FEMA Chief Recalled from Relief Efforts.
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Admiral takes over Katrina reliefFEMA chief recalled to Washington to prepare for future stormsFriday, September 9, 2005; Posted: 7:40 p.m. EDT (23:40 GMT) Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen will head up on-site Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. ??? WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen will replace FEMA director Michael Brown as the on-site head of hurricane relief operations in the Gulf Coast, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced Friday afternoon.Brown will head back to Washington from Louisiana to oversee the big picture, the official said. (Full Story)Allen has been an assistant to Brown in the Gulf region.While announcing the leadership change, Chertoff praised the FEMA director's response to the devastating storm. (Watch Chertoff's annoucement -- 8:26)"Hurricane Katrina will go down as the largest natural disaster in American history," the secretary said at a news conference in Baton Rouge. "Mike Brown has done everything he possibly could to coordinate the response to this unprecedented challenge. I appreciate his work, as does everybody here."Chertoff would not allow Brown to answer a reporter's question as to whether this was the first step in Brown's resignation. He also did not respond to a question regarding Time Magazine's report that Brown's resume contained inaccuracies. FEMA issued a statement calling the article "misleading." Time magazine published an article Friday on its Web site questioning the qualifications of Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael Brown . (Full Story) Chertoff said Brown would work on preparations for future storms, including Tropical Storm Ophelia, which is off the Florida coast. (Full story)"FEMA is fully capable of handling multi-storm operations," Brown said in a written statement. "I am returning to Washington, D.C., to resume oversight over operations for the arrival of Hurricane Ophelia and the immediate response efforts."Don't get got holding the hot potato...
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