Article 109. After Four Years the FEMA Bureaucratic Disaster Continues
Apparently Homeland Security has not been able to solve its Katrina bureaucratic problems after four years. A recounting of the latest problems are given followed by my recommendations for FEMA disaster management.
From a CBS News Investigation and report:
“Within hours of her arrival, the acting head of FEMA, Nancy Ward, took action: Stopping short of firing or suspending embattled Chief of Staff Doug Whitmer, Ward instead temporarily reassigned him to a FEMA office in Texas, CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports.”
”…Whitmer was the subject of more than 30 employee-related complaints in the last year, including several for harassment. “
“We need to insure we get all the facts before we do anything, and make any changes,” Ward said.
In addition, CBS News has learned James Stark would no longer head the New Orleans recovery office - but would retain his other job overseeing recovery across the Gulf Coast.
In the exclusive CBS News report, more than a dozen current and former FEMA employees detailed a so-called “toxic bureaucracy” inside the New Orleans office responsible for Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts - a hostile work environment, they claimed, created by Chief of Staff Doug Whitmer and tolerated by his boss, Jim Stark.
“Jim approves everything that Doug does so, ultimately, the problem is Jim,” said one former employee who did not want to be identified.
Now there are new questions about whether Stark misled Congress in his testimony on Wednesday when he was asked about a litany of employee complaints.
“The problems that you just enumerated came to light last week,” Stark said.
But documents obtained by CBS News show Stark was informed about at least two of the sexual harassment complaints against Whitmer last October.
Last night Stark offered this explanation to CBS affiliate WWL in New Orleans: “The question I thought the congressman was asking was about the widespread allegations of workplace problems around our office and that’s what I answered.”
Today Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu said she’s becoming increasingly frustrated with Stark’s answers.
“We’re getting nothing from Jim Stark except ‘no, no, no’ and our people are tired of it,” she said. “We need an innovative manager - he has shown himself not to be.”
”While millions of Gulf Coast residents somehow manage to hold on - waiting for this sideshow to end, and the floodgates of recovery to fully open.”
Lawrence Rosier FEMA Recommendations: If you have read my other articles on the Katrina bureaucratic disaster the problem is the “Bureaucratic structured” form of government. The best way to fix the problem is to change the structure to Steering Management Teams which head rescue, recovery, damage assessment and rebuilding. Here are my recommendations for FEMA disaster management.
1. Setup a Command Support Center just out side of the disaster area and safely away from the disaster zone. In the case of a hurricane this can be done as soon as the strike location of the hurricane is known. During the Katrina hurricane a Command Control Center was set up at Baton Rouge. From there all activities related to Katrina were directed. I am recommending that this should be only a support center and not a command center.
2. Immediately after the disaster has occurred a Mobile Command Center is setup at the disaster site. The site is managed by a high level Rescue Steering Team of stake holders. In the case of Katrina Vice-Admiral Thad Allen of the US Coast Guard, Mayor Ray Nagin and Governor Kathleen Blanco eventually became this Steering Team. Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco delegated their authority over fire police and National Guard to Vice-Admiral Thad Allen but were on call 24 -7. This team has a rescue function which lasts several weeks until the recovery phase begins.
3. The Recovery Steering Team has responsibility for the recovery of bodies and providing shelter and supplies for victims. This team will begin support for victims immediately after the Rescue Steering Team has begun operations and will continue operations until all victims are sheltered.
4. Damage Assessment and Rebuilding Team. This team has the engineering and insurance skills needed to bring back the disaster area to serve the public’s needs.
Note that the Steering Management Teams head normal fire, police and National Guard organizations except for the Damage Assessment and Rebuilding Team. This team should steer the activities of Work Improvement Teams who are a part of the normal day to day functions of the FEMA organization.
See Article 36. Thousand Die due to Bureaucratic Bungling,
Article 37. Restructuring Government for Quick Response
Article 94. Reforming FEMA and Homeland Security and Reader Question 13. Comments on Changes Recommended in FEMA Organization.
