After Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of the United States on the morning of August
29, 2005, offers of help from other countries poured in to the US Government. Not used
to being a recipient of foreign aid, the federal government replied slowly and with mixed
signals. This monograph tells the story of these foreign contributions and the U.S.
response.
Lessons from this experience suggest that plans for a vetting mechanism should be
drawn up now so that it is widely understood before the next large-scale crisis hits. In
addition, the international community should adopt a uniform list of goods for stockpiling and use in a crisis, and should meet to reach agreement on the best ways to respond to crises. Effective crisis response is an important part of international security.