FEMA

[williamlayton]

I am going to make a couple of statements that I believe to be true. All corrections to the contrary are appreciated.
I began to think about FEMA in the aftermath of these two latest Hurricanes and all the flack being thrown at them.
I do not recall FEMA taking an active role in the clean-up or evacuation or even coordination of these two things in any such events I have knowledge of.
I thought FEMA was simply an agency that coordinated/provided the paper work/gave a place for those seeking relief to file for this relief.
Why is FEMA taking the hits, other than political inepts shedding the responsibility for their bunglings.
It has always been, to my knowledge, the city, county (parish), state which was responsible and if necessary the Gov called the Pres and cried until he could get help. I recall FEMA being a part of the help but not the coordinating agency.
Blessings

[Haywire Haywood]

FEMA, to my knowledge, was never meant to be a "First Responder" agency.  That role is supposed to be covered by state and local authorities with followup support by FEMA arriving later.  
The Pres declared a state of emergency a couple of days before which provided federal funds so that affected states could activate their National Guard units and move those resources out of danger so that they would be available when needed.  Mississippi did... Alabama did.... what did Louisiana do?  They must have thought all their guard units were amphibious as they left them where they would be flooded out and useful for nothing but a nice artificial reef.

Ian

[big medicine]

To me the fault lays with the State and City Gov. But they are  the ones crying the most and pointing the fingers. Guess it just depends on where disasters happen. Last year the town of Hallam NE was blown off the map by a tornado. You didnt see these people on TV crying about the Gov. not giving them handouts and supporting them for the rest of their lives, they were not on TV crying about getting MREs, because they didnt get them. These people are quietly rebuilding their little town with their own hard work and sweat. I have lost what little compassion I had for the welfare state of New Orleans. Typical of Gov handouts, we will bitch and complain while someone else pays for and does all the work. But it is a race issue, yea right. The town of Hallam is 100% white and the Gov didnt race in to rebuild for them. Kinda puts that theory where it belongs...in the toilet. The gov should only bother to help those that want to help themselves.

[FWiedner]

But it is a race issue, yea right.

The town of Hallam is 100% white and the Gov didnt race in to rebuild for them.

Uh..., Yeah.    About that race thing...

 :shock:

[rockbilly]

:evil: Mind you, I am not defending them, but New Orleans had a very large number of the poorest of the poor.  Many of them are in this position because they do not have any desire to do better.  There are hundreds of third and fourth generation welfare cases.  One family that I know of had a grandmother that had never been married, seven children and different father for all of them, none ever paid child support.  Several of her daughters had numerous children by different fathers, never married.  Several of those children had children, never married.  It's a cycle that will continue forever if it is not stopped.  Who do you think pays the child support and pays for the food stamps.  You are right, when you clock in tomorrow spend an extra hour so it can go the the government for their welfare program.

My point is, the leaches have sucked the blood of the American working folks for so long that they have come to expect everything to be given to them.  There is lots of work to be done to rebuild, put these scum bags to work and see if they can raise above their current position in life.

[IntrepidWizard]

over 80 years ago Huey Long started the Long slippery slope to where the people in NO are today and all the demcraps abused them.

[williamlayton]

Well now, this topic has gotten a little off course.
Back to the subject of FEMA.
I was most appalled by the leadership of NO and Louisiana. It seemed to me that the GOV of Louisiana was waiting for someone to tell her what to do and she was depending on the Federal GOV to step in and take control of a situation that was distinctly a local and state concern. The federal GOV's place in this is to HELP, when asked, with resources but as directed/requested by the state. Seems there is a chain of command  here.
Louisiana has historically been a corrupt state. The folks down there are fiercely independent almost to the point of being separate entities, Parish by Parish, with local leadership being very strong and very corrupt, especially in the southern/Cajun area of this state.
Now I like these folks, they are a live and let live type which suits my disposition, but they do not take as great a part in the direction of government as needed. Read into that the "Good ol boy" syndrome if that is more understandable.
These folks need better leadership that they have elected.
Blessings

[Mikey]

Folks, there is a chain of command in place in every state to handle emergencies like Katrina and Rita.  The chain of command begins with the mayors and governor in each state.  The mayors have to ask for assistance from the governor if the city/local authorities cannot effectively handle the crisis.  The governor should then activate the SEMO - State Emergency Management Offices, which then take over to provide relief.  If the state cannot provide for its own assistance then the State Emergency Management Office contacts The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for more assistance.  FEMA does not have the authority to step in until the state calls for assistance, even if the President warned the governor of LA of the approaching danger.  

The democrats, btw, love 'chains of command' - it deflects personal responsibility from their indecisiveness and inability to act.  They also love to go around chains of command when they think it will benefit them politically.  And I think this is what this nonsense is all about, politics and who gets the broadest coverage.

It is interesting to note that Michael Brown lambasted the governor of LA and the mayor of NO for their lack of preparation even after being informed, but the dems on the panel didn't want to hear that.  It was a typical democrat point the finger and pass the blame to whatever republican appointee they could get their hands on.  I'm surprised Brown didn't agreee that G.W had used captured WWII nazi weather control equipment to cause the storm to hit the improverished gulf, reduce the welfare population and drown out all those welfare recipients.  At least the guy stood his ground.  Mikey.