Disaster Preparedness Report Shows Modest Progress
October 15, 2010 (WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement in response to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report on disaster preparedness planning. The report, entitled "FEMA’s Preparedness for the Next Catastrophic Disaster – An Update", is a high level assessment of FEMA’s progress in preparedness planning since its previous 2008 report.
The report found that FEMA has made progress in responding to catastrophic disasters, especially with regards to emergency communications. Nevertheless, there still is substantive work to be done in terms of overreliance on contractors, staffing levels, contractor oversight, and coordination with state, local, and tribal leaders.
“I commend FEMA for all the efforts it has taken to thrive within the Department and improve its response to catastrophic disasters. The report makes clear, however, that much work still needs to be done. The Committee will continue to work with FEMA to address these challenges before we are faced with another large scale disaster.”
# # #
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact Dena Graziano or Adam Comis at (202) 225-9978
