ADM Allen is arguably the most credible and capable individual in the U.S. Government with respect to disaster relief.
Haiti response effort brings lessons from Katrina
When the after-action reviews of the recent catastrophic earthquake in Haiti are finally written, the tragedy will likely prove another major milestone in gauging U.S. disaster response. For an early preview, National Journal spoke with the man tasked with salvaging the Katrina operation and an insider during the Haiti crisis, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen. Edited excerpts from that interview follow.
Phi Beta Iota: It is clear from this interview that the emphasis was on extracting Americans rather than orchestrating aid to the Haitians. That is very helpful. Lessons learned from Haiti remain to be documented at a multinational and regional level.
