Katrina Debacle And Post-9/11 EM Regime Of America

Emergency management is a crucial mission that a government should perform to protect its citizens from man-made and natural hazards.The United States initiated a significant transformation on its EM regime after 9/11, with the advent of the Department of Homeland Security being a landmark event. Through incorporating the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other bureaucratic functions, the Department was charged with the primary federal EM responsibility.Hurricane Katrina made landfall on New Orleans on August 29, 2005. It killed more than 1,300 people, destroyed 30,000 homes and caused an estimated economic loss of $125 - $150 billion. Appalled and outraged, people questioned why Katrina made such devastating consequences, and whether there were any significant connections between the post-9/11 transformation and the EM debacle in the hurricane.It was evident that the direct and primary goal of the transformation was to avoid another terrorist attack. The natural disaster function of EM consequently lacked adequate resources of funds, programs and personnel, and operated without reasonable guiding methodology. In the mean time, the Department of Homeland Security committed many mistakes in the response to Katrina.Through the analysis of EM performances in the hurricane, it is concluded that the anti-terrorism predominance depleted the country's capability to tackle natural disasters and was accountable to Katrina Debacle.