Chronology of a disaster
[Thanks to my friend Kevin Smith for this recitation of events.]
January 2001
Bush appoints Joe Allbaugh, a crony from Texas, as head of
FEMA. Allbaugh has no previous experience in disaster
management.
April 2001
Budget Director Mitch Daniels announces the Bush
administration's goal of privatizing much of FEMA's work.
In May, Allbaugh confirms that FEMA will be downsized: "Many
are concerned that federal disaster assistance may have
evolved into both an oversized entitlement program...." he
said. "Expectations of when the federal government should
be involved and the degree of involvement may have ballooned
beyond what is an appropriate level."
2001
FEMA designates a major hurricane hitting New Orleans as one
of the three "likeliest, most catastrophic disasters facing
this country."
December 2002
After less than two years at FEMA, Allbaugh announces he is
leaving to start up a consulting firm that advises companies
seeking to do business in Iraq. He is succeeded by his
deputy, Michael Brown, who, like Allbaugh, has no previous
experience in disaster management.
March 2003
FEMA is downgraded from a cabinet level position and folded
into the Department of Homeland Security. Its mission is
refocused on fighting acts of terrorism.
2003
Under its new organization chart within DHS, FEMA's
preparation and planning functions are reassigned to a new
Office of Preparedness and Response. FEMA will henceforth
focus only on response and recovery.
Summer 2004
FEMA denies Louisiana's pre-disaster mitigation funding
requests. Says Jefferson Parish flood zone manager Tom
Rodrigue: "You would think we would get maximum
consideration....This is what the grant program called for.
We were more than qualified for it."
June 2004
The Army Corps of Engineers budget for levee construction in
New Orleans is slashed. Jefferson Parish emergency
management chiefs Walter Maestri comments: "It appears that
the money has been moved in the president's budget to handle
homeland security and the war in Iraq, and I suppose that's
the price we pay."
June 2005: Funding for the New Orleans district of the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers is cut by a record $71.2 million.
One of the hardest-hit areas is the Southeast Louisiana
Urban Flood Control Project, which was created after the May
1995 flood to improve drainage in Jefferson, Orleans and St.
Tammany parishes.
August 2005
While New Orleans is undergoing a slow motion catastrophe,
Bush mugs for the cameras, cuts a cake for John McCain,
plays the guitar for Mark Wills, delivers an address about
V-J day, and continues with his vacation. When he finally
gets around to acknowledging the scope of the unfolding
disaster, he delivers only a photo op on Air Force One and a
flat, defensive, laundry list speech in the Rose Garden.
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