Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

From what I can gather, this issue was identified some time ago is being addressed and of latest not completely worked through.

This is discussed elsewhere and it part of the Whole Community concept. FEMA Administrator Fugate was working with retailers in FL before coming to FEMA. The big box stores are much better at supply and distribution than we are. No reason for the government to do it if the private sector can!

Just remember - someone has to pay for the items taken from the big box retailers. Address the funding. Otherwise, this is simply a call for first responders to be government looters no better than individual looters.

I feel both FEMA should not only encourage the large businesses but also the smaller businesses, other community wide organizations and volunteers to aid in the preparation for forecasted weather concerns.

felomalachi: The idea is not to turn them away. They are part of the solution. Retailers (of all sizes as obedienceman said) should be prepared to both use what they have and use their distribution networks to move it to where it is needed. By working with EMs as a "whole community" approach the issues with access (credentials, re-entry passes, etc.) are worked out ahead of time.

For what is needed beyond the ability of the local community (government, retail, VOADs and others) the larger national and international community helps both through private and public sector mechanisms. FEMA already has compacts and contracts in place to deal with providing mass care on epic proportions should it be needed. My only concern is that there will not be enough to go around in a truly catastrophic, max of max, event.

Nice idea on paper if everyone was honest but I have seen to many good ideas go bad lets try it and see

FEMA cannot be in the business of local resource management immediately after an incident. FEMA does not show up for many hours after the chaos begins. The large retailers are ready . . . they have a vested interest in their communities getting back up and running. Businesses are the recovery and continuity experts not FEMA. Emergency Managers need tools to communicate with resource providers and support resource providers by connecting the supply chain dots. This would be a great "tool" for FEMA to provide to the local communities. Local incident commanders are the ones who will determine the needs of the community. FEMA CANNOT get down in the weeds when it is really needed.

Not just WalMart and retailers, but regional manufacturers of products being used in the abatement, cleanup, and assistance, should be utilized to the fullest extent possible - why wait for sandbags from California on a disaster in NY or Garbage Bags from Seattle in a disaster in FL? Designate a specific person to contact all possible sources in the region, get help in a manner of days rather than weeks

I agree that wholesale, retail, and regional distribution centers should be utilized FIRST within the impacted community. BUT, I preplanning to make that happen I believe is the responsibility of the host community. EM Offices must take the initiative and contact such larger commercial and wholesale entities, then create agreements/contracts to assure these larger entities are prepared to be the "First Source of Goods and Services" within the communities that host them. Such agreements can be created to meet State and Federal EM guidelines to qualify for reasonable reimbursement of costs to local governments.

The whole idea of retail businesses stepping up to help is great. What is needed upfront, before disaster strikes is a plan to manage all of the incoming resources. Without proper management, resources will go to waste or sit in a warehouse unused or unaccounted for.

I responded to Katrina and was in Louisiana for a month. We came upon a warehouse on the waterfront in Chalmette, LA a suburb next to the 9th Ward in New Orleans. It was "contoled" by a local business man. This warehouse was 300' x 1000' and contained everything from PPE, medical supplies, food, cleaning supplies, clothing, pet food, building materials,etc. etc. It was truly an amazing amount of goods. This resource; we were told, was private. Even though the supplies came in from around the country to assist the local citizens. It just so happened that a local business man had open warehouse space and took the supplies as his own; and until we showed up, distributed them only to his friends.

All of these supplies should have been used for the greater good but for the most part weren't. Managing and tracking supplies coming into a disaster area is a huge undertaking and can only be accomplished by preplanning with all potential parties being involved.