities, ability to handle disaster-assistance calls and disperse aid, and staffing levels.

FEMA must have a plan for feeding and sheltering 500,000 evacuees or more, an improved system for rapid distribution of emergency funds and other aid, and effective anti-fraud measures, Chertoff said. It also must have the ability to rapidly remove debris so that supplies are not delayed because of impassible roads and so that affected residents can quickly begin rebuilding and repopulating impacted areas, he said.

The Homeland Security Department is setting up emergency reconnaissance teams that will go into disaster zones and report back, Chertoff said. They will include officials from FEMA, the Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies, such as Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Secret Service.

"The DHS programs supporting these teams already possess their own communications and aerial surveillance capabilities, such as helicopters and P-3 aircraft," Chertoff said. "Once in position, the teams will be able to relay up-to-the-minute, dependable information on which authorities could act confidently."

He said he also is in the process of designating "principal federal officers in waiting" in cities and areas that could face catastrophes. The officers will work with state and local officials on an ongoing basis so that if a catastrophe strikes, the relationships and processes to respond are already in place.

Additionally, Chertoff said he wants FEMA to be able "to move things around in a nimble way," similar to the "just-in-time" logistics plan used by many large, private companies. FEMA also should have mobile disaster assistance teams that can go into affected areas and find people in need, rather than waiting for people to come to them as happens now at disaster recovery centers, he said.

To improve communications, DHS is "looking at ways to adapt military and advanced private sector communication technology for emergency use," Chertoff said. "FEMA must work to replenish its ranks at the senior level with experienced staff," he added.

"I've brought in some experts from the private sector as well as from the military and inside the government to look at FEMA's business practices, to really re-engineer them for the 21st century," Chertoff told the lawmakers. "And, obviously as that study goes forward, that's going to identify additional things that we may need to do."

Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., criticized Chertoff's plan to use a "just-in-time" logistics strategy, saying he does not believe it would work during a disaster, especially when roads may not be passable.

"A hurricane is anything but an ideal world," Taylor said. "The aftermath of a nuclear, biological or chemical attack is going to be anything but an ideal world. The roads will not be passable. There will not be electricity. There will not be communications."

The government needs better plans to get people food, ice, water, tents and fuel, Taylor said. Chertoff said he agreed with the congressman.