WASHINGTON, DC—Responding to Senator Collins’ request for answers about why 250 truckloads of ice originally bound for the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina ended up in storage in Portland, Maine, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has sent a letter to the Senator reporting that the ice has been removed from Portland, but cost taxpapers nearly $274,000 while it was stored in the City.
“FEMA has such a poor logistics system that 250 truckloads of ice for hurricane victims ended up in Maine , some 1600 miles from those who might need it, and costing taxpayers nearly $274,000 in storage and handling costs,” said Senator Collins. “And this is likely to be the tip of the iceberg since FEMA stored additional ice in other states far away from the affected region,” said Senator Collins.
At issue are 250 truckloads of ice that were purchased by FEMA in anticipation of Hurricane Katrina, but diverted to Maine where the ice was stored at an Americold facility in Portland . FEMA reported to Senator Collins that the ice was moved out of the facility on October 27th, nearly two months after the hurricane hit the Gulf Coast , at a cost of $209,361 in September and $64,581 in October for storage and handling. In addition, FEMA said that the 200 million total pounds of ice it ordered in anticipation of the hurricane exceeded earlier projections for what the need would be.
Senator Collins , who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, raised this issue during two hearings earlier this year as part of the Committee’s investigation into preparedness for and response to Hurricane Katrina. She said that the Committee’s final report on Hurricane Katrina will include recommendations on how FEMA should improve its logistics system in preparing for and responding to a disaster.