Turnabout is fair play: Ex-FEMA head Michael Brown evacuated in Boulder fire

You remember Michael Brown -- or "Brownie," as George W. Bush liked to call him. He was head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) when Hurricane Katrina hit, and he soon became the walking, talking symbol of the government's failure to anticipate the size and scope of the disaster...

By Michael Roberts

January 8, 2009

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You remember Michael Brown -- or "Brownie," as George W. Bush liked to call him. He was head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) when Hurricane Katrina hit, and he soon became the walking, talking symbol of the government's failure to anticipate the size and scope of the disaster or adequately aid victims once it struck. Not long thereafter, he wisely (and appropriately) stepped down from his post and returned to Colorado, where he'd distinguished himself as legal counsel for an organization devoted to Arabian horses (good one!), and tried to reestablish his reputation. Read Patricia Calhoun's September 2007 column to decide how successful that effort has been. Its title: "Michael 'Heckuva Job' Brown Knows Disaster."

He certainly does today. Brown lives in the area of Boulder that was evacuated yesterday as a result of a wildfire that's still uncontained at this hour. As he told the folks at KOA/850 AM during an appearance this morning, "Here I am on the other side of the fence now."

Don't gloat about that, Katrina survivors. Well, maybe a little gloating is okay. -- Michael Roberts

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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