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 WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush highlighted U.S. preparedness for the upcoming hurricane season as he marked a change of command Thursday at the U.S. Coast Guard, which rescued 33,000 people after Hurricane Katrina.
"The whole world saw your skill and bravery during the hurricanes last year," Bush said at Fort McNair, where Adm. Thad Allen replaced Adm. Tom Collins as commandant of America's oldest maritime service. "They saw Coast Guard rescuers plunging from helicopters, lifting people from rooftops, hoisting them to safety."
Overall, however, the federal government botched its response to Katrina, which devastated the Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center has warned residents to prepare for as many as six major hurricanes during this year's hurricane season, which begins June 1.
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