Bennie Thompson: “National Preparedness Month,'' an initiative of the Department of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross to…”

“National Preparedness Month,'' an initiative of the Department of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross to ``encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and schools'' began on September 1st. As the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I serve as the Honorary Congressional Co-Chair. I was filled with sadness and disbelief when a press release from the Department came across my desk on Thursday announcing the initiative, saying that it would help Americans take simple steps such as ``get a kit, make a plan, be informed, and get involved.'' The release seemed hollow and inappropriate in light of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and my home State of Mississippi. My message to the Department and others in government is simple: we will need more than a few emergency kits and press releases to ensure that our Nation is adequately prepared to respond to a natural disaster or terrorist attack. Hurricane Katrina was an unprecedented natural disaster, but to government officials tasked with protecting our Nation's communities, it should not have been a surprise. Risk assessments have long told us that the Gulf Coast was in danger. The New Orleans Times-Picayune did a series of articles as early as 2002 about the risks to New Orleans from a hurricane.…”