Will a Twenty-First Century Logistics Management System Improve Federal Emergency Management Agency's Capability to Deliver Supplies to Critical Areas, During Future Catastrophic Disaster Relief Operations?

The United States Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must be prepared at all times to supplement state and local emergency personnel, or to provide logistics support during disaster relief operations. A significant number of people criticized FEMA's slow response to Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. Based on lessons learned, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff stated in his testimony to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on 15 February 2006, that FEMA's ability to get supplies to the needed areas in a timely manner was limited because its logistics systems were not adequate for an enormous catastrophic disaster. Secretary Chertoff also stated the first step to improving FEMA's capability was to work with other federal agencies and private businesses to create a twenty-first century logistics management system. According to the Logistics Management Support Annex of the Federal Response Plan, dated January 2003, managing logistics is a process of planning, preparing, implementing, and evaluating all logistics functions in support of an activity or operation. This thesis will define a twenty-first century logistics management system, examine FEMA's logistics management system during Hurricane Katrina, and determine what changes must occur to strengthen it. Finally, recommendations will be made on how FEMA can provide quality logistics support for future catastrophic disaster relief operations.