FEMA: LESSONS LEARNED FROM KATRINA TO THE CALIFORNIA FIRES – BETTER MANAGEMENT OF REPORTERS
By R J Shulman


WASHINGTON, D.C. – If there is one thing that the Federal Emergency Management Agency learned from the debacle of their Hurricane Katrina response, it has been better control of the news reports. “We looked so incompetent back then when New Orleans got hit,” said R. David Paulison, FEMA director, “because we were very disorganized in our approach to the media. Back then, we actually let real reporters ask us questions.”

This time, FEMA was prepared to deal with the California fires by holding a press conference, where the reporters were FEMA employees with pre-screened questions. “It was incredible teamwork as all of us pitched in,” said Clyde B. Scroggins, a FEMA janitor, “I got to wear a suit and ask Mr. Paulison if he thought FEMA was doing all it could.”

“It's a shame we were not this prepared when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast,” said Wendy Stallings, a FEMA secretary, “If we were, everyone would have believed the President when he said, you’re doin’ a heck of a job, Brownie.”