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Buyer: So despite the governor excluding those three parishes, you went ahead and pre deployed anyway.

Brown: We put not only food and water but staff there.

Buyer: Did the president declare those three parishes emergency areas?

Brown: I don't remember.

Buyer: I'm not aware of any declaration on those three parishes.

Was there ever a conversation with the governors of Louisiana and Mississippi about federalizing the response?

Brown: Yes. With Blanco. I was trying to assist the governor and help her manage what was going on. One of my suggestions was that if we could federalize the disaster and take over the national guard.

I don't know whether she considered it or not but she rejected it.

Buyer: My colleague Mr. Jefferson. This is a report on operation Pam. Does the information show the infighting between the governor and mayor.

Jefferson interrupt. That is not quite what I said. I said that the idea that the plan contemplates extreme circumstances of no communication anywhere.

Buyer: What Mr. Taylor brought out about $$ spent on communications is important and a lesson learned on 9/11. Getting satellite phones out there that don't work. That's something we have to investigate. I am aware that the VA, for example, talk about self help -- you can't be the answer to everyone's problems. There are individuals who took leadership roles.

I was aware that the VA - their volunteers - in lower Florida - and they pre positioned their truck in Buloxi, Mississippi.

Brown: The Red Cross, The Coast Guard, etc., just show up and we couldn;'t survive without them.