FEMA Administrator met with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler and Office of Emergency Management head Joseph Bruno to discuss New York’s emergency preparedness efforts and to bolster the relationship between the City and the federal agency.
I spoke with Fugate after the meeting on the steps of New York’s City Hall and recorded two YouTube videos with him. In the first, he urges New Yorkers to prepare for emergencies saying, “if you haven’t gotten ready, you need to get ready” (including learning CPR and First Aid). Fugate points out that while the Big Apple may have the most resources of any city to respond to a disaster, if those New Yorkers who can prepare do so it frees responders to help the most vulnerable members of the public.
In front of City Hall, Craig Fugate urges New Yorkers to prepare for disasters.
In the second video, Fugate discusses his meeting with City officials. He notes that New York typifies the all-hazards approach to disaster management and emphasizes that FEMA’s role is to complement and assist local and state efforts.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Bruce Curley // Jul 1, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Mr. Fugate is correct. Unfortunately, most citizens do not realize FEMA is more a coordinnator, that the real action is at the local level.
2 Lisa Ellison // Jul 9, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Mr. Fugate is correct the more citizens that are prepared the better off they will be. Being a CERT member of Community Board 3 (Chinatown) and a graduate (Aug 09) in the field of Emergency & Disaster Management (MCNY) I know being prepared can save your life and the lives of others. In addition, this gives first responders the opportunity to assist the most vulnerable and seriously injured.
3 FEMA Head Says Personal Preparedness “Must Be National Priority”; Requires “Considerable National Attention” — “Every Elected And Appointed Official At Every Level of Government Must Make It A Priority” // Jul 28, 2009 at 1:24 pm
[...] in his own public statements during the first several months in the FEMA job (for example, here, here and here). But this is the most striking statement I’ve seen yet of his belief that the [...]
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