FEMA Investigates Katrina Breach

FEMA investigating how personal information from about 16,000 hurricane evacuees ended up online.

By: WKRG Staff | WKRG-TV
Published: December 23, 2008

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DALLAS (AP) - The Federal Emergency Management Agency is
investigating how personal information from about 16,000 Hurricane
Katrina evacuees in Texas ended up online.
FEMA spokesman Terry Monrad in Washington told The Associated
Press early Tuesday that the information involved evacuees from
Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
All sought FEMA assistance after Katrina hit the Gulf coast in
August 2005.
The individuals are being contacted by phone and mail, plus will
receive 18 months of a security monitoring service. Monrad declined
to identify which Web sites posted the information, which he says
has been removed at FEMA's request.
FEMA became aware of the breach Dec. 16. He says most of the
applicant information posted online was properly released to state
agencies that sought the data after Katrina.
Texas Workforce Commission spokeswoman Ann Hatchitt told KERA in
Dallas that an internal investigation is under way.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)