5/6/09 Daily Iberian (LA): Don’t miss Project’s findings

http://www.iberianet.com/articles/2009/05/06/opinion/editorials/doc4a01ddd0ecb06160595108.txt

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Don’t miss Project’s findings

Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 2:07 PM CDT

STEPHEN HEMELT

CITY EDITOR

Organizers behind the Disaster Accountability Project said Tuesday it found gaps in planning by local officials in charge of working with the state to move more than 1 million people out of the coastal danger zone if a hurricane threatens.

The Connecticut-based group said with hurricane season just weeks away, many South Louisiana parishes cannot show their disaster plans cover evacuation of at-risk populations such as the disabled, the homeless and the elderly.

Louisiana disaster officials quickly pointed out this week that the student-led watchdog group does not have the expertise to point out or judge hurricane response in this state.

Deano Bonano, head of the Jefferson Parish homeland security office, told the Associated Press Tuesday, “How are law students qualified to evaluate emergency management? My concern is that they might cause fear among Jefferson Parish citizens. It’s not a legitimate or a Louisiana-based group. What are their qualifications to comment on hurricane plans?”

Although Bonanoís point was valid, totally discounting the study would be foolish for a state victimized in the past for poor hurricane evacuation planning.

The students did not have specific training in emergency planning, but Disaster Accountability Project said every local government should be able to provide a clear and easy-to-understand plan to residents.

That part is true. The average Louisiana coastal resident does not have training in emergency planning, but he or she surely should be allowed to log onto their parishís Web site and read about evacuation plans.

The Disaster Accountability Project listed 11 parishes as either refusing, being evasive or unresponsive with its work. Iberia Parish was said to have cooperated in January but refused a Project request in March. A call seeking comment from the Iberia homeland security office representative Jim Anderson was not returned because Anderson will not be back in the office until Friday.

Mistakes in the Project’s work went along the line of citing various parishes for a lack of homeless response (even though many coastal parishes have few homeless) and questioning why plans were not in place to evacuate day-care centers and schools. Louisiana residents know hurricanes do not pop up like tornados and therefore schools and day-care centers do not need evacuation plans because those facilities would already have been closed.

However, local officials would be doing residents of disservice to totally dismiss the Project study, which is available at www.disasteraccountability.com.

There is never too much information with planning for hurricane evacuation. If one thing can be gained from this latest study, then it is worthwhile.

STEPHENHEMELT

CITYEDITOR