The Buzz

Coast Guard Can-Do

Here, with minor editing, is a firsthand account of search-and-rescue operations over New Orleans by Capt. Bruce Jones, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Air Station there:

All Coast Guard units on the Gulf and East coasts have thorough hurricane plans. We exercise them every time a hurricane approaches. We conduct drills. We review and update the plans. We are required by higher authority to report attainment of increasing levels of preparation as hurricanes approach within 96, 72, 48 and 24 hours of landfall.

We secured the air station during the several days prior to Katrina. On Sunday morning, Aug. 28, the only people remaining were the crew for five helicopters and three support personnel. I sent off two helicopters to Houston in the morning. The last three (including myself) left at 2 p.m. for Lake Charles, where we determined the helicopters would be in no danger from high winds. As the eye came ashore Monday morning, we (three helicopter crews) ate breakfast at an International House of Pancakes.

We determined that it should be safe to fly over the city no later than 4 p.m. and possibly earlier. We then flew further east and restaged in Houma, La., southwest of New Orleans. There, the winds were about 45 knots and we waited a short while until we felt it was safe to work north toward New Orleans behind the storm.

The first helicopter rescue was at 2:50 p.m., over Port Sulfur, La., a hoist of two adults and an infant. From then on, there were Coast Guard helicopters over New Orleans every minute for the next six days.

Without any power at our base operations center, only one cell phone working and virtually no communication with our chain of command, we were still able to coordinate a successful rescue operation (our part of it). How? When operational units see an urgent need they are trained, empowered and expected to react immediately. Particularly in Coast Guard aviation, we are accustomed to operating independently with poor communications and poor information (for example, when operating far offshore). So rather than assume a "deer in the headlights" look because there's no one to tell us what to do, we spring to action. It wouldn't occur to us to do it differently.

Coast Guard Station New Orleans personnel were back at their station on Lake Pontchartrain at 3 p.m. the day of the hurricane. They quickly cleared their building of looters, and began launching vessels into the nearby floodwaters to rescue survivors. Their force grew rapidly over the next several days, and personnel lived in very crude conditions without habitable sleeping quarters or toilets. They are real heroes who did not get the attention that the helicopter crews did!

Katrina Contracting

Federal agencies still were doing Hurricane Katrina damage assessment when the Defense Acquisition University set up its Hurricane Katrina Community of Practice.

It lives on the university's Acquisition Community Connection Web page, https://acc.dau.mil, a collection of information, collaborative environments and resources for acquisition professionals.

Its goal is to connect procurement staffers across government and industry and speed transmission of knowledge and successful techniques.

Almost immediately after the magnitude of Katrina damage and relief needs became obvious, federal procurement rules were loosened to aid in recovery. With flexible requirements came a tighter focus on oversight.

Congress provided $51.8 billion for hurricane relief efforts, but also set aside $15 million for the Homeland Security Department inspector general's office. In addition, lawmakers proposed a variety of oversight and auditing bills.

Homeland Security In-spector General Richard L. Skinner also announced on Sept. 19 the creation of the Office of Hurricane Katrina Oversight to oversee the management of all contracts, grants and government operations related to relief, and to coordinate auditing activities of the other departments and agencies to which FEMA has transferred funds as part of the effort.

The Hurricane Katrina Community of Practice is a one-stop information source for agencies and industry supporting the relief efforts.

Sky Posse

Disenchanted with government's response to big problems such as Sept. 11, Katrina and illegal immigration, Americans are acting on their own. Hard on the heels of the Minuteman Project volunteers guarding U.S. borders comes the Sky Posse, citizens who vow to fight back should terrorists attempt to take over airplanes.

Launched on Sept. 11 this year, the program urges airline passengers to wear badges to indicate to terrorists and other fliers that they will resist attempts to commandeer planes. According to the Web site (www.skyposse.com/index.htm): "[The Transportation Security Administration], cabin crews, cockpit crews, the federal government and many, many others are focused on air safety. . . . Much like the recent victims of Katrina, the ultimate responsibility rest (sic) with the individuals affected. The chaos caused by natural disasters or acts of terrorism cannot be controlled or resolved by central government. It is up to you!"

The project is not affiliated with law enforcement, security agencies or the Homeland Security Department, and members are not authorized to carry weapons or interfere with cabin crew members or air marshals.The 3/4-inch pins, made to resemble a Western deputy's badge, carry the slogan "Ready to Roll" and the number 93 in honor of the passengers on United Flight 93, who attempted to resist hijacking on 9/11. The plane crashed near Shanksville, Pa.

"In the spirit of the heroes of Flight 93 who fought back, Sky Posse is a means of demonstrating a visible symbol that you are one American who will fight back," the Web site states.

"We are in touch with cabin and cockpit unions, security agencies and major airlines promoting the concept," says Jim Walker, vice president for sales and marketing for Sky Posse. "This is a patriotic, American, grass-roots program that is available to all concerned citizens and frequent fliers."