Thursday, September 29, 2005
Pre-Katrina Audit showed weakness at FEMA
WASHINGTON -- Former FEMA Director Michael Brown was warned weeks before Hurricane Katrina hit that his agency's backlogged computer systems could delay supplies and put personnel at risk during an emergency, according to an audit released Wednesday.
The internal review of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's information-sharing system showed that it was overwhelmed during the 2004 hurricane season. In an Aug. 3 response, Brown and one of his deputies rejected the audit, calling it unacceptable, erroneous and negative.
The audit was released a day after Brown defended FEMA for the government's dismal response to Katrina, instead blaming state and local officials for poor planning and chaos during the Aug. 29 storm and subsequent flooding.
Full story here
