9/6/07: DISASTER RESPONSE OVERSIGHT GROUP CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO DHS LEADERSHIP FAILURES
September 6, 2007
Contact: Ben Smilowitz (314) 761-7631
Ben@DisasterAccountability.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
DISASTER RESPONSE OVERSIGHT GROUP CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO HOMELAND SECURITY LEADERSHIP FAILURES
Congressional Time Would Be Better Spent Listening To Whistleblowers In Homeland Security and FEMA About Agenciesí Disaster Preparedness Deficiencies
Today, the United States Government Accountability Office will release a 320 page report that will say: “DHS has made limited progress in the areas of emergency preparedness and response.” Also today, the US Senate’s Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs will be hearing from The Honorable David M. Walker, Comptroller General, United States Government Accountability Office and The Honorable Paul A. Schneider, Under Secretary for Management, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“The latest report confirms that Homeland Security and FEMA are dysfunctional. There have been countless reports since Katrina and many make the same recommendations, over and over. Instead of hearing from Homeland Security’s top brass, Congress ought to hear from whistleblowers within the department,” says Ben Smilowitz, Director, Disaster Accountability Project. “We are in the middle of a hurricane season that produced two category five storms in as many weeks. Homeland Securityís leadership should be investigated.”
The recently formed, non-partisan Disaster Accountability Project is tracking recommendations to improve the nation’s disaster prevention, response, relief, and recovery systems via its website and a toll free hotline (866-9-TIP-DAP). Over 500 recommendations from 16 reports are now posted online. There have been thousands of recommendations for improvement since Katrina and many are collecting dust.
A toll-free hotline (866-9-TIP-DAP) is also available as a public service for disaster survivors, workers and volunteers to report critical service gaps that must be made public and addressed. The group is recruiting a network of Disaster Accountability Monitors and Bloggers to help report, verify, and raise awareness about gaps in disaster relief services.
The Disaster Accountability Project’s website is https://disasteraccountability.org
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