Centralization versus Decentralization

What do you believe the government's role to be when tragedy strikes the United States, such as the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the South?

I believe that the government in general should have a centralized role in how the United States operates. Hurricane Katrina is an example of why. The State of Louisiana could not have rescued all the people, assessed damages, or rebuilt homes without the government directing and supporting it. People argue that such dependency gives to much power to the federal government, and thus undermines democracy, but they do not realize that we do not live in a democracy. If the federal government did not have to power to enact legislature providing financial aid, then no doubt the situation in Louisiana would have been much more dire. Even programs such as FEMA are government run organizations designed to promote pluralism and thus spread the power of the government among many. Thus, when disasters occur, such as Katrina or the terrorists attacks of September 11th, we all need to pitch in. Citizens, local, state, and federal government need to work together in order to cope with the tragedy. Otherwise, chaos will follow; the different levels will inevitably conflict if not unified.
Essentially, if one feels that I have gone on a tangent above, I believe that the federal government should send monetary aid, troops, relief workers, and whatever else it can do in order to help.