Editorial: FEMA stands for disaster

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 | 7:05 a.m.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is supposed to respond to disasters, not turn into one. But that is precisely what has occurred since Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005, a clear demonstration of the Bush administration's incompetence and what little respect it has for the role of government in protecting Americans.

The latest snafu, as reported last week by The Washington Post, involved the spoilage of as many as 6 million prepared meals that were shipped to the Gulf Coast region last year in anticipation that the 2006 hurricane season would produce more needy victims.

Thankfully, no major hurricanes came ashore last year. Instead, the summer heat spoiled the food, valued at more than $40 million, because the agency ran out of warehouse and refrigeration space.

FEMA's poor track record in response to Katrina has been well documented, including everything from wasteful spending on pricey hotel rooms to the shipment of trailers that weren't designed for flood zones.

The agency simply must do a better job of planning by taking into account as many different scenarios as possible in both preparation for and response to disasters. It is evident that FEMA still has a long way to go before it regains the public's trust.