( CNN ) -- We do n't yet know how heavy a blow Hurricane Isaac will deliver to the Gulf Coast when it hits . But mindful of the devastation that Hurricane Katrina left in its wake , Alabama , Florida , Louisiana , and Mississippi have declared states of emergency and evacuations have begun . Public officials and emergency managers are getting good at getting people out of harm 's way . Unfortunately , where official plans are likely to fall short is in helping evacuees to quickly return to their storm-damaged communities and get back on their feet . The kind of levee system failure we saw with Katrina in New Orleans in 2005 is not likely to be repeated with this storm , given the $ 14 billion investment that the Army Corps of Engineers is close to completing . Harder hit will be the people along the Mississippi , Louisiana , and Alabama coastlines and in low-lying inland areas with no levee protection . But it 's making communities safe enough for residents to return to quickly that is so important , because packing up and running away from the weather is so expensive . The average Gulf Coast family fleeing the storm will have to dole out and estimated $ 250 to $ 300 a day for food and lodging . With the economy still foundering , and the unemployment rate for most of the Gulf Coast region still above 8 % , plenty of folks have no savings to pay for shelter or even to fill the gas tank for the drive inland . Those who must leave their jobs behind will have smaller paychecks to draw on when the credit card bills arrive at the end of the month . The longer they must stay away , the greater the financial setback they will face . While the media satellite trucks are likely to leave shortly after Isaac passes , plenty of hardship stories will be left to tell once Gulf Coast evacuees are allowed to return to their homes . Residents will almost certainly face the same kinds of challenges they experienced seven years ago in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina . Our elected officials all recognize the high political cost of failing to respond to a disaster as it unfolds , and will do whatever it takes to earn good marks . But despite the painful experiences the Gulf region has endured in the aftermath of recent storms , the path to recovery will still be a rocky one . Federal , state and local government officials have not resolved many of the bureaucratic and insurance-related issues that slow restoring services , paying out legitimate claims and making repairs . Damage assessments have to be made and questions about liability and coverage have to be resolved for homes and businesses that are destroyed . In public spaces , cash-strapped agencies have to determine who is responsible for clearing debris and cleaning up spills of hazardous materials . To date , too little attention has been paid to streamlining these processes . When government falls short in meeting the immediate needs of victims , nonprofit and faith-based relief organizations often step in to fill the void . But long before Isaac started churning through the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico , relief organizations throughout the Gulf Coast were already under severe stress , trying to serve nearly one-fourth of the region 's residents who have a chronic need for assistance . And with charitable giving down below 2007 levels , churches and small community-based organizations have had to cut back on staff and make painful cuts in the social services they provide . What this means is that the ultimate safety net for the neediest populations may be one of the victims of Isaac . These organizations will require early and substantial outside assistance . The storm will provide yet another vivid display of nature 's menacing capacity for destruction and disruption as Republicans gather in Tampa , Florida , and a few days before Democrats descend on Charlotte , North Carolina . Organizers for both national conventions have promised programs that will offer up contrasting views of the role of government . Isaac will provide a reminder that managing messy real world challenges does not lend itself to simple formulas favored by political partisans . When it comes to assuring the safety and well-being of Americans , the truth lies somewhere in the middle . Responding to and recovering from disasters require individual and local resilience on the one hand , and capable and competent government at all levels -- local , state , and federal -- on the other . Throughout this election season our political parties have been busy highlighting what divides us . But disasters have a way of teaching lessons that should unite us . When catastrophic events happen , it is the decisions and actions of local officials and everyday people that are key to survival . But when it comes to planning evacuations , maintaining levees , and supporting the speedy recovery of communities leveled by a storm -- government matters . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Stephen Flynn and Sean Burke .
Writers : Isaac evacuations start ; officials have gotten good at getting people out . But many evacuees ca n't afford the $ 300 a day it takes to live away from home , they say . Writers : Officials have not resolved issues that keep people from returning quickly . They are still trying to get them back on their feet and find permanent housing.