Does anyone know

how long after he was notified of Hurricane Katrina's severity did Bush take any action?

President Bush took action before Katrina hit the gulf coast. I remember it vividly as I had family in harm's way in Gulfport, Mississippi. I heard a special message from President Bush urging evacuation. I remember I was scared for my family. One of my family members lost their home completely but not their lives. My other family members lived 30 miles from the coast. They lost electricity for a long while but they were safe too as they all evacuated to areas north of the coast.

I don't know if you are really interested but since you asked:

Source of timeline

27 AUGUST -- SATURDAY

0500: Katrina is upgraded to Category 3, a major hurricane, with the Gulf Coast in its path.
NHC Director Max Mayfield and President Bush call on Mayor Nagin to declare a mandatory evacuation.
Governor Blanco requests that President Bush declare a major disaster for the State of Louisiana. President Bush declares a Federal state of emergency in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The emergency declaration provides for federal assistance and funding and assigns to FEMA, by law, the responsibility for coordinating relief efforts. (For an understanding of emergency management responsibilities -- who is responsible for what -- read "Emergency Management Protocol in Natural Disasters -- Individual and Local, State and Federal Government Responsibilities")

During the day, residents of Louisiana's low-lying areas are told they must evacuate; residents in other low-lying areas are urgently advised to do so. President Bush again declares a state of emergency in Louisiana.

28 AUGUST -- SUNDAY

0040: Katrina escalates to Category 4 strength, heading for the Gulf Coast. The last time Mississippi or Louisiana saw landfall from a Category 4 or stronger storm was 1969 with Hurricane Camille.

0700: Hurricane Katrina intensifies to Category 5, the worst and highest category on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
FEMA Director Michael Brown, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff as well as local and state officials are informed by NHC Director Max Mayfield via electronic briefing that the storm will cause massive damage and flooding -- including levee breaches -- in New Orleans 32 hours before the eye of the storm makes landfall. Mayfield briefs the President later in the day via video conference.

1130: President Bush issues statement about hurricane danger

During the day, President Bush declares a state of emergency in Mississippi and orders federal assistance.
1800: Louisiana Senators send a joint letter to the President thanking him for his actions and requesting that he visit the storm ravaged area "as soon as practical."

29 AUGUST -- MONDAY

0400: Hurricane Katrina is downgraded to a strong Category 4 storm. More than 4,000 National Guardsmen are mobilizing in Memphis to help police New Orleans streets.

President Bush declares a major disaster for Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour describes "catastrophic damage" along the coast. More than 1.3 million homes and businesses in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were without electricity, according to utility companies. Dozens now dead.

30 AUGUST -- TUESDAY

New Orleans is left with no power, no drinking water, dwindling food supplies, widespread looting, fires and steadily rising waters from major levee breaches. Efforts to limit the flooding are unsuccessful and force authorities to try evacuating the thousands of people at city shelters.

Fox News correspondent Major Garrett reports that the American Red Cross was ready to go to the Superdome "on Monday or Tuesday" to assist in the relief of the 25,000 people who had taken refuge there but were prevented by the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security from doing so. According to Garrett, the reason given was because their presence "would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city." This is confirmed by Red Cross.

Democrats from NOLA to Congress start blame-game -- calling for Congressional inquiry, but in the days that follow, it appears that the greatest share of blame will land at the feet of Democrats in Louisiana -- so Democrats reject Republican offer to establish committee of inquiry.

31 AUGUST -- WEDNESDAY

President Bush surveys Gulf Coast damage from air as he returns to Washington, and tells ABC "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees. They did appreciate a serious storm but these levees got breached and as a result, much of New Orleans is flooded and now we're having to deal with it and will."

1000: Governor Blanco makes the request for President Bush to send Federal troops to help with evacuations and rescues. They could not be deployed before as the constitution requires that the Governor make a specific request to have federal troops deployed in a state

02 SEPTEMBER -- FRIDAY

President Bush visits New Orleans, taking a helicopter tour with Mayor Nagin. According to the Mayor, Bush tells him that "he [the President] was fully committed to getting us the resources we need," Nagin said in the tattered Hyatt hotel next to the Superdome. "I told him I knew we could work together, and he said he understood."

Gov. Blanco rejects Bush administration proposal asking her to request a federal takeover of the evacuation of New Orleans. Louisiana officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law.

President Bush visits Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, and later signs a $10.5 billion disaster relief bill.

IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED:

President Bush asks Congress for an additional $50 billion in aid, and a week later proposes a relief package that may cost more than $200 billion, but includes private sector initiatives, tax relief and incentives, etc., which make up part of that "cost."
President Bush issues an executive order suspending the Davis-Bacon Act of 1931, allowing federal contractors rebuilding after Katrina to pay below the "prevailing" (read: union) wage.

FEMA director Michael Brown is removed from directing Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in New Orleans by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. He is replaced by Vice Admiral Thad W. Allen, chief of staff of the U.S. Coast Guard. Brown later resigns.