Although the federal government spends tens of billions of dollars annually on homeland security, Americans remain unsure about the nation's ability to respond to disaster - whether natural or manmade. It seems that regardless of how much we spend and plan, we are unable to substantially reduce the harm done by disasters or prepare communities for emergencies.

The recent fires in California were among the worst in the state's history, leaving extraordinary damage in their wake; 8 deaths, 2,000 homes destroyed, 640,000 residents displaced, and damage estimates surpassing one billion dollars. Now, with the worst of the fires now behind them, communities are beginning to rebuild. But what role can policy makers have in rebuilding, and how can they best understand the process?

As the 1000-day anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, many wonder exactly when the Gulf Coast will be back to normal, and why the recovery process has moved so slowly. With hurricane season 2008 quickly approaching, it's a good time to look at the lessons learned from the most expensive natural disaster in history. On Thursday, May 22nd, the Mercatus Center at George Mason University will host a discussion on the effective disaster response from the public and private sectors.

On July 29, 2008, the Mercatus Center will hot a panel to discuss release a compilation of post-Katrina research and analysis that will consist of six policy papers exploring the role of businesses and entrepreneurs in post-Katrina recovery, each with recommendations for change and illustrated by a case study of a local citizen who has struggled against the odds for survival and contributed valuable lessons learned to his/her community in the process. The compendium will also include reviews of popular books and a reference list of research related to Gulf Coast recovery.

Three years after Hurricane Katrina, rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast have been plagued by well-documented challenges. But left largely unexplored is the question of what's working on the ground. In Louisiana and Mississippi, entrepreneurs and the commercial sector have been quietly playing a critical role in helping communities rebuild, create jobs, and re-establish a sense of normality. The panel will answer the questions: What's working in the commercial sector in post-Katrina recovery? Why is it working? And, how can public policy better support the critical role that commercial actors, from small entrepreneurs to large companies, play in responding to disasters and rebuilding communities?

This course for California policymakers and staff will bring fresh insight to the question of disaster response and recovery on the state level by exploring the lessons of Katrina and other tragedies as they apply to California. 

The Crisis in Public Safety Communications brought together prominent scholars, policymakers, and industry officials to discuss solutions to this deadly serious problem. Major telecommunications scholars presented groundbreaking research on what causes the lack of effective communication between local public safety personnel, and how U.S. spectrum policies have failed to remedy this Balkanization problem.  This research was then discussed by two panels of industry executives, public safety officials, and policymakers with deep knowledge of the problems confronting us.

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University has spent the last year learning from the Gulf Coast communities rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. To share its preliminary findings and discuss the real world implications of its research, we will host a three-hour workshop exclusively for policymakers.

Scholars from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University released preliminary findings of a five-year research project analyzing these issues with commentary provided by journalists from the National Journal and Pulitzer Prize winning New Orleans Times-Picayune.

The Social Change Project at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University presents a lecture by Nona Martin, Affiliated Scholar at the Mercatus Center. Ms. Martin will discuss her recent work in the oral history of reconstruction and recovery from Hurricane Katrina. The talk will be based on the forthcoming book "How We Came Back: Voices from Post-Katrina New Orleans," co-written with Prof. Chamlee-Wright of Beloit College and the Mercatus Center.