Hurricane Pam - research thread.

[bleever]

What is Hurricane Pam? Why, that was the hypothetical hurricane that FEMA and DHS performed an exercise on in June/July 2004.

They were preparing for massive flooding, and the need to evacuate millions. It was declared a big success. And a year later: criminally negligent failure kills hundreds, maybe thousands.

Please see this thread by understandinglife:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4633807

walldude also provided the link in a thread.

Can we collect more?

[bleever]

1. Chertoff and Brown were even briefed while Katrina was en route to

NO by the National Hurricane Center that it was coming.

See flpoljunkie's thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2062729&mesg_id=2062729

[bleever]

2. See also reprehensor's thread with several great links and quotes.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=nominate&forum=104&thread=4634115

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Article Link Reference

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N02521178.htm

In July 2004, more than 40 federal, state, local and volunteer organizations practiced this very scenario in a five-day simulation code-named "Hurricane Pam", where they had to deal with an imaginary storm that destroyed over half a million buildings in New Orleans and forced the evacuation of a million residents.

At the end of the exercise Ron Castleman, regional director for the Federal Emergency Management Agency declared: "We made great progress this week in our preparedness efforts. "Disaster response teams developed action plans in critical areas such as search and rescue, medical care, sheltering, temporary housing, school restoration and debris management. These plans are essential for quick response to a hurricane but will also help in other emergencies," he said.

In light of that, said disaster expert Bill Waugh of Georgia State University, "It's inexplicable how unprepared for the flooding they were." He said a slow decline over several years in funding for emergency management was partly to blame.

In comments on Thursday, President George W. Bush said, "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees."

[bleever]

7. "It's inexplicable how unprepared for the flooding they were."

I can explain it: criminal negligence on an historical scale.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. Here's a link to the HS National Response Plan

This plan goes hand in hand with the Hurricane Pam exercise.

We need to hang this around their necks.



# The Plan ensures the seamless integration of the federal government when an incident exceeds local or state capabilities.

# Timely Federal Response to Catastrophic Incidents

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/press_release/press_release_0581.xml

[bleever]

6. Heh, you beat me to it.

Thanks!

[bleever]

5. DoYouEverWonder's thread: plan ensure seamless integration of

local and federal efforts, and timely response:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4633807&mesg_id=4634309

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. Thanks for the plug

Apparently Larry Johnson is all over this document too.

[bleever]

11. Gotta.

And Larry Johnson rocks, I'd say.

[cry baby]

8. See this thread - a repost by EarlG, admin of DU...a bunch of links

info galore:http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4630068&mesg_id=4630068

Don't know if there is info about "Pam".

[understandinglife]

10. Several links in this Larry Johnson thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4633807&mesg_id=4633807

Thanks for doing this, bleever. With the search function crippled by the heavy traffic, it is essential that we have these explicit resources in full view for everyone to use.


Peace.