Director Fugate refocusing a chastened FEMA

From The Washington Post

This week Fugate will visit Louisiana and Mississippi to pledge $28.4 million to rebuild churches, schools and universities, part of $2.5 billion in federal aid distributed since last year. FEMA alone has spent about $38 billion in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas since Katrina, but it’s also in recovery, trying to repair a severely damaged reputation.

“FEMA now has more resources, there’s more clarity in the legislation, more authorities to do things before a hurricane makes landfall,” Fugate said. And when the next storm hits — wherever it hits — he promises the agency will work closely with other federal agencies, state and local officials, nonprofit and religious groups, private companies and everyday citizens to respond.

“You can’t just look at the federal government” for disaster response, Fugate said. The general public has a greater role to play.
“We need to change this methodology that the public are victims, and realize they’re survivors and that they oftentimes will contribute to greater success if we incorporate them into the plans and remember who we’re working for,” he said. “We’re working for survivors.”

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