2005 Events and Outcomes: Hurricane Katrina and Beyond

Abstract

The year 2005 was a record year for the socioeconomic impact of disasters in the United States. This chapter revisits the catastrophes that occurred during 2015 (Hurricane Dennis, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, and Hurricane Wilma) and reviews some of the lessons learned since then regarding effective mitigation, sustainable recovery, and vulnerability awareness. It also highlights some of the weaknesses of the existing mitigation and recovery strategies, including the diminished local preparedness, response, and recovery capacities in a post-9/11 environment. This review shows that the 2005 hurricane season did not trigger the same type of sweeping organizational changes as were seen post-9/11 even though it should have been a wake-up call for governments at all levels to adjust the U.S. emergency management system-to move toward a real emphasis on long-term loss reduction from all possible hazards. Major challenges remain with regard to areas like medical preparedness, information sharing, private sector preparedness, and community recovery as subsequent disasters (e.g., Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Maria) continue to reveal. A commitment to hazard mitigation, such as increases in financial allocation and a shift to pre-disaster investments and pre-event recovery planning-two key factors that contributed to the losses from Hurricane Katrina-remain elusive.