Washington » Federal officials plan to meet with leaders in Utah today to discuss ways to improve the government's long-term response to catastrophic disasters.
It is one of five "stakeholder meetings" the Obama administration has planned to prepare for the next major flood, hurricane or terrorist attack.
"We need to learn from local experiences," said Shaun Donovan, the secretary of Housing and Urban Development. "We have seen that this country needs to be prepared."
Donovan and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano are leading what the White House has dubbed the Long-Term Disaster Recovery Working Group, which includes officials from 20 government agencies. The working group must give President Barack Obama its report by April.
The secretaries cited the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina as examples for the need for more planning, which is why the first two meetings took place in New Orleans and New York.
The group held a meeting earlier this week in Los Angeles and after gathering in Salt Lake, members will hold one last session Monday in Memphis.
Donovan said the last three cities were selected to add geographic diversity, since different natural and man-made disasters are more likely in different areas.
"We are very focused on being ready to respond to a very broad range of potential disasters," he said.
The focus of this report is not how local officials or the federal government immediately responds to a disaster, but how they interact months and years down the road.
"We are talking about how you restore communities," Napolitano said.
They are seeking input from local government leaders, as well as nonprofits and private companies.
The working group is accepting public input at its Web site. > DisasterRecoveryWorkingGroup.gov.
