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Federal officials must issue emergency declarations faster this hurricane season, to allow military, homeland security and state and local response authorities more time to mobilize, Defense Department officials said at a hearing Thursday.

Paul McHale, the Defense Department's assistant homeland defense secretary, said he and Homeland Security Department Secretary Michael Chertoff both would like to have as much as a week to begin federal preparations for a major storm. But McHale cautioned members of a House Armed Services subcommittee that taking precautions before accurate forecasts are available could lead to overpreparation.

"We may have one or more [disaster] evacuations that turn out to be false alarms," he said.

One lawmaker expressed concern about federal authority to trump local and state mandates. In a discussion of how federal officials would deal with a local or state official who becomes unmanageable or recalcitrant, subcommittee member Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Mich., said federal officials may have to prove that they have the authority to override an individual.

McHale told him "local opposition can lawfully [be] overcome" by the White House's "federalizing" National Guard units and, if necessary, by invoking the Insurrection Act to extend federal authority.

House Armed Services Committee member Gene Taylor, D-Miss., was a guest at Thursday's hearing. Taylor, whose house in Bay St. Louis, Miss., was obliterated by Hurricane Katrina, said the Defense Department needs to use additional methods of transportation to guarantee that supplies will be delivered on time.

"One of the things that was lacking was a water-borne strategy" of delivering key goods, like food, ice, fuel and water, he said. "You've got to have the contracts in place" to avoid price-gouging, he added.

One Defense official expressed concern that DHS has gone out of its way to help southern states with their emergency response, while failing to keep northern states at the same pace.

Principal federal officers, responsible for helping Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff coordinate with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials, already have been assigned to southern states, like Louisiana, which were grossly underprepared when Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast last August. But officers have yet to be appointed in some New England states, said Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau.

COMMENTS

• Commander of Navy Installations has issued guidance to all bases that evacuation is only authorized by military commanders and not connected to local Civil Defense officials. The guidance stated that local officials do not have the authority to obligated DoD funds. That is true, but the local Civil Defense officials do have the superior knowledge of threat to human safety. Any reasonable person should connect the evacuation of personnel to a safety issue and not a funding issue. Generally the military officials act too late to allow adequate time for personnel to make a decision to stay or leave apart from financial considerations. My decision is based on the safety of my family, if threatened we leave. For many they will only leave is they know they will be reimbursed for evacuation expenses. GovExec.com reader Posted June 5, 2006 9:10 AM
• If you listen to Al Gore about global warming, I have land in Florida for you! Tom Posted May 30, 2006 1:08 PM
• " . . .the White House's ‘federalizing’ National Guard units and, if necessary, by invoking the Insurrection Act to extend federal authority." Scary! Sounds a lot like the way Hitler took over power in Germany. Why are you spending my tax money to prepare to protect those that choose to live in disaster areas! Tell them there will be no help and that they should move to safe ground. If you listen to Al Gore, when the ice melts the sea level will rise 20 feet. Most of the areas you are wasting my money to protect will be underwater. Stop wasting federal funds on those that desire to live in dangerous areas. Taxpayer Posted May 26, 2006 6:35 AM