Reply #8: Once Bush issued a State of Emergency on Sunday before the storm

[DoYouEverWonder]

then the National Emergency Plan went into effect. From there on out the Dept of Homeland Security/FEMA were in charge. The governor didn't have to ask for anything after that.

"In the event of a terrorist attack, natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, the Department of Homeland Security will assume primary responsibility on March 1st for ensuring that emergency response professionals are prepared for any situation. This will entail providing a coordinated, comprehensive federal response to any large-scale crisis and mounting a swift and effective recovery effort. The new Department will also prioritize the important issue of citizen preparedness. Educating America's families on how best to prepare their homes for a disaster and tips for citizens on how to respond in a crisis will be given special attention at DHS."

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/theme_home2.jsp