The criticism wasn't over how the feds handled the clean-up. But over the lateness of their arrival. Of course then, Florida had a dem Governor who was late in asking for help from the feds.
A few days back one of the "newsies" on TV noted that there was a weather analyst out there who had determined that a superwave 250' high had hit part of Mississippi. His conclusion was universally ignored although he could point to the damage to the top floors of a building that high.
Everyone else was satisfied to limit their discussion to 5' storm surges.
A five-footer will tear up jack, kill people, and leave the area it hits in a totally devastated condition.
Later, they started talking about 10' storm surges, and just yesterday they'd gotten up to the 25' storm surge level.
As impossible as that seams, a 25' storm surge will not only tear up jack, it will remove all signs of previous habitation except for concrete slabs.
This morning a couple of "newsies" accompanied by experts in hurricanes were mentioning 40' storm surges. The weather guys agreed that such things were virtually unknown, but if they could happen, then that's undoubtedly what the experience of the Mississippi and Alabama coastal areas had been.
This is what New Orleans missed. If they'd been hit with a 40' storm surge we would not be rescueing anybody, and none of the aid to city residents would be late. Several of the Eastern suburbs still clammoring for any aid would have no one available to clammor.