On September 11, terrorists cleverly exploited weaknesses in the airline security system. Such wide-ranging problems share a core: they are what analysts call “asymmetric threats,” broad and unpredictable events aimed, deliberately or not, at points of vulnerability in the system. As bad as Katrina was, the worst is yet to come-unless we find a way to learn, quickly, how best to deal with these events. Seismologists continue to warily eye the west coast for “the big one,” and public health officials are worrying about the risk that avian flu could cause a world pandemic. Hurricanes are not the only mega-threat we face. Instead of a glancing blow from a Category 4 hurricane, New Orleans could have suffered a direct hit from a Category 5 storm. Left untreated, these pathologies will continue to plague us and threaten even greater loss of life, more injuries, and spiraling property damage.Īs bad as Katrina was, it could have been far worse. But Katrina revealed scant improvement and enduring, deep-seated pathologies.
#Hurricane katrina aftermath no crossing state borders how to#
In the aftermath of September 11, everyone pledged that the government would learn how to prevent such consequences. In fact, American government has now failed two stress tests-first September 11, then Hurricane Katrina. The patient would need to learn how to deal with a heart that gave out, for the alternatives surely would not be good.
The full report is available online at The Worst Is Yet to Come: Lessons from September 11 and Hurricane KatrinaĪny cardiologist whose patient failed two stress tests in a row would prescribe aggressive treatment. Donald Kettl presented his research on policy proposals to improve FEMA and the nation’s emergency response system, to dozens of senior government officials with homeland security responsibilities at a special session of the Treasury Department’s Executive Institute at the U.S.
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