By LARA JAKES JORDAN
The Associated Press
Thursday, February 23, 2006; 9:39 AM
WASHINGTON -- A White House report concluded Thursday that inexperienced disaster response managers and a lack of planning, discipline and leadership contributed to vast federal failures during Hurricane Katrina.
The 228-page report by White House homeland security adviser Frances Fragos Townsend urges changes in 11 key areas _ mainly in better disaster relief coordination among federal agencies _ before the next hurricane season begins June 1. It also found "significant flaws" in the national response plan issued last year by the Homeland Security Department.
"Though there will be tragedies we cannot prevent, we can improve our preparedness and response to reduce future loss and preserve life," Townsend wrote in a letter to President Bush included in the report.
She said the transformation envisioned by the report "will require a sustained commitment over time by the federal government as well as by state and local governments that have essential duties in responding to disasters."
Link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/23/AR2006022300236.html