Squabbles hindered hurricane response

[HeeBGBz]

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/14776733.htm

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WASHINGTON - FEMA and Red Cross squabbled over power structures during hurricanes Katrina and Rita, hampering relief to victims, a congressional investigation concludes.

And confusion between the two agencies over what roles they will play in this year's hurricane season were not cleared up as of two weeks ago, the Government Accountability Office said in a report Thursday.

During the two storms, "the two organizations spent time negotiating operating procedures, rather than focusing solely on coordinating mass care services in the early days of the hurricane response effort," the GAO report said.

Though both are working to clarify their roles, the agencies had not resolved their differences as of May 24, the report found. "This partnership cannot function efficiently in the aftermath of a disaster without improved working relationships," it said.

Oh, that's where they were.