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Michael Brown Says FEMA 'Did a Good Job in Gulf States'
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
(CNSNews.com) - FEMA is a "coordinating agency" and an "honest broker" -- not a first responder nor a law enforcement agency, the agency's former director Michael Brown told a congressional panel on Tuesday.
Brown mentioned two specific "mistakes" he made in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, including his failure to recognize that state and local officials were not working together in Louisiana; and he described himself as someone who knows what he's doing when it comes to disaster response.
His opening statement, which included several digs at the media, may further antagonize critics who say Brown was in over his head.
Brown, who stepped down under pressure following the widely criticized federal response to Hurricane Katrina, told the special congressional committee on Tuesday that first responders always area local governments -- because disasters happen in local communities, and people in those communities are best suited to understanding what help is needed, and where.
Following a discussion of federalism, Brown said it is only through FEMA's partnership with state and local agencies that it be effective.
"I want this committee to know that FEMA pushed forward with every asset it had" in Katrina's aftermath, Brown told the committee.
"Mr. Chairman, it is my belief that FEMA did a good job in the Gulf States. We can do things better, we can improve them," he admitted, and he said he hoped the hearing will pave the way for that to happen.
Two mistakes
Brown said in hindsight, he would have done some things differently.
He listed two specific mistakes he made, including his failure to set up regular press briefings. Instead, he allowed himself to be "tied" to specific early-morning and late-night news shows.
"We should have been that feeding information to the press, and in the manner and the time that we wanted to, rather than letting the press drive us," Brown said.
He also said he "strongly regrets" that he was unable to "persuade" Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin to "sit down, get over their differences and work together. I just couldn't pull that off," he told the committee.
Personal charges
Brown also took exception to some of the things that were said about him personally, including "false statements" made by various websites, blogs and magazines.
He said one national magazine defamed him and his alma mater by leveling six false charges in one sentence alone. He singled out Time magazine for giving him only 45 minutes to respond to a story that Brown had embellished his resume.
"The story wasn't true, but apparently that doesn't matter," Brown said.
Brown said his almost 20 years of experience in state and local government includes time spent working as a liaison to an emergency operations center in Edmond, Oklahoma.
"I worked closely with emergency fire and police departments. I went on those runs, and I know what it is like to see a family's house burn to the ground," he said. "I know what it's like to see men and women in police and fire departments put their lives on the line."
Brown also said he's represented police officers and police departments throughout his legal career. "You see, I get it when it comes to incident command systems; I get it when it when it comes to emergency management; I know what it's all about."
Brown said he came to FEMA as general counsel and as such, he had to learn about all of FEMA's programs.
He said he's overseen 150 presidentially declared disasters. "I know what I'm doing - and I think I do a pretty darn good job at it," Brown said.
Brown said his experience at FEMA has been one of the greatest of his life, and he defended all the men and women who work for the agency. He said they are "tired of being beat up and they don't deserve it."
He also described FEMA's merger into the Department of Homeland Security as a trying time.
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Brown mentioned two specific "mistakes" he made in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, including his failure to recognize that state and local officials were not working together in Louisiana; and he described himself as someone who knows what he's doing when it comes to disaster response.
His opening statement, which included several digs at the media, may further antagonize critics who say Brown was in over his head.
Brown, who stepped down under pressure following the widely criticized federal response to Hurricane Katrina, told the special congressional committee on Tuesday that first responders always area local governments -- because disasters happen in local communities, and people in those communities are best suited to understanding what help is needed, and where.
Following a discussion of federalism, Brown said it is only through FEMA's partnership with state and local agencies that it be effective.
"I want this committee to know that FEMA pushed forward with every asset it had" in Katrina's aftermath, Brown told the committee.
"Mr. Chairman, it is my belief that FEMA did a good job in the Gulf States. We can do things better, we can improve them," he admitted, and he said he hoped the hearing will pave the way for that to happen.
Two mistakes
Brown said in hindsight, he would have done some things differently.
He listed two specific mistakes he made, including his failure to set up regular press briefings. Instead, he allowed himself to be "tied" to specific early-morning and late-night news shows.
"We should have been that feeding information to the press, and in the manner and the time that we wanted to, rather than letting the press drive us," Brown said.
He also said he "strongly regrets" that he was unable to "persuade" Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin to "sit down, get over their differences and work together. I just couldn't pull that off," he told the committee.
Personal charges
Brown also took exception to some of the things that were said about him personally, including "false statements" made by various websites, blogs and magazines.
He said one national magazine defamed him and his alma mater by leveling six false charges in one sentence alone. He singled out Time magazine for giving him only 45 minutes to respond to a story that Brown had embellished his resume.
"The story wasn't true, but apparently that doesn't matter," Brown said.
Brown said his almost 20 years of experience in state and local government includes time spent working as a liaison to an emergency operations center in Edmond, Oklahoma.
"I worked closely with emergency fire and police departments. I went on those runs, and I know what it is like to see a family's house burn to the ground," he said. "I know what it's like to see men and women in police and fire departments put their lives on the line."
Brown also said he's represented police officers and police departments throughout his legal career. "You see, I get it when it comes to incident command systems; I get it when it when it comes to emergency management; I know what it's all about."
Brown said he came to FEMA as general counsel and as such, he had to learn about all of FEMA's programs.
He said he's overseen 150 presidentially declared disasters. "I know what I'm doing - and I think I do a pretty darn good job at it," Brown said.
Brown said his experience at FEMA has been one of the greatest of his life, and he defended all the men and women who work for the agency. He said they are "tired of being beat up and they don't deserve it."
He also described FEMA's merger into the Department of Homeland Security as a trying time.
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Send a Letter to the Editor about this article.
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