New chief sets tone for FEMA.

Publication: The Miami Herald (Miami, Florida) (via Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News)

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COPYRIGHT 2005 The Miami Herald

Byline: Frank Davies

Oct. 31--WASHINGTON -- David Paulison survived the rough-and-tumble of Miami-Dade politics as fire-rescue chief in the 1990s, but he knew he "stepped into a mess" when he agreed last month to become FEMA's acting director.

The federal emergency agency was excoriated for its slow response to Hurricane Katrina, chief Michael Brown was forced to resign and late-night talk show hosts had only to say the word "FEMA" to get a derisive laugh.

Then came three hurricanes that hit in his first six weeks on the job. The most recent, Wilma, crippled South Florida, leaving millions without power, including his home in Davie.

"There's a lot of opportunity to fail, but also a lot of opportunity to succeed," he told The Herald in his first interview since mid-September, when he took the job.

The stakes are huge. President Bush and Congress are...

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