Unit 1 Discussion Topic 1

The response to Hurricane Katrina, by all standards, was a major failure of the federal, state, and local government’s emergency management systems. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) proved ineffective. Why do you believe that DHS and FEMA proved to be so ineffective in this disaster? Discuss the changes that have occurred since then to improve the emergency response to such disasters, and state whether or not you believe these changes will be effective in similar disasters.