What is your problem? If you want to defend total incompetence, be my guest.
As one who witnessed Ivan last year, this situation is nearly identical (only bigger and over a much larger area than any hurricane in modern history)and it takes time to react to the situation. Adequate notice was given to the inhabitants of the area. There was no mistaking Mayor Naggin's pleas for evacuation.
Relief supplies are staged outside of the affected areas and need time to be brought in and distributed. This becomes very slow when you are hampered by roads and bridges being destroyed. Hampered by numerous law enforcement agencies establishing control over their areas while trying to turn back the hordes of evacuees wanting to return to their lives.
You obviously have never been confronted with dealing with requests of millions of people both inhabitants and well meaning friends and relatives using every conceivable means of communications tying up phone lines, roads, bandwidth, delivery services, etc. Come back in a week and see how much has been accomplished before throwing out criticism of those first responders.
If you have ever had a car breakdown on a trip out of town, you know it's going to take the rest of the day and proably most of the next to get back on the road. Now throw in the fact that the nearest unaffected tow truck is a hundred miles away, the parts have to be manufactured cause the inventory is depleted, and the mechanic is busy trying to rescue his family from a flooded neighborhood and you have the makings of a long delay. Hindsight is always perfect.
Having a couple of spare bridges that can be flown in and set-up in a matter of minutes along with thousands of tons of supplies delivered to your door would be great wouldn't it? Why I don't even hold my pizza delivery driver to their 30 minute guarantee anymore.
Arrogant, omniscient jerks that think a natural disaster = incompetence and no planning. You're a disgrace.