No One Asleep This Time : Clinton lights fire under disaster relief effort

Before the first snowflake had fallen in Washington, President Clinton had already granted federal disaster relief to storm-battered Florida and was keeping close watch on the storm in other states. The White House also kept in constant touch with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

After Hurricane Andrew last year, FEMA responded too slowly. Not this time. FEMA acted quickly--and even though Southern California need not fear a blizzard, that’s good news here too. Following the 1992 riots, Los Angeles had to call on the nation’s disaster agency, with disappointing results. FEMA said no to nearly half of the applications from riot victims seeking assistance. A new, improved FEMA is good news for all regions of the country, most of which sooner or later will have to call out for emergency help in the face of either a natural or man-made disaster.

In contrast to the sluggish relief that followed Hurricane Andrew, this time around FEMA response teams headed for areas directly in the path of the killer storm--in anticipation of a major disaster, based on weather forecasts that warned of a history-making blizzard.

FEMA’s top management is still in transition, but in the interim career civil servants who know how to respond to a major disaster are working around the clock and calling the shots. The careerists, led by acting director William C. Tidball, have gotten off to a good start.

The blizzard, which wreaked havoc in more than 20 states and the District of Columbia, is a severe test of FEMA because of its unprecedented intensity and the huge scope. Damage estimates are expected to soar into the billions by the time every state that needs federal help makes its pitch.

Hardest hit was the South. North Carolina and Tennessee quickly sought federal assistance for emergency snow removal. The feds will pay 75% and the state and local governments will pay 25% of the cost to clear two-lane paths for ambulances and the like. That help, however, is just a start.

The federal government is also expected to pay for low-interest loans, housing assistance and other help that could cost billions during the long-term recovery.

Americans depend on the federal government when the worst has happened. This time, thanks to improved relations with the White House and the capable hands of dedicated government workers, FEMA came through. President Clinton and Congress should take note of what a re-energized FEMA can do, and build on this success.