The end of August was the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the greatest natural disaster in American history. The region is slowly recovering, but the debate about who is to blame for the lack of preparation and the slow response continues.
Katrina struck with ferocity across 90,000 square miles of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Over 800,000 people were forced from their homes and up to 1,800 people died. Despite the warnings that such a disaster could strike the region, officials at the local, state and federal level were woefully unprepared for the disaster.
The days following the hurricane highlighted this state of unpreparedness as the poor who were left behind suffered from hunger, dehydration and lack of shelter. Who can forget the scenes of people floating through the squalid water seeking dry land or those on rooftops signaling desperately for rescue? I well remember the poignant picture of a mother walking out of the waters covering New Orleans with a small baby in her arms seeking help for the infant. That moment on TV seemed to epitomize the plight of the whole city caught in a perfect storm of human incompetence, lack of preparation and natural disaster.
What has been learned since then? Are other cities and regions better prepared for the next "big one," whatever it may be? What does the Katrina disaster teach us about the art of preparation for coming troubles—especially those we have ample warning are on the horizon? It is this last question that is most important for those of us who watch the growing threats on the international skyline.
An article in Time magazine, "Why We Don't Prepare," examined the human response to catastrophe. It said the real challenge is not predicting natural catastrophes—that can be done. The harder challenge is to prepare for them. "We know exactly—exactly where the major disasters will occur," said one expert. "But individuals underperceive the risk."
