White House wants better disaster planning

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- A report commissioned by the White House called for U.S. federal agencies to change the way to they anticipate and respond to domestic disasters.

The report was prepared by President George Bush's domestic security adviser, Frances Townsend, and is based on review of the response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that struck the Gulf Coast last summer. The White house released the document on its Web site Thursday.

Among its recommendations is that the Department of Housing and Urban Development should play a more central role in finding temporary housing for victims. It also calls for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other government agencies needed larger stockpiles of emergency supplies and the ability to track them.

"Though there will be tragedies we cannot prevent, we can improve our preparedness and response to reduce future loss and preserve life," Townsend said in a cover letter to the report. "And while we will work diligently to implement immediate improvements, it is important to recognize that the true transformation envisioned in this report will require a sustained commitment over time by the federal government as well as by state and local governments that have essential duties in responding to disasters."