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The Trump Administration Prepares for What Could Be Its First Major Natural Disaster Trump Administration Prepares for Hurricane Harvey
(about 1 hour later)
WASHINGTON — Facing what could be the most powerful storm to slam into the United States in more than a decade, President Trump and the team he has put in place at the Federal Emergency Management Agency were bracing on Friday for one of the most important tests of his presidency.WASHINGTON — Facing what could be the most powerful storm to slam into the United States in more than a decade, President Trump and the team he has put in place at the Federal Emergency Management Agency were bracing on Friday for one of the most important tests of his presidency.
The stakes could be exceedingly high. Few events test the effectiveness of an administration — or bear as many political risks — like a major natural disaster.The stakes could be exceedingly high. Few events test the effectiveness of an administration — or bear as many political risks — like a major natural disaster.
The storm, dubbed Hurricane Harvey, is expected to make landfall near Corpus Christi, Tex., as a Category 3 hurricane or higher by early Saturday. It is predicted to pummel the South Texas coast with winds exceeding 110 miles an hour and up to three feet of rain. After making landfall, forecasters predicted, the storm would make a turn back up the coast toward Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest city and home to the oil and gas industry. The storm, Hurricane Harvey, is expected to make landfall near Corpus Christi, Tex., as a Category 3 hurricane or higher by early Saturday. It is predicted to pummel the South Texas coast with winds exceeding 110 miles an hour and up to three feet of rain. After making landfall, forecasters predicted, the storm would make a turn back up the coast toward Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest city and home to the oil and gas industry.
Mr. Trump used the power of his preferred megaphone, his Twitter account, to signal to his more than 36 million followers on Friday that he was closely watching the storm and in touch with the governors of Texas and Louisiana, the two states most likely to be effected. Mr. Trump used the power of his preferred megaphone, his Twitter account, to signal to his more than 36 million followers on Friday that he was closely watching the storm and in touch with the governors of Texas and Louisiana, the two states most likely to be affected.
Brock Long, a former director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, is leading the federal response effort. His selection has been well received by emergency managers around the country, who say Mr. Long is battle-tested and well-connected with the states’ emergency teams. The Senate confirmed his appointment in June with a 95 to 4 vote. Mr. Trump also received a briefing Friday morning from top homeland security officials, including his homeland security adviser, Thomas P. Bossert; his chief of staff, John F. Kelly; the acting Homeland Security secretary, Elaine Duke; and the FEMA administrator, Brock Long.
Mr. Long said on Thursday that the agency stood ready to respond. It had established an incident support base at Randolph Auxiliary Airfield near Seguin, Tex., roughly 125 miles inland from where the storm was expected to make landfall. Personnel there were stockpiling 77,000 liters of water and 250,000 meals, as well as supplies like blankets and tarps for affected communities. Mr. Long, a former director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, is leading the federal response effort. His selection has been well received by emergency managers around the country, who say Mr. Long is battle-tested and well-connected with the states’ emergency teams. The Senate confirmed his appointment in June with a 95 to 4 vote.
Mr. Long’s Obama-era predecessor, W. Craig Fugate, declined on Friday to expound on the agency’s preparations, but he had good words to say about the administrator.
“Brock can speak for himself,” he wrote in an email. “But he knows hurricanes.”
Mr. Long said on Friday that the agency stood ready to respond and was working closely with Texas and Louisiana. It had established an incident support base at Randolph Auxiliary Airfield near Seguin, Tex., roughly 125 miles inland from where the storm was expected to make landfall. Personnel there were stockpiling 77,000 liters of water and 250,000 meals, as well as supplies like blankets and tarps for affected communities.
The agency also placed teams to assist in the response at emergency posts in Austin and in Baton Rouge, La.The agency also placed teams to assist in the response at emergency posts in Austin and in Baton Rouge, La.
Those measures and others quietly being taken across the Gulf Coast are the legacy of post-Katrina reforms to the emergency management agency that focused on increasing preparedness in hopes of avoiding another flawed disaster response like the one that followed Hurricane Katrina. Those measures and others quietly being taken across the Gulf Coast are the legacy of Hurricane Katrina-related overhauls to the emergency management agency that focused on increasing preparedness in hopes of avoiding another flawed disaster response like the one after that storm.
Indeed, for a sense of the stakes, Mr. Trump need look no further than President George W. Bush’s response to that storm, which pummeled New Orleans in August 2005, crippling the city and leaving well over 1,500 people dead. The response of Mr. Bush’s FEMA administrator, Michael D. Brown, and the perception the president had incorrectly assessed the storm’s impact, are widely thought to have undermined the rest of his presidency. It also led to Mr. Brown’s resignation just weeks after the storm hit. Indeed, for a sense of the stakes, Mr. Trump need look no further than President George W. Bush’s response to Katrina, which pummeled New Orleans in August 2005, crippling the city and leaving well over 1,500 people dead. The response of Mr. Bush’s FEMA administrator, Michael D. Brown, and the perception the president had incorrectly assessed the storm’s impact, are widely thought to have undermined the rest of his presidency.
A White House official said on Thursday that the administration was prepared for the storm and that Mr. Trump, who is expected to travel Friday afternoon to Camp David, would be closely monitoring it. Mr. Bush’s assertion at a news conference, even as the agency was mismanaging its response, that Mr. Brown was doing a “heck of a job,” became a national punch line. Mr. Brown resigned a few days later.
Paul M. Rosen, former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security under President Barack Obama, said the agency that rebuilt itself in the wake of the crisis continues to be guided by the lessons of Katrina.
“I think post-Katrina, from a preparation standpoint, one of the lessons was prepare, prepare, prepare — and when you are done preparing, prepare a little more,” Mr. Rosen said. “There is now a mind-set to get ready for the worst.”
A White House official said on Thursday that Mr. Trump, who is expected to travel Friday afternoon to Camp David, would continue to closely monitor it.
It is “certainly something he’s very aware of and will keep a very watchful eye on, and stands ready to provide resources if needed,” the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, told reporters on Thursday.It is “certainly something he’s very aware of and will keep a very watchful eye on, and stands ready to provide resources if needed,” the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, told reporters on Thursday.
Ms. Sanders also downplayed concerns that vacancies at other top government posts, including the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, would hinder the government’s response. She said the department’s former secretary, John F. Kelly, who know serves as White House chief of staff, would be “sitting next to the president throughout this process.” Ms. Sanders also played down concerns that vacancies at other top government posts, including the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, would hinder the government’s response. She said that Mr. Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general who was the department’s secretary before becoming chief of staff, would be “sitting next to the president throughout this process.”
Mr. Trump has yet to nominate a replacement for Mr. Kelly. Nor has he nominated someone to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the National Hurricane Center. But Mr. Trump has yet to nominate a permanent replacement for Mr. Kelly. Nor has he nominated someone to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the National Hurricane Center.