TABLE 1—

Public Health–Related Legal Categories and Issues Reported by the Media Following the 2005 Hurricane Disasters, by Jurisdiction: August 2005–February 2006

Legal Issue	Alabama	Arkansas	New Orleans, La	Louisiana	Mississippi	Houston, Tex	Texas	Gulf Coast	All other jurisdictions	Total
Protection of people (n = 471)
Evacuee services
General	2	5	5	13	6	8	22	15	85	161
Electronic records	–	–	–	1	1	1	–	9	1	13
Health and safety	2	1	39	15	8	2	2	46	3	118
Evacuation
General	1	–	33	4	2	7	14	10	2	73
Special populations	3	1	24	4	2	–	5	4	7	50
Pets	–	–	–	–	–	–	1	1	1	3
Crime, fraud, tracking sex offenders	–	–	14	6	1	1	–	1	7	30
Mortuary law and preparedness	–	–	6	8	2	–	–	2	–	18
Price gouging	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	5	5
Mobilizing professional resources (n = 230)
Mutual aid: EMAC	3	–	–	7	2	–	1	12	100	125
Interjurisdictional coordination	–	–	7	1	3	1	1	31	16	60
Role of the military	–	–	6	1	–	–	2	2	9	20
Communication	–	–	5	1	2	–	–	5	3	16
Court system	–	–	6	2	–	–	–	1	–	9
Declaration of emergency (n = 65)
Mandatory evacuation, stay-away orders	–	–	28	1	–	1	–	3	–	33
Emergency declarations, waivers, powers, orders	1	1	–	4	2	-	3	7	14	32
Lessons and Planning (n = 64)
Lessons (including planned legislation)	–	–	4	1	2	1	2	2	48	60
Litigation	–	–	2	–	–	–	–	1	1	4
Management of property (n = 17)
Property management, rights, clean-up	3	–	8	2	3	–	–	1	–	17
Total	15	8	187	71	36	22	53	153	302	847

Note. EMAC = Emergency Management Assistance Compact.