5/29/09 SunSentinel.com: Obama: Residents clueless on hurricane plans

Obama: Residents clueless on hurricane plans

> Posted by William Gibson on May 29, 2009 05:50 PM

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2009/05/obama_residents_clueless_on_hu_1.html

Obama gets briefed by officials at FEMA (AP photo)

Citing public survey results, President Obama said today that “a huge percentage of people” in hurricane-prone areas are unprepared for major storms.

“They don’t have a plan, they don’t have a set of contingencies that will allow them to respond in an effective way,” the president said after being briefed on hurricane preparedness at the national headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Obama was apparently referring to a Mason-Dixon poll of coastal residents released on Thursday, which found that 55 percent did not have a family disaster plan and 83 percent have not taken steps to strengthen their homes.

It was his way of urging the public to get ready for hurricane season, which begins on Monday.

Obama and FEMA’s new administrator, Craig Fugate of Florida, have put much of the responsibility of preparations on the public.

They say that if most people are prepared, emergency-management officials can focus resources on those who are most vulnerable, such as the elderly and disabled.

Fugate urged people to consult a website, http://www.ready.gov/. “It will help you get ready for your disaster threats,” he said.

Craig Fugate

Obama said it’s pretty simple. “It’s a matter of having a basic emergency supply kit with items such as water, some non-perishable food, an all-weather radio, a flashlight, a first aid kit; making an emergency family plan; staying informed of developments in your area; and learning about your communityís emergency plans.”

Obama said states have the primary responsibility of preparing for disasters, “but theyíre going to have the full resources of the federal government backing them up.”

Fugate and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano have declared the nation well prepared for hurricane season.

But the Government Accountability Office, a research arm of Congress, issued a report today saying that FEMA has not completed plans for responding to major disasters and that the roles of key officials are undefined.

“FEMA must show how it is ready for hurricane season,” said Ben Smilowitz, executive director of the Disaster Accountability Project, an independent watchdog group. “Sweeping reassurances are not enough.”

William E. Gibson can be reached at Wgibson@SunSentinel.com or 202-824-8256.