NPR Commentary: "FEMA Employee Opinions worst I have ever seen, period."

[Hissyspit]

From this morning's 'Morning Edition' commentary:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4853745

Commentary: An argument for fixes at FEMA
September 19, 2005 from Morning Edition

STEVE INSKEEP, host: So there's a plan for rebuilding New Orleans. Now here's a plan for rebuilding the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Commentator Paul Light is author of "The Four Pillars of High Performance," which outlines his strategy for strengthening organizations like FEMA.

PAUL LIGHT:

Contrary to the now conventional wisdom, FEMA was not the victim of the Homeland Security merger. Flooded by inexperienced political appointees at the top, the agency already ranked dead last on the list of best places to work in government well before Katrina hit. According to the federal government's own surveys, employees reported sharp declines in morale and resources in early 2002. Less than a third said they held their new leaders in high regard. The concerns are familiar across government where employees complain about the lack of resources and the politicalization of even trivial decisions, but the FEMA opinions are the worst I have ever seen, period.

FEMA had only recently rebounded from years as a political dumping ground for campaign aides with no place else to go. It failed miserably after Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992. Eight years of hard work brought the agency up to peak performance. Then inexperienced appointees brought the agency back down. Katrina shows yet again how important effective leadership is to government performance. On the day Katrina hit, half of FEMA's top political jobs were occupied by executives without any meaningful disaster experience. Seven of the top civil service jobs were filled by acting appointees. It's no wonder FEMA hesitated as the catastrophe took hold.

MORE

[faithnotgreed]

1. thanks for posting this nt

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Interesting - it failed up til 1992, then 8 years of rebuilding brought it

up to peak performance, then inexperienced appointees brought it back down again...

Gosh, who was in charge from 1992 to 2000?

[progressoid]

10. I was thinkin the same thing....

[BlueJac]

3. Way to go Bush, just one more failure to your list on hundreds!

[Kolesar]

4. FEMA was a bunch of blockheads when a tornado hit my town in 1985

Unreturned calls, arbitrary decisions, backing out on funding, typical Reagan B/S.

[indepat]

5. But LTTE to local RW rag claimed it would have been the same with Kerry,

Gore, Clinton, totaling ignoring what has gone on at FEMA and the entire government, for that matter.

[confludemocrat]

6. "Flooded by inexperienced political appointees at the top" that explains

the nasty attack on those dissatified (with FEMA) firefighters helping with the aftermath by a FEMA spokesperson who attacked their attitude and patriotism:
Sept 6 Salt Lake Tribune (http://www.sltrib.com/ci_3004197):
"I would go back and ask the firefighter to revisit his commitment to FEMA, to firefighting and to the citizens of this country," said FEMA spokeswoman Mary Hudak. Mary Hudak is an asshole.

[triguy46]

7. You mean to say Brownie, with all his experience, couldn't motivate them?

[Supersedeas]

8. the politicalization of even trivial decisions -- not in the Rovian Admin

[eek]

9. Dennis "Don't Rebuild" Hastert was warned of FEMA into DHS

The guy on NPR said:
"PAUL LIGHT: Contrary to the now conventional wisdom, FEMA was not the victim of the Homeland Security merger. "

oh yeah?
Have a look at this memo sent last January from the Association of State Floodplane Managers, Inc

According to the memo, Hastert was warned that the good work of FEMA was *already* eroding, budgets being re-appropriated, staff re-assigned.

January 6, 2005

The Honorable Dennis Hastert, Speaker
United States House of Representatives
H 232 Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
RE: House Reorganization of Authorizing Committees involving FEMA programs

Dear Mr. Speaker:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is one of the 22 departments and
agencies that were combined to create the Department of Homeland Security (DHS),
where the primary mission is to protect the nation against terrorism. The effectiveness of
FEMA's all hazards programs is increasingly threatened with regard to natural disasters.

(snip)

The ASFPM is not the only organization that has these concerns. The General Accounting
Office, in its September 2003 report, said the following:

Moreover, the placement of FEMA within DHS represents a substantially changed
environment in which FEMA will conduct its missions in the future, and missions
that focus on reducing the impacts of natural hazards, such as hazard mitigation
and flood insurance, may receive decreased emphasis. Sustained attention to
these programs will be needed to ensure they maintain or improve their
effectiveness in protecting the nation against, and reducing federal costs
associated with, natural disasters.
(snip)

Since FEMA has become part of the Department of Homeland Security, it has been a
struggle. Funds have been raided, staff have been transferred into other DHS functions
without being replaced, slowdowns because of added layers of bureaucracy for nearly all
functions have dramatically increased, and there is the constant threat of reprogramming
appropriated funds.

Go to this site:
http://www.floods.org

and scroll down to/open this pdf:
ASFPM Letter to US House of Representatives Regarding FEMA