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FEMA won't release hurricane survey data

The survey assesses how good a job people think FEMA did in responding to the 2004 hurricane season.

FORT MYERS - Federal emergency officials say they won't release information from a survey of people who had home inspections after last year's hurricanes.

The News-Press of Fort Myers had asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the data from the survey, which was seeking information on how well the hurricane victims thought FEMA performed its job, under the federal Freedom of Information Act.

The newspaper asked for data from a FEMA survey of about 3,000 people whose homes were inspected by FEMA to assess damage after Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Jeanne and Ivan hit the state in 2004.

The newspaper sought summaries of the answers, as well as comments from surveyed homeowners, as part of an effort to determine whether Floridians thought FEMA did a good job responding.

But FEMA acting director of recovery David Garratt said in a letter to the newspaper that the information was confidential. The newspaper reported Sunday that Garratt wasn't available for further comment.

FEMA did release the number of surveys sent out and how many people responded.

FEMA inspectors don't determine how much aid money a person will receive, but file a report that goes into that decision. After the 2004 hurricane season, FEMA paid about $1.2-billion in aid to people who had property damage.

A federal judge ruled this month that FEMA does not have to give newspapers the names of people who received hurricane aid. That decision came in a lawsuit filed by the News-Press , Pensacola News Journal and Florida Today , all owned by Gannett Inc., after FEMA refused to disclose who received assistance and how much each person got. The papers are considering an appeal.

[Last modified November 28, 2005, 01:03:04]