Lecture: Responding to Hurricane Katrina: Disaster and Politics at Ground Level
If the interactions of disaster relief agencies during the emergency response phase of Hurricane Katrina, including those of local, state and federal governments and NGOs, were to be described in musical terms, it would be a cacophony at best. In a world of interdependency, with accelerating risks from natural disasters, terrorist attacks and pandemics, collaboration and cooperation in catastrophic disaster planning, preparedness and responses are essential. The lesson from Katrina: collaboration and cooperation occurred but was resoundingly discordant.
Ronald Speakes is currently the Executive Director of the Hampshire County Chapter of the American Red Cross and served as the Operations Director for the Red Cross relief effort for the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He did his graduate studies in philosophy at Georgetown University and after ten years in academia began work with the American Red Cross. He has had Red Cross leadership roles on many major disaster relief operations, to include Hurricane Andrew, Midwest Floods, Hurricane Floyd, various super-typhoons in the Pacific Islands, and 9/11 World Trade Center.
Open to the public. A reception follows the lecture.
This is the first of four public lectures in the Spring 2006 Environmental Lecture Series: Disasters, Environment, and Public Policy.
Directions & Parking
Goodell is located west of the campus pond and Old Chapel, and is easily identified by its portico with four white columns at the entrance. Public parking is available in the Campus Center parking garage or in Lot 32 across Mass. Ave. Handicapped parking is located on the north side of the building on Hicks Way.