Hurricane Katrina

Federal System

When Hurricane Katrina struck America's Gulf Coast on the night of August 29, 2005, it set off a chain of events that tested FEMA's ability to respond to disasters to the limit. Subsequent testimony revealed that FEMA Director Michael Brown had informed the Bush administration that New Orleans, which is situated 20 miles below sea level, was extremely vulnerable to flooding if the outdated levees were breeched. Requests for federal funding to update the levee system had previously been denied (Gabe, 10).

Four after-action government reports have been published, each with its own set of recommendations and emphases. The White ...