[StBernard] Landrieu Praises Appointment of Disaster Planning Specialist

[Westley Annis]

Landrieu Praises Appointment of Disaster Planning Specialist
Position within SBA will oversee emergency management.

 

WASHINGTON - United States Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., today praised the
Small Business Administration (SBA) for their appointment of retired Rear
Admiral Steven G. Smith to oversee the newly created Executive Office of
Disaster Strategic Planning and Operations, the office that will develop and
implement changes to SBA's disaster assistance programs. As a member of the
Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship and the Senate
Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee, which
funds the SBA, Sen. Landrieu included a provision in the recently-enacted
2008 Farm Bill requiring SBA to create this new position for a high-level
disaster planning expert. 

"One of the important lessons we learned following hurricanes Katrina and
Rita is that the SBA must be nimble, effective and timely in disbursing
loans following a disaster," Sen. Landrieu said. "When the storms struck,
SBA did not have a dedicated disaster planner or a comprehensive disaster
response plan. As we begin the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season, both of these
fundamental flaws have been addressed, first through the passage into law of
bipartisan SBA disaster reforms, and now through the appointment of Admiral
Smith. 

"I appreciate the cooperation of former SBA Administrator Steven Preston and
Acting Administrator Jovita Carranza for their leadership in helping us to
enact this and other significant SBA reforms."

After more than two years of bipartisan efforts to improve assistance to
small businesses and individuals devastated by disasters, such legislation
championed by Sen. Landrieu was included in the final passage of the 2008
Farm Bill. One provision in particular required SBA to create a disaster
planning position with responsibility for overseeing SBA disaster
preparedness and coordination, including maintaining a comprehensive
disaster response plan, ensuring training procedures for disaster response
staff, and coordinating training exercises and simulations between SBA and
other federal agencies, including FEMA. Sen. Landrieu's measure also
required that the specialist demonstrate significant experience in disaster
planning, disaster readiness and emergency response. 

Admiral Smith has served as the chief executive officer and chief operating
officer of small businesses engaged in providing open source information,
risk management and comprehensive security solutions to government and
commercial clients. He served for 34 years in the U.S. Navy and retired with
the rank of rear admiral. 

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