Sign up to receive email newsletters about the
latest research for the topic areas that
interest you.
The Local Role in Disaster Response: Lessons from Katrina and the California Wildfires
Publication Date: June 2008
Publisher(s): Heritage Foundation (Washington, D.C.)
Author(s): Matt A. Mayer; Richard Weitz; Diem Nguyen
Series: Backgrounder
Topic: Environment (Natural disasters)
Social conditions (Safety and security)
Keywords: Homeland defense; Mayer; weitz; FEMA
Type: Report
Coverage: United States
Abstract:
The federalization of disaster responses continues to accelerate, further stretching FEMA's already strained resources and encouraging state and local governments to divert their disaster-response resources to more immediate needs like transportation, education, or health care. It is time to get back to our federalist tradition and empower state and local governments to take the lead in managing disasters.