New Report on the Failed Response to Hurricane Katrina

On February 15, 2006, the U.S. House of Representatives Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina released its final report detailing the failed response to the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast. The report, titled “A Failure of Initiative,” blames a lack of leadership at all levels of government, and also notes that communications breakdowns among first responders, a shortage of qualified emergency personnel, inadequate training and insufficient funding all conspired to doom an effective emergency response.

The entire report can be found at http://www.katrina.house.gov, along with additional testimonies delivered over the course of the Committee’s investigation. Separate reports by the Senate and the White House are expected in the coming weeks.