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(KSL News) -- As America looks back on the country's disasters, many wonder if we'll be prepared next time. A group of mayors from across the United States say they aren't ready and the federal government isn't doing enough to help.
A survey of 183 cities shows confidence in the federal government is on its way down. 70 percent say their cities could not handle a bird flu epidemic, and 80 percent say there's no communication between first responders.
Now instead of waiting for federal help, cities are leaning on each other.
Martin O'Malley, Mayor of Baltimore: "We took for granted that our federal government would be there immediately in the aftermath of something as devastating as Hurricane Katrina. And increasingly the mayors have come to the conclusion that we can't count on the federal government."
Some mayors say there just isn't enough money to prepare themselves, but they're doing the best they can.
Utah's emergency management program is doing better than most. It has received conditional accreditation from a federal program that evaluates emergency response agencies. We are only one of three states to receive this accreditation.
Seven states and the District of Columbia have received full accreditation. Utah now has nine months to do the same.
