Katrina’s 20th anniversary highlights continued climate funding challenges

This week marks the th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina one of the deadliest and costliest storms in U S history As executives and survivors reflect on the devastation questions about tragedy preparedness and federal funding remain central Katrina which struck New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in August claimed more than lives and caused widespread infrastructure collapse The federal response particularly the performance of the Federal Crisis Management Agency FEMA was widely criticized prompting reforms aimed at improving crisis management and intergovernmental coordination Nowadays experts note that a multitude of of those lessons are still being tested The Trump administration s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year has included reductions to FEMA s mishap relief and mitigation programs prompting concern among exigency management leaders and local governments Critics argue that lower funding could hinder preparedness for hurricanes wildfires and other climate-related disasters Twenty years later the question isn t just what we ve learned from Katrina but whether we have the support to act on those lessons commented an exigency management analyst familiar with federal grant programs Funding cuts at the federal level make it harder for states and municipalities to maintain readiness Modern extreme weather events including record flooding and wildfire seasons underscore the continuing relevance of those concerns Federal and state agencies emphasize the need for pre-positioned information trained personnel and coordinated response plans areas where lessons from Katrina have shaped modern protocols Local authorities in New Orleans have held commemorations this week honoring those who lost their lives and acknowledging the city s recovery Citizens safety experts say the anniversary is an opportunity to reassess both infrastructure resilience and the strategy frameworks that backing mishap response nationwide While Katrina is now two decades past its legacy continues to influence crisis planning The storm remains a reminder of the intersection between atmosphere hazard reservoir allocation and the ongoing need for robust federal promotion to protect communities Read more about Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina warned us We haven t learned An exodus unlike any other Why half the people in this area moved away after Hurricane Katrina The federal operation to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina shortchanged the poor New statistics proves it The post Katrina s th anniversary highlights continued atmosphere funding challenges appeared first on Salon com