About
2008 Echoing Green Fellow | "We need to be able to independently assure
ourselves and Congress that DHS has implemented many of our past
recommendations or has taken other corrective actions to address the
challenges we identified. However, DHS has not made its management or
operational decisions transparent enough so that Congress can be sure
it is effectively, efficiently, and economically using the billions of
dollars in funding it receives annually, and is providing the levels of
security called for in numerous legislative requirements and
presidential directives."
(GAO-07-395T, Page 28, 3/9/07)
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Mission
Improving the nation's disaster management systems through public
accountability, citizen oversight and empowerment, whistle-blower
engagement, and policy research.
About DAP
After Katrina, there has been significant focus on the botched response, relief, and recovery efforts across the Gulf Region. Seriously lacking, however, is the attention paid to the nation's broken disaster prevention, response, relief, and recovery systems at the root of the post-Katrina problems and complications that continue to cause extensive suffering for so many.
The non-partisan Disaster Accountability Project monitors the public accountability of the US disaster prevention, response, relief, and recovery systems, engages a community of stakeholders in tracking recommendations for their improvement, and uses a website and hotline for survivors and disaster response volunteers and workers to raise concerns and publicize critical service gaps.
The basic premise, is that if the American Red Cross, FEMA, Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies and organizations that comprise the U.S. disaster management system do their jobs correctly, the problems realized after Hurricane Katrina will not reoccur after the next disaster.
The project focuses on both immediate and long-term disaster accountability and oversight:
The project focuses on both immediate and long-term disaster accountability and oversight:
1) Real-Time Disaster Oversight: A toll-free hotline facilitates meaningful oversight in the immediate aftermath of disasters to ensure gaps in disaster relief/response services are addressed by responsible agencies and organizations.
2) Policy: Informed and targeted policy oversight and advocacy ensures disaster planning, law, and policy are comprehensive, inclusive, and reflect best-practices and lessons-learned from recent disasters, and account for problems reported to the DAP hotline in the immediate aftermath of past disasters.
3) Citizen Engagement: The Disaster Accountability Project works to engage citizens across the U.S. to ask informed questions, learn about local and regional preparedness efforts, and demand transparency and public accountability in local disaster planning and management systems.
2) Policy: Informed and targeted policy oversight and advocacy ensures disaster planning, law, and policy are comprehensive, inclusive, and reflect best-practices and lessons-learned from recent disasters, and account for problems reported to the DAP hotline in the immediate aftermath of past disasters.
3) Citizen Engagement: The Disaster Accountability Project works to engage citizens across the U.S. to ask informed questions, learn about local and regional preparedness efforts, and demand transparency and public accountability in local disaster planning and management systems.