11 Quotes by Fran Townsend

When we were preparing the president's speech we had originally picked a different plot to try and declassify to talk about.

There are a lot of dedicated, fine people at FEMA. They're very focused on providing a better response to the nation this year. And we need to be focused on that.

When state and local responders are overwhelmed and incapacitated it may be that our military is the last resort.

You'll all recall that there was the arrest of the shoe bomber Richard Reid in December of 2001, and he was instructing the cell leader on the use of the same technique.

Yes there's a better way to organize it... we look forward to working with the committee. I think we all share the same common goal and that is having a strong, capable FEMA that is better able to serve the American people when they're in greatest need.

We currently have no evidence that a pandemic flu in this country is imminent. That said, we are fairly warned, and the time to prepare for that pandemic is now.

It was the president and his staff that brought all the resources of the federal government to bear. Can we do better? Absolutely. Will we do better? Absolutely.

Quite frankly, I think we did quite well.

Now is not the time to really look at moving organizational boxes. Can we do better? Absolutely. Will we do better? Absolutely.