Need seen for single disaster agency

Cutting red tape, improving communication and assigning a single federal agency to take the lead in disaster recovery efforts were among suggestions emerging Friday at a conference at Kirkwood Community College.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency takes the initial lead, “but it is often unclear which of the other federal agencies takes over after the cameras are gone,” said Fred Tombar, a senior adviser for disaster programs with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which sponsored the meeting along with the state's Rebuild Iowa Office and the office of Rep. Dave Loebsack.

“We keep hearing that the federal government needs to have one agency that coordinates all the resources available to disaster victims,” said Tombar, who worked on Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts in Louisiana before joining the Obama administration.

Friday's conference brought together government officials and representatives of non-profit, volunteer and faith-based organizations to identify and share best practices and innovations.

Insights gathered here and at other similar meetings will go into recommendations for improving disaster recover policy to be presented to the Obama administration in April, Tombar said.

Loebsack, a Democrat representing Iowa's 2nd District, said Friday's conference also will help keep Iowa's efforts to recover from 2008 floods and tornadoes “at the forefront of consciousness in Washington.”

Loebsack said another $312 million in Community Development Block Grants will become available to disaster victims later this year, “and I want Iowa to get a significant share of that.”

Loebsack said Friday's conference will help the federal government develop effective, long-term mechanisms for disaster recovery. “We can't keep reinventing the wheel every time it happens. That's not acceptable,” he said.