"If we want the military to close the 72-hour gap in responding to natural disasters, we'll have to come up with a new model."

We respond to disasters only after they have taken place.

If the present policy continues, I am afraid that we may not be able to respond adequately to disasters in the future.

The agency has received $19.1 billion in supplemental appropriations to respond to disasters since 1993.

The team was established to respond to special maritime accidents and disasters.

In the past, the agency's focus has been on responding to natural disasters.

The United States government is ready to respond to foreign disasters quickly and has often done so.

Since 2000, the charity has responded to just under 200 natural or man-made disasters in 75 different countries.

Historically, the problem is that, generally speaking, too little attention has been given to the readiness to respond to disasters.

"Americans should now harbor no illusions about the government's ability to respond effectively to disasters," she said.