Norton Gets Assurances from FEMA Director on Readiness for Gustav (8/31/08)

Norton Gets Assurances from FEMA Director on Readiness for Gustav

August 31, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management with jurisdiction over FEMA, this evening spoke with FEMA Director David Paulson in Washington before he left for Texas, after meeting with the President. The conversation reassured her that major lessons had been learned from Hurricane Katrina. Norton was concerned about earlier reports that very sick children in units requiring access to emergency medical equipment could not be moved, and, therefore, medical personnel were remaining with them. But Paulson told her that military from Northcom were flying out these patients, as well as fragile patients from nursing homes.

Paulson assured the Congresswoman that as of now there had been total evacuation from the areas in the path of the Hurricane Gustav. Officials evacuated 700 buses, handling people without long lines. Trains had taken 2,000 to Memphis, and 1,000 more were scheduled to leave this afternoon. The Congresswoman was surprised to learn, also, that most residents had evacuated in cars, perhaps indicating that many of the poorest residents had not returned to the area.

Norton, who has held several hearings on lessons learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, asked Paulson about state and local cooperation that was the subject of finger-pointing after these hurricanes. But Paulson said not only had state and local cooperation been good this time, but the governors of four states - Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama - were working together across state lines. For example, the contra-flow reverse highway direction with all lanes open only to leave the hurricane area is operating in Mississippi, Texas, and Louisiana. However, Norton has continuing concern, as does Paulson, that the storm may be headed toward the west levies, which were not challenged during Katrina when the east levies failed. Because of the chaos in the [Super Dome] in New Orleans, Norton wanted to know where people would stay upon evacuation. According to Paulson, Red Cross is staffing shelters in community colleges, high schools, and similar facilities, where FEMA has pre-positioned food and water. Apparently 1,700 National Guard troops are working in the New Orleans area, and 10,000 more are deployed along the Gulf Coast.