Hurricane Pam

A second Hurricane Pam Exercise was planned for this summer
Last year, around the same time as Hurricane Ivan, FEMA, worked with LSU to conduct a New Orleans disaster simulation called Hurricane Pam. The results revealed what came true these past weeks. Last week, before quitting the job altogether, FEMA's Mike Brown said "we planned for it two years ago. Last year, we exercised it. And unfortunately this year, we're implementing it."

"LSU Researchers Assist State Agencies with Hurricane Response Plans"
One important result of the exercise was the understanding among agencies at all levels of the seriousness of such an event. "A White House staffer was briefed on the exercise," said van Heerden. "There is now a far greater awareness in the federal government about the consequences of storm surges."

Not to berate officials unnecessarily but this is so major, mad people are dead or displaced and people really need to take this serious. Read more about how much officials knew and still how inept they were:
• "Experts warned of threat to New Orleans for years" CNN.com, Sept. 2005
• "Washing Away" The Times-Picayune, June 2002
• "Who Is To Blame?" [WM Video] CNN.com, Sept. 2005