A Really Good Move

"Gov. Kathleen Blanco has hired a former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to advise her on handling the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

James Lee Witt headed the disaster recovery agency during the administration of former President Bill Clinton.

Blanco said Witt, 61, is the best possible person to work for the state on how to best handle recovering from the storm. She said he knows what is possible and what isn't, and will know what type of activities to suggest be undertaken.

Witt is an Arkansas native who headed the Arkansas Office of Emergency Services when Clinton was governor there.

At FEMA from 1993 to 2001, Witt supervised 2,500 employees and handled 348 presidential disaster declarations, said a biography on his Web site. Since he left the agency, he has been a consultant to local and state governments on emergency and disaster preparedness. Witt once headed a construction company and for a time was the top elected official in Yell County, Ark."

Baton Rouge Morning Advocate

Hiring Witt will being the experience that FEMA has been sorely lacking into the process. Imagine Mike Brown is feeling pretty out-classed right about now. The grown-ups are in charge at last.