Bothell
The Federal Emergency Management Agency opened its region 10 facilities recently to demonstrate for the public how preparing for and responding to disasters has changed in the wake of such events as Hurricane Katrina and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
FEMA has been subject to harsh criticism for its handling of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 when relief to thousands of Gulf Coast residents was mired by poor communication and planning, but officials are now reaching out to educate the public on the agency’s mission to not only provide relief to disaster victims but help people prepare for and avoid disasters altogether.
Reporters from local media outlets were given a rare opportunity last month to tour FEMA’s Region 10 headquarters — serving Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska — inside the cold war-era bunker atop Nike Hill in Bothell.
“It’s really important that the public understands what we do here,” Region 10 FEMA Administrator Susan Reinertson said. “We want to increase awareness of what we do on a daily basis and demonstrate how our response procedures have been impacted by disasters like Hurricane Katrina.”
The core of Region 10 is its Disaster Operations Response Coordination Center, where rotating images and maps of the region, featuring weather disturbances, active volcanos, fires and other threats, are projected across the walls and displayed on overhead flat-screen monitors. The center is staffed round the clock to keep track of pending disasters and monitor any ongoing relief missions.
On Aug. 21, for example, Region 10 was tracking 15 active wildfires and three volcanos in Alaska. Region 10 also was called upon to monitor Hurricane Fay in Florida, as FEMA’s staff in that region was swamped and overextended. “Everything we do here is focused on increasing and improving our operations to ensure the best response to people who need us,” deputy administrator Dennis Huntzinger said.
The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act is an example of one such improvement, allowing victims to apply for and receive aid immediately following a disaster declaration. In Washington, during the 2007 floods, FEMA handed out more than $20 million in disaster loans and other assistance.
“Our goal is to save people and property,” Reinertson said. “We can’t make people whole again, but we can help them on the road to recovery.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
