But regional leaders say the hurricane has taught them they can't rely on FEMA.
"We now need to recognize the reality is, help may not be on the way," said Duncan, who called for the removal of FEMA from Homeland Security and for the agency's return to Cabinet-level status.
Notably, officials said, clearer plans are needed for evacuating residents, particularly those who do not have cars or who are sick or elderly.
The leaders also want to discuss ways of better alerting residents to an emergency; D.C. Council member Carol Schwartz (R) suggested the creation of a siren alert system.
"We need to go back to the basics," Schwartz said.
Four years after the attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center, local leaders are most concerned about a potential breakdown in communications between local authorities and federal officials in an emergency.
Greenbelt Mayor Judith F. Davis recounted the experience of her police department, which deployed some of its tactical force to New Orleans.
The officers were patrolling the streets in an armored car when a helicopter began to hover overhead. The pilot dropped a bottle with a note inside, warning them of a major gas leak in their path.
Local leaders plan to redouble efforts to educate the public on how they should react in an emergency.
"The general public vastly needs some very clear instructions on what to do, rather than panic in place or running into each other in the streets," said Rockville City Council member Robert E. Dorsey, a member of the Council of Governments board.
