FEMA causing misery in New Orleans – Again

It is hard to believe that Hurricane Katrina happened only six years ago. The Federal Emergency Management Agency caused misery on the residents for their distracted response during the disaster and many residents haven’t forgotten this incident. Now FEMA seems to have an agenda on their list which is bound to infuriate storm victims further, who have often cursed the agency for their sluggishness.

Wednesday is said to open the new hurricane season. During the 2005 destruction of Hurricane Katrina, FEMA mistakenly overpaid many victims. Now the agency wants their money back after all these years. FEMA is reviewing the cases of approximately 154,000 victims who were awarded roughly $600 million during hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita. The agency is in discussions to demand the return of that money.

In fact letters have been sent out by FEMA to storm victims of other disasters, asking the return of nearly $22 million. Katrina victims are bound to receive their letters in the near future. How people are planning to pay back this money to FEMA or how much is at stake is too soon to decide. Victims are not happy to hear this news. After all, with the hurricane season looming ahead they may very well end up needing more support. While FEMA has stated that this kind of blunder wouldn’t happen again, victims of these disasters aren’t likely consoled.

Hurricanes predicted for the new season are said to have winds of 111 mph, with the government forecasting between three and six major hurricanes. The largest hurricane to hit landfalls was in 2005, however residents have been warned not to count on that streak any longer. Paul Wegener saw his home in New Orleans fill with water up to the gutters. FEMA only gave him a grant of $30,000. Ultimately his house cost $566,000 to rebuild. He didn’t qualify for the grant given through state’s Road Home program. He is frustrated at the thought of having to return any federal aid and said the FEMA will have to pry the money from his aging 75 year old hands!

After Katrina, FEMA faced criticism and relaxed its safeguards. Millions of victims were paid to have food, shelter, clothing and medicine. But this resulted in mistaken and fraudulent payments. Applicants were not interviewed properly, properties were not inspected and errors were made by FEMA employees which ranged from incorrect banking information to checking insurance coverage and so on. These 154,000 cases only accounts for 10% of the $7 billion in aid given to storm victims in 2005. Hundreds of cases fall into the category of hurricane related fraud, however, agency employees also made mistakes and these cases are still under review.

Luisa Mejia was residing in a New Orleans apartment when Katrina hit. She had to move to Atlanta and all she got from FEMA was a $1,200 check to buy food and clothes. She says it’s improper to demand money back when FEMA employees also made mistakes. She adds, “I was honest and didn’t get rich from Katrina.”

While FEMA will try to collect fraudulent payments, lawmakers have authorized the agency to hold off cases if they resulted in employee errors.