Comments on: FEMA IT systems contribute to response snafus

By: Homeland Security Architect? - Homeland Stupidity

Homeland Security Architect? - Homeland Stupidity — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 18:58:49 +0000

[...] As previously reported, computer security at the Department of Homeland Security sucks. I mean really sucks. (It sucks government-wide, but it’s particularly ironic that it sucks at DHS.) And there’s no end in sight to the sheer stupidity of how DHS’s IT infrastructure is being mismanaged. [...]

By: Low morale persistent at Homeland Security - Homeland Stupidity

Low morale persistent at Homeland Security - Homeland Stupidity — Tue, 23 May 2006 15:41:44 +0000

[...] Nowhere is this more evident than in the Federal Emergency Management Agency, hit hard by its inability to respond quickly and effectively to Hurricane Katrina last summer. FEMA has failed to fill senior-level jobs, according to a memorandum the subcommittee released late Thursday. Subcommittee member Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., whose district was hit by Hurricane Katrina, said with just two weeks left before this year’s storm season begins, the agency must beef up its ranks. [...]

By: Chertoff: I’m “retooling FEMA” - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity

Mon, 02 Jan 2006 04:48:13 +0000

[...] “So I think in the next weeks you will be seeing that we come forward with some specific plans to strengthen FEMA’s logistic systems, give the leadership of the department better situational awareness about conditions on the ground, and to improve our customer service, our service to the people, who, after all, are our clients, the people who suffer when they are the focus of a catastrophe,” he said. [...]

By: Homeland Security management sucks - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity

Homeland Security management sucks - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 04:46:13 +0000

[...] But that’s not all that’s in this report. It also criticizes DHS’s accounting (yep, the books suck, too), its lack of effective oversight, the fact that their computer systems suck, the fact that it still hasn’t created a national threat database, and much more. Filed under: Homeland Stupidity, Terrorism, Hurricane Katrina [...]

By: Chertoff: “We need to re-engineer FEMA” - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity

Fri, 16 Dec 2005 00:56:51 +0000

[...] “FEMAâ€™s system for moving supplies into a disaster area is not adequate for catastrophic events. Many parts of it are antiquated and inefficient. We must more effectively partner with the public and private sectors and tap into their expertise to overhaul our logistics system within FEMA,” he said. I also covered this in some depth as well. [...]

By: Secret Service computer security sucks - IO ERROR

Secret Service computer security sucks - IO ERROR — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 22:53:31 +0000

[...] Government computer security, and government IT usage in general, has sucked for as long as the government has had computers. In the last few months, I let you know about problems with FEMA’s computer systems, a Customs and Border Protection computer snafu, the unsearchable Transportation Security Administration database, the occasionally missing in action Homeland Security web site, breaches of security at the Internal Revenue Service, and government computer security overall sucking. And I’ve barely been able to scratch the surface. [...]

By: economy1

economy1 — Mon, 24 Oct 2005 20:42:23 +0000

I registered for FEMA aid online and can tell you it’s the most difficult online registration process I’ve encountered for ANYTHING since I went online in 1995. Aside from the system repeatedly crashing (I’ll grant them that they may have had overload issues,) you had to use a multi-step process with a sometimes confusing interface and once you signed up you had to sign up again for online access to the account. Once you did that, you needed to receive a PIN and go back and create a password. Excuse me? None of my BANKS require both PIN *and* password. Eventually, I got it done and there was a decision (proper in my case) to take back the “second check”, the record of the dispersal was simply deleted from the account, rather than showing a contrary decision after the original dispersal. I guess my check is being tracked somewhere so they can ask for it back next year but wouldn’t it make sense to do that in the thing they call my “account”? I’m just sayin’.

By: FEMA e-mails show disorder, chaos in Katrina response - IO ERROR

FEMA e-mails show disorder, chaos in Katrina response - IO ERROR — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 22:40:04 +0000

[...] « Free speech zones aren’t free Hurricane Katrina Get out now! Katrina set to utterly destroy New OrleansGovernor: Do not return to New OrleansNew Orleans under martial law, under waterNew Orleans survivors going to Houston Astrodome”Most likely thousands” dead in New OrleansHelp Katrina survivors, not Pat RobertsonLouisiana governor: “Shoot and kill” lootersFEMA stalls hurricane rescue effortsFirst water, then fire for New OrleansKatrina rescue effort a tragedy of errorsBush press conference completely stagedNew Orleans death toll could exceed 10,000New Orleans to throw everyone outInside a FEMA concentration campThe insanity continues: Responses to Hurricane KatrinaMoveOn calls for independent Katrina investigationNew Orleans to be rich, whiteKatrina takes toll on BushFEMA chief Michael Brown resignsBush: “I take responsibility” for Katrina failureBrown took fall for ChertoffSouth will rise again: Gov. Blanco vows to rebuild New OrleansWho wrote Bush’s New Orleans speech?Dozens of Bushvilles to house evacuees indefinitelyNagin, feds clash over return to New OrleansNew Orleans reopening suspendedFeds burn food, ship ice to Maine; New Orleans evacuates againMore Katrina stupidity, corruptionNew Orleans open: Enter at your own riskIt’s your money they’re wastingFEMA IT systems contribute to response snafusNew Orleans police steal cars, attack reporters22,000 remain in hurricane sheltersFEMA is a jokeFEMA e-mails show disorder, chaos in Katrina response [...]