FEMA reports on progress after Katrina

This August marks the tenth anniversary of the catastrophic 2005 Atlantic hurricane season that devastated the gulf coast region. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall, followed shortly by Hurricanes Rita and Wilma in September and October. Ten years into the recovery and rebuilding efforts, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has outlined the progress made supporting communities and families affected by Hurricane Katrina.

In the years following Katrina, FEMA has significantly improved its ability to assist communities in responding to and recovering from disasters. This progress is bolstered by the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006, which gave FEMA clear guidance on its mission and priorities. The Act also provided the legislative authorities needed to better partner with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments before, during, and after disasters. Other improvements include:

  • improved ability to provide support to states and tribes ahead of a disaster;
  • development of a National Disaster Recovery Framework;
  • establishment of incident management assistance teams;
  • improved search and rescue capability;
  • establish the regional emergency communications coordination working groups;
  • enhanced partnerships with the private sector; and
  • support for the inclusion of people with access and functional needs.

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate spoke proudly of FEMA’s progress, saying “Today, FEMA has the authority necessary to lean forward and leverage the entire emergency management team in response and recovery efforts… This team includes not only government but also the private sector, non-profits, and citizens themselves. We support survivors and this holistic approach emphasizes the importance of working as a team to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.”

For more information about FEMA’s progress after Hurricane Katrina, please follow the links below.
FEMA Outlines a Decade of Progress after Hurricane Katrina, FEMA
Hurricane Katrina: A Decade of Progress through Partnerships, FEMA


  • "*" indicates required fields

    SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER

    Sign up to receive updates by email. We do not sell or share your info.

    This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.