Posted on 09/03/2005 10:56:42 PM PDT by XHogPilot
IEM Team to Develop Catastrophic Hurricane Disaster Plan for New Orleans & Southeast Louisiana June 3, 2004
IEM, Inc., the Baton Rouge-based emergency management and homeland security consultant, will lead the development of a catastrophic hurricane disaster plan for Southeast Louisiana and the City of New Orleans under a more than half a million dollar contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
In making the announcement today on behalf of teaming partners Dewberry, URS Corporation and James Lee Witt Associates, IEM Director of Homeland Security Wayne Thomas explained that the development of a base catastrophic hurricane disaster plan has urgency due to the recent start of the annual hurricane season which runs through November. National weather experts are predicting an above normal Atlantic hurricane season with six to eight hurricanes, of which three could be categorized as major.
The IEM team will complete a functional exercise on a catastrophic hurricane strike in Southeast Louisiana and use results to develop a response and recovery plan. A catastrophic event is one that can overwhelm State, local and private capabilities so quickly that communities could be devastated without Federal assistance and multi-agency planning and preparedness.
Thomas said that the greater New Orleans area is one of the nation’s most vulnerable locations for hurricane landfall.
“Given this area’s vulnerability, unique geographic location and elevation, and troubled escape routes, a plan that facilitates a rapid and effective hurricane response and recovery is critical,” he said. “The IEM team’s approach to catastrophic planning meets the challenges associated with integrating multi-jurisdictional needs and capabilities into an effective plan for addressing catastrophic hurricane strikes, as well as man-made catastrophic events.”
IEM President and CEO Madhu Beriwal is the recipient of a s pecial merit award from the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Association ( LEPA ) for her work in New Orleans hurricane emergency preparedness.
Follow the money!
http://www.nndb.com/people/058/000049908/
James Lee Witt
Born: 6-Jan-1944
Birthplace: Paris, AR
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Government
Level of fame: Niche
Executive summary: FEMA Director 1993-2001
Born in Paris, Arkansas but grew up in Dardanelle, Witt founded Witt Construction in 1968, and then was elected a county judge in 1970. Bill Clinton selected him in 1988 to head the Arkansas Office of Emergency Services, and Witt moved with Clinton to Washington to head FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Administration, which at the same time was elevated to cabinet-level. Clinton used FEMA more than any other president, declaring disasters 348 times. Witt now heads a disaster consulting firm, James Lee Witt Associates, LLC.
During the 3 October 2000 televised debate between Presidential candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore, Bush made the point of thanking FEMA for their help over fires in Texas while he was Governor. Gore responded with "I accompanied James Lee Witt down to Texas when those fires broke out." Unfortunately for Gore, the truth is he did not go to Texas in any sort of official capacity; he actually was there to attend a fundraiser and happened into some FEMA officials at the airport. Witt was not present. D'oh.
Wife: Lea Ellen Hodges Witt (one son)
Director of FEMA April 1993 to January 2001
I agree, but I've looked at "the plan" and its quite inadequate. But hey don't believe me, just read what those asked to implement it thought: Law Officers, Overwhelmed, Are Quitting the Force, NY Times (FR post here)
A Baton Rouge police officer said he had a friend on the New Orleans force who told him he threw his badge out a car window in disgust just after fleeing the city into neighboring Jefferson Parish as the hurricane approached. The Baton Rouge officer would not give his name, citing a department policy banning comments to the news media.
The officer said he had also heard of an incident in which two men in a New Orleans police cruiser were stopped in Baton Rouge on suspicion of driving a stolen squad car. The men were, in fact, New Orleans officers who had ditched their uniforms and were trying to reach a town in north Louisiana, the officer said.
"They were doing everything to get out of New Orleans," he said. "They didn't have the resources to do the job, or a plan, so they left."
The press release is there now:
http://www.ieminc.com/Whats_New/Press_Releases/release.htm
Opensecrets.org shows that Beriwal donates only to Republicans.
Preparing for Hurricane Isabel: James Lee Witt
Miami Fl: Is FEMA better prepared for the aftermath of a hurricane than they were for Hurricane Andrew when it hit south Florida in 92?
James Lee Witt: The state and local governments worked hard to prepare and make sure they were better able to cope than 8 years ago. And while I was at FEMA, I worked hard to make sure that agency was better prepared as well.
Let's see if I have this straight; IEM was hired to develop a disaster plan for NO -- and now Jamie Witt has been hired to what -- CYA the disaster plan for NO?
Maybe her plan wasn't followed :-)
This is really starting to get really interesting.
No wonder the old Clintoon whores are trying to blame GW for what they have done to the State of La and N O's.
Looks like somebody needs to point the finger at Jamie boy.
I think so
The NO Officals down there are in huge trouble for what happen and they know it
Is Wesley Clark coming down to NO, too?
Thanks for posting the connection between Witt and TWA 800.
I was getting ready to post this search of this slimey bastard and TWA 800. Below is the link to the search of James Witt TWA 800.
http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=James%20Witt%20TWA%20800
I thought he was just hired today? Did I miss something?
Is this the plan that had only partial funding? They didn't have the money to put together the evacuation part of it? This stuff is really gettin confusing.
Great find!
It's hard to believe that Blanco is this stupid. Whose hand puppet is she anyway?
Because I'm an INCOMPETENT IDIOT!!!
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