MSNBC just had a guy on named Dan somebody, an MSNBC analyst, who gave a good overview on how things aren't done as easily as the critics think (e.g. Why do air drops of food? Because history shows they can land on top of people); and he basically said (said he hated to say it) that the city and state govt's screwed up.
Yes. Although I am retired now, I was a Safety Engineer for part of my career. I know how to do a hazard analysis and identify what could go wrong. Massive flooding could have been anticipated. Loss of power always happens in hurricanes. Breakdown in the chain of command could be anticipated. Failures of roads, bridges, and debris could be anticipated. Heck, even people staying home when they were told to get out could have been anticipated.
The failure to plan and anticipate the consequences of this storm is a local problem. We don't have the federal government come in and take charge of local issues in this country. But for local governments to succeed, the local people have to vote for true leadership. We do get the government we deserve, don't we?