Bradley Comments on His Trip to Hurricane-Ravaged Areas of Gulf Coast
BRADLEY COMMENTS ON HIS TRIP TO HURRICANE-RAVAGED AREAS OF GULF COAST
Wednesday, November 2, 2005
(Washington, D.C.) - This past weekend, First District Congressman Jeb Bradley was part of a Congressional Delegation that traveled to hurricane-damaged areas of New Orleans, Louisiana and Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi to survey the Department of Defense's relief efforts. Bradley participated in the trip as co-chair of the "Gap" Panel on Non-Traditional Missions and Catastrophic Disasters, part of the House Armed Services Committee's Congressional Defense Review. Bradley's panel focuses on the role of the armed services in responding to natural disasters, pandemics and peacekeeping operations.
Following are Bradley's comments about the trip:
"In Louisiana, the members of the delegation and I visited the New Orleans Naval Air Station, the Convention Center and Jackson Barracks in New Orleans. We also toured the 9th Ward levee that was breached two months ago by the storm surge and met with Governor Kathleen Blanco. In the afternoon, we toured parts of Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi. Lastly, we visited Keesler Air Force Base to view the damage to the base's housing units and hospital.
"It is hard to comprehend the magnitude of the destruction along the Gulf Coast. It is not just blocks that have been destroyed, but entire sections of New Orleans and large swaths of coastal Mississippi. Over 1,000 people lost their lives, an estimated 300,000 homes in Louisiana are inhabitable, and hundreds of thousands of people have had their lives upended. However, there are signs of life in certain areas of New Orleans, as some businesses and restaurants have re-opened in the French Quarter. Life has yet to return to normal, but I saw signs of hope and determination.
"While in New Orleans, we met with first responders and members of the National Guard. I was struck by their courage and commitment to getting the job of rebuilding done. We also met with U.S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad Allen, who is overseeing FEMA relief efforts in the area. I admire Adm. Allen's "can-do" attitude, and his leadership has helped to stabilize the rebuilding effort. Our troops have done an incredible job of helping people to rebuild their lives, and their response in this disaster has been nothing short of exemplary.
"The members of the delegation and I also met with military commanders to discuss the role of the armed forces in future disasters. We discussed chain-of-command issues, including who has authority during disasters. This disaster has proven the need for agencies and local, state and federal officials to better communicate with each other. The need to pre-plan for disasters of this magnitude is essential and improving the ability for first responders to communicate in an emergency is critical. These discussions are invaluable as our panel looks at any existing gaps in the military's role in responding to disasters and how we can improve the military's preparedness for future catastrophes."
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