Innovation to the rescue

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In the year since Hurricane Katrina exposed our nation's lack of preparedness for a major catastrophe, much blame has been distributed. All levels of government were underprepared for the storm and mounted an inadequate response, leaving too many individuals in need and too many challenges unmet. The images of devastation and suffering in the Gulf Coast during the days following the storm shocked the American public.

Out of the devastation, however, are inspiring stories of Americans at their best, including many federal government employees who responded quickly and effectively to help citizens in hardship. To learn fully the lessons of Hurricane Katrina, we must recognize the successes as well as the failures, and determine how to emulate the best aspects of the response while avoiding the worst.

A key lesson stands out: innovation in crisis matters. Disasters like Hurricane Katrina are complex, and each is unique. While national emergency planning is essential, all the planning in the world is wasted unless front-line responders are empowered and trained to adapt quickly and thoughtfully to the situation on the ground. Federal employees can make a difference if they are authorized to make critical decisions when it matters and are supported by qualified colleagues who have the training and resources to get the job done.

The U.S. Coast Guard is the best known example. As Capt. Bruce C. Jones, commanding officer of Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans, said at a November 2005 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Hurricane Katrina, "What counts the most in a crisis is not the plan, it's leadership. Not processes but people." The Coast Guard has the right model, but it is not the only federal agency whose employees met Hurricane Katrina's challenges.

Workers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) -- an agency with no traditional emergency response mission -- played a critical role in rescuing thousands of survivors. When it became clear an untold number of citizens were stranded after the storm had passed, USGS workers at the National Wetlands Research Center, headquartered in Lafayette, La., and the Louisiana Water Science Center launched their boats to rescue nearly 600 people.

When professional rescue teams arrived, the USGS used their scientific expertise to help the rescuers search more efficiently. Stranded survivors called in for rescue but, with street signs destroyed and house numbers under water, street addresses were difficult to determine. The USGS team jumped into action and worked around the clock to convert street addresses into longitude and latitude, enabling the rescue of more than 8,000 people. The USGS team's quick and creative thinking undoubtedly saved lives.

After the storm, while many institutions struggled to reestablish basic services, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) rapidly restored mail service where feasible. Robin Ware, the recently arrived plant manager at the Gulfport, Miss., mail facility, led the USPS swift response. Although the processing plant was severely damaged in the hurricane, Ms. Ware reestablished mail processing and distribution functions. Ms. Ware also helped create distribution sites for people whose homes had been destroyed in the storm -- in some cases using temporary mail boxes under highway overpasses to distribute public assistance and Social Security checks.

Outside the storm zone, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) stepped in to assist thousands of victims. The IRS has a standing agreement with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to commit up to 600 of its phone representatives to provide telephone assistance to disaster victims in a presidentially declared disaster. Betsy Kinter, director of the IRS call centers, quickly realized 600 people would be unable to respond to the barrage of calls expected after Hurricane Katrina. Mobilizing part-time IRS employees, who usually work only during the tax season, Ms. Kinter boosted the number of employees taking Katrina-related calls by 4,000. Over the following days and weeks, this team answered nearly a million calls from Katrina victims, and helped direct the callers' inquiries.

These are just a few examples of quick-thinking, results-focused federal employees who demonstrated the federal government's capabilities for an effective response. These individuals from the Coast Guard, the USGS, the Postal Service, and the IRS responded decisively and creatively. They committed themselves to helping storm victims by applying their unique knowledge and the ingenuity that comes from being empowered to make decisions on the ground.

As we reflect on the Gulf Coast catastrophe one year later and work to address shortcomings, we must also be mindful of the successes. The U.S. government is made up of a cadre of smart, dedicated and creative employees, many of whom put the victims of Hurricane Katrina before themselves and their families.

By harnessing the skills and dedication of our best and brightest and creating an environment that encourages -- indeed, expects -- federal employees to be innovative, we will be better prepared for future disasters.

George Voinovich, Ohio Republican, and Daniel Akaka, Hawaii Democrat, are, respectively, chairman and ranking member of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Work Force and the District of Columbia.