[COMPLETE TEXT--PUBLIC DOMAIN DOCUMENT]
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, today announced that Federal resources are being allocated to support emergency protective response efforts response efforts in the parishes located in the path of Hurricane Katrina.
Brown said President Bush authorized the aid under an emergency disaster declaration issued following a review of FEMA's analysis of the state's request for federal assistance. FEMA will mobilize equipment and resources necessary to protect public health and safety by assisting law enforcement with evacuations, establishing shelters, supporting emergency medical needs, meeting immediate lifesaving and life-sustaining human needs and protecting property, in addition to other emergency protective measures.
The parishes of Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, Catahoula, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Helena, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, and Winn were designated eligible for assistance. In addition, federal funds will be available for public safety debris removal and emergency protective measures at 75 percent of approved costs.
Brown named William Lokey of FEMA to coordinate the federal relief effort. FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
[END TEXT]
Now, some dates.
This was posted on FEMA's website on or before August 31--the last "update" to this is on the 31st at 17:37:22.
NOW, PAY ATTENTION!! THIS TIMELINE IS VERY IMPORTANT!!AND I JUST PIECED THIS TOGETHER--IT'S NOT IN THE OPENING RANT!!
[Note, I cited a disconnect in the opening rant that the Governor's letter of the 27th is not on the State of Louisiana's website anymore, but there is one dated August 28.]
THE DATE OF THE FEMA PRESS RELEASE IS AUGUST 27, 2005
THE LETTER ON THE LOUSIANA WEBSITE IS DATED AUGUST 28, 2005
THE STAFFORD ACT RESTRICTS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FROM DECLARING A DISASTER EXCEPT IN THOSE PLACES REQUESTED BY A STATE. THOSE LOCATIONS ARE MENTIONED IN THE DISPATCH BY FEMA.
THE STATE OF LOUISIANA HAD TO HAVE SENT SOMETHING TO THE FEMA ON OR BEFORE AUGUST 27 TO GET THAT DECLARATION--INDEED A TRANSMISSION IS IMPLIED IN THE TEXT OF PARAGRAPH 2
THE AUGUST 28, 2005, LETTER FROM THE STATE OF LOUISIANA MENTIONS ORLEANS, ST. BERNARD, PLAQUEMINES, AND JEFFERSON PARISHES.
THE AUGUST 28, 2005, LETTER IS ISSUED AFTER FEMA ISSUES A DISASTER DECLARATION EXCLUDING THOSE FOUR PARISHES.
[Draw your own conclusions...]
So the state FORGOT about those parishes, noted the absence in the FEMA letter and decided they had better fix their request. Is that right?
The level of incompetence, is, at best, criminal.
http://gov.louisiana.gov/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=973
Date: 8/26/2005
Contact:Denise Bottcher or Roderick Hawkins at 225-342-9037
GOVERNOR BLANCO DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCYBATON ROUGE, LA--Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco today issued Proclamation No. 48 KBB 2005, declaring a state of emergency for the state Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina poses an imminent threat, carrying severe storms, high winds, and torrential rain that may cause flooding and damage to private property and public facilities, and threaten the safety and security of the citizens of the state of Louisiana The state of emergency extends from Friday, August 26, 2005, through Sunday, September 25, 2005, unless terminated sooner.
The full text of Proclamation No. 48 KBB 2005 is as follows: ...
August 27, 2005...
Under the provisions of Section 501 (a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5206 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR § 206.35, I request that you declare an emergency for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina for the time period beginning August 26, 2005, and continuing. The affected areas are all the southeastern parishes including the New Orleans Metropolitan area and the mid state Interstate I-49 corridor and northern parishes along the I-20 corridor that are accepting the thousands of citizens evacuating from the areas expecting to be flooded as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
http://www.gov.state.la.us/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=976
August 28, 2005...
Parishes expected to receive major damage based on the anticipated track of Hurricane Katrina are: Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Tammany, Terrebonne, and Washington.
In addition we are expecting that the following parishes to suffer significant damage as tropical storm force wind and heavy rainfall occur in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina's landfall: Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. Mary, St. Martin, Vermillion, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana.
Parishes that are affected by the evacuation of persons from the southeastern parishes of the state as we implement the Louisiana Shelter Operations Plan are: Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, Desoto, East Carroll, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, and Winn.
http://www.yuricareport.com/Disaster/BlancoToPresident_letter8_28_05.html
Aug 27, Blanco sends letter to President, via FEMA, requesting 9 million dollars in funds to handle a non-direct landfall. The money is slated to cover evacuation and operation of public shelters
http://www.gov.state.la.us/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=976
Aug 27, FEMA press release Release Date: August 27, 2005 Release Number: HQ-05-169. This is the one that you finger as evidence of Blanco failure to request relief for e.g., Orleans Parish.
http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18447
Aug 28, Blanco sends letter to President, via FEMA, requesting 130 million dollars in funds to handle a direct landfall. This request increases the amounts slated for evacuation and sheltering, and adds a line item for debris removal. It slates ZERO for coordination, Technical & advisory assistance, and Distribution of emergency supplies.
Her request recites the following:
Parishes expected to receive major damage based on the anticipated track of Hurricane Katrina are: Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Tammany, Terrebonne, and Washington.In addition we are expecting that the following parishes to suffer significant damage as tropical storm force wind and heavy rainfall occur in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina's landfall: Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. Mary, St. Martin, Vermillion, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana.
Parishes that are affected by the evacuation of persons from the southeastern parishes of the state as we implement the Louisiana Shelter Operations Plan are: Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, Desoto, East Carroll, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, and Winn.
http://www.yuricareport.com/Disaster/BlancoToPresident_letter8_28_05.html
An August 29 FEMA press release recites the following:
Release Date: August 29, 2005
Release Number: HQ-05-179Affected individuals and business owners in the parishes of Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, Calcasieu, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Mary, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana are eligible for aid.
The assistance will be coordinated by FEMA and can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses. Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration also will be available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance.
Federal funding is available to State and eligible local government in the parishes of Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, Calcasieu, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Mary, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance.
Federal funding also is available to State and eligible local governments in the parishes of Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, Desoto, East Carroll, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, and Winn for emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance.
For a period of up to 72 hours, federal funding is available at 100 percent of the total eligible costs for emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance. The 72-hour period funding at 100 percent excludes debris removal.
Funding, on a cost-sharing basis, is available for hazard mitigation measures in St. Mary, St. Tammany and Ouachita parishes. Damage surveys are continuing and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are completed.
I fail to see the significance of an August 31 date in any of the above exchange, and wonder how the evidence supports your "coverup" theory.