IEM to Lead Development of Hurricane Plan for Louisiana (Well, well, well lookie here..)

Insurance Journal ^ | 6/9/2004 | Untitled

[zarf]

IEM Inc., a Baton Rouge, La.-based emergency management and homeland security consultant, announced it will lead the development of a catastrophic hurricane disaster plan for Southeast Louisiana and the City of New Orleans under a more than half a million dollar contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

In making the announcement today on behalf of teaming partners Dewberry, URS Corporation and James Lee Witt Associates, IEM Director of Homeland Security Wayne Thomas explained that the development of a base catastrophic hurricane disaster plan has urgency due to the recent start of the annual hurricane season which runs through November. National weather experts are predicting an above normal Atlantic hurricane season with six to eight hurricanes, of which three could be categorized as major.

The IEM team will complete a functional exercise on a catastrophic hurricane strike in Southeast Louisiana and use results to develop a response and recovery plan. A catastrophic event is one that can overwhelm state, local and private capabilities so quickly that communities could be devastated without Federal assistance and multi-agency planning and preparedness.

Thomas said that the greater New Orleans area is one of the nation's most vulnerable locations for hurricane landfall.

"Given this area's vulnerability, unique geographic location and elevation, and troubled escape routes, a plan that facilitates a rapid and effective hurricane response and recovery is critical," he said. "The IEM team's approach to catastrophic planning meets the challenges associated with integrating multi-jurisdictional needs and capabilities into an effective plan for addressing catastrophic hurricane strikes, as well as man-made catastrophic events."

IEM President and CEO Madhu Beriwal is the recipient of a special merit award from the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Association ( LEPA ) for her work in New Orleans hurricane emergency preparedness.

[zarf]

Looks like James Lee Witt has a nice racket going. What about that plan?

[Keith in Iowa]

If they followed that plan, it sucked - big time...
but it looks like they didn't follow their plan.

[Jeff Chandler]

Too Much H2O!"

[battlegearboat]

The plan is to get more contracts.

[Neanderthal]

"The IEM team's approach to catastrophic planning meets the challenges associated with integrating multi-jurisdictional needs and capabilities into an effective plan for addressing catastrophic hurricane strikes, as well as man-made catastrophic events."

They sure talk purty.

[endthematrix]

Off their site:

"Many employees of IEM-BR save up their Presidents’ Day holiday to use at Mardi Gras. The many area festivals, such as the JazzFest (New Orleans), Fest for All (Baton Rouge), Crawfish Festival (Breaux Bridge), International Festival (Lafayette), Strawberry Festival (Ponchatoula), Duck Festival (Gueydan), Rice Festival (Crowley), and the Shrimp and Petroleum Festival (Morgan City) prove that Louisiana folks love a party, and the IEM headquarters is responsible for a few of its own."

Yeah, emergency management was one big party. Now the levey has broken, nobody is toasting...

[rineaux]

OK, make sure I have this, Wayne Thomas, Homeland Security, helps award a contract to IEM. Now Wayne is also the VP of IEM. Nonconflict of interest, right?

[battlegearboat]

In twenty zero five

we took a little trip

along with Admiral Katrina

towards the mighty 'Miss A Sip'

We took along some lawyers

and we took along some reams

To doucument our fees

at the legal battle of New Orleans.

[Restorer]

IEM President and CEO Madhu Beriwal is the recipient of a special merit award from the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Association ( LEPA ) for her work in New Orleans hurricane emergency preparedness.

They gonna take it back now?

[endthematrix]

No. Wayne Thomas is not part of US DHS, he is VP of HS at IEM.

[rineaux]

Thank you for the clarification.

[endthematrix]

As for any conflict of interest and revolving door government-industry contract grabs, James Lee Witt was a former Director of FEMA. And he personally had to work to fire an IEM employee who was heading Gov. George E. Pataki's safety review of the Indian Point nuclear plant. IEM was a subcontractor. The employee had previous employment to the plant's owner.

[OldFriend]

Which explains why Blank-O continues to deny the government the right to take over the state for emergency purposes.

[thegreatbeast]

I just read here at FR that the locals had just designed a plan but were still in the pissing-contest stages of accepting it. Let them iron it out and put the god damned half a mil back in my pocket!

[Howlin]

What about that plan?

His "new" plan is to cover up last year's "plan."

[Howlin]

Do you have a link to that?

[rolling_stone]

so plan A didn't work to well, what was plan B?

[thegreatbeast]

Here is the link regarding an evacuation plan done by the locals:
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1477560/posts

[rawcatslyentist]

>"so plan A didn't work to well, what was plan B?"

Plan B Wanna Get High?

Kill A Commie For Mommie
Seven Dead Monkeys Page O Tunes

[niteowl77]

"(He) has no plan, or even an idea of a plan, nor do I believe he knows the meaning of the word Plan."

-The Duke of Wellington