Obama administration held training exercise for NYC hurricane

U.S. President Barack Obama and Homeland Security Janet Napolitano in this August 13, 2010 file photo

/ Martin H. Simon-Pool/Getty Images

Vineyard Haven, Mass. -- If the possibility of escaping from New York seems like something only for Hollywood to you, you probably do not work for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In May 2009, the Obama administration conducted a simulation exercise around the possibility of a Category 3 hurricane hitting New York City, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters Friday.

The National Level Exercise, as it is known, was part of a coordinated effort by federal officials to prepare for a variety of disaster scenarios, including one very similar to what is likely to take place this weekend. President Obama himself participated in the exercise, one of the first of its kind by the new administration.

"The federal government's preparation for this storm didn't just begin as the clouds started to gather and form a tropical depression," Earnest told reporters traveling with President Obama to Martha's Vineyard.

"The federal government and this administration in particular is constantly exercising and preparing and testing and evaluating our readiness for situations like this," he said.

Earnest went on to underscore the position that officials are not "starting from scratch," when it comes to preparations for Hurricane Irene, and reminded reporters that Mr. Obama received an in-person briefing in the White House Situation Room on the first day of the 2011 hurricane season.

Hurricane Irene tracker
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CBSNews.com special report: Hurricane Irene

Asked if the administration learned particular lessons from its predecessor's response to Hurricane Katrina six years ago, Earnest pointed to the pre-deployment of disaster response teams and the pre-positioning of specific kinds of supplies, including baby formula and diapers.

President Bush widely criticized for the federal government's poor response after Katrina flooded New Orleans in 2005. Mr. Bush famously told Michael Brown, at the time the director of FEMA, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."

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How to prepare for a natural disaster

[focusonjobs1]

What a load of crap... congress holds the purse strings, everyone knows that except gep1955. He hopes (as do the repubs) that a smear campaign will keep America from seeing they only offer trickledown economics. The same thing that got us into this mess... now where is the jobs plan?

[Dgunner]

The only as I see things getting things done in non partisan fashion is to threaten the pay checks of the people who pretend to be doing something at the same time doing nothing. Give the president something he can take to the people that will work out the most threating problems or don't expect to get paid .I know of course this will never happen as long as we a bunch of chicken s---t cowards attempting to fool all the people all the time .

[gep1955]

The real way to prpare for disasters is to get our country out of debt so the we can afford to rebuild cities if we have to. Obama adds $4 bil to our debt every day, the strain on the American taxpayer is the storm to be preparing for now. We need fiscal conservatism ruling Washington not RINOs and Marxist democrats.

[focusonjobs1]

I guess some of you have forgotten the disaster preparedness drills we all had in school. Managing a large group during a disaster is a challenge that must be addressed in advance through preparation and planning. Drills are one way to assure that things will run smoothly in the event a real disaster strikes. If you don't remember, ask your kids. Drills over...back to JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!!

[maxcoffee-2009]

And after this hurricane passes and the President goes to view the damage... As all Presidents do... I'm sure that the same people who are criticizing the President for being proactive will also be criticizing him for that too...

[nearl451]

You can bet on it. If he cured cancer; he would be blamed for overpopulation (or it's too expensive, or the free market should have been allowed to do it, or not efficently enough, or it wasn't really him it was someone else).

[nearl451]

The AUDACITY of this clown. Training for an actual disaster. Doesn't he realize how deep in debt we are!!!?

[Jhihmoac]

Better than Bush did...Katrina's a perfect example of that...

[AOCGUY]

wasadem1 - The people "waiting for buses" were the ones that did not own cars. And those people who actually tried to walk out were met at the bridges by armed Parish police and told to turn back. If you remember some were actually gunned down by those law enforcement types. Short memory or just selective?

[bobthebridge]

According to Chloe "In May 2009, the Obama administration conducted a simulation exercise around the possibility of a Category 3 hurricane hitting New York City". I just want to know: On what days did they practice for Category 1, 2, 4 and 5?
It's too bad Obama and Congress didn't spend some time passing a budget!

[Anotheryahoo]

The president does a good thing and still gets criticized, thats partisan garbage mud throwing. No one respects that except other partisan mud slingers. America has allways accomplished more when everyone was working together, something that frightens the republicants these days. Divide and perhaps you can conquer isnt going to get any repub's elected. Practicing for a 3 makes perfect sense to the educated.

[themooniac]

If Bachamn or Perry are not elected I am thinking about moving back to the compound!

[themooniac]

You can bet the Tea Baggers are just praying the hurricane kills some folks in NYC, then they can eliminate the Katrina thing from the campaign debate and just in principle.... because rednecks envy NYC.