President Donald Trump's administration delivered admirably in the aftermaths of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, but when it comes to natural disasters, two out of three aren't good, former deputy of Health and Human Services Tevi Troy wrote in a column for The Wall Street Journal.
Trump will instead be remembered for the federal government's perceived lagging response to Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria, Troy wrote.
"As George W. Bush learned with Katrina, you can do a great job in dealing with weather disasters for four years, but the one you falter on is the one for which you'll be remembered," wrote Troy, deputy secretary of HHS from 2007-2009.
Regardless, in this case, whether anyone could be faulted for the unique challenges posed in getting aid to Puerto Rico and then being able to distribute it, Troy writes.
The specific problems adversely affecting the response in PR:
- Puerto Rico is an island; the logistical challenges have been overwhelming.
- The devastation was worse, affecting local governments' ability to respond.
- Maria was the third hurricane, further taxing an already embattled FEMA.
"FEMA has limited resources. Its appropriations run out quickly in one disaster, let alone three, requiring a less-than-nimble Congress to vote for disaster funding," wrote Troy, former senior White House aide to Bush.
"And FEMA personnel, who have been doing heroic work, are only human. They are subject to exhaustion when faced with a month of constant deployments and redeployments," Troy writes.
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