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“Viewpoints” | Looking Back at Hurricane Katrina: Is Our Public Health System More Prepared?

By: Serena Vinter

Four years ago this week – August 28, 2005 to be precise – Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast region, killing more than 1,800 people and causing more than $81 billion in damages. The devastating storm left the region’s public health and health care systems in shambles from which they are still trying to recover years later. At the time, many Americans considered Katrina a wake-up call for federal, state, and local governments to seriously prepare the country for public health emergencies and natural disasters. Instead, we treated Katrina like a ...