Posted on 09/02/2005 9:57:05 PM PDT by America's Resolve
BY his own admission, things are going badly for Sheriff Harry Lee and his crisis management efforts.
Outside his mobile headquarters truck, two officers grip a stepladder while a third stands on the top rung waving his mobile telephone in the air, searching for a signal.
Inside Sheriff Lee, of Jefferson parish in New Orleans, is sitting at a table, fuming.
He is doing his best to alleviate the biggest catastrophe he will ever witness, but lacks even the most basic of resources.
He cannot communicate with his own officers -- his officers can barely communicate with each other -- because the overloaded radio frequency keeps jamming.
The chain of command for Louisiana's hurricane rescue plan has missing links. There is tension between the numerous agencies involved in the relief effort, and some of Sheriff Lee's deputies are so overwhelmed and demoralised that they are giving up.
"It's not getting better -- it's getting worse," he says. "This is probably the largest national disaster in the history of the US and the co-ordination that should be in effect all these days after the event just isn't happening. It's lack of proper planning and lack of co-ordination. There are plenty of Indians, but no chiefs."
Two kilometres from his command post, a section of Highway 10 has become a giant refugee camp. The evacuees are gradually being taken away in buses and trucks to shelters as far away as Houston, Texas.
But some have started turning up at his door, pleading for food and for water.
Some have not had a drink since Tuesday.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
Even if equipment and facilities are available, there's nobody in leadership positions to give permission to utilize the resources.
We also have to keep in mind that this isn't only NOLA. There are burbs and other subsidiary cities that have been affected in the same way.
Looting is still going on and mayhem for the sake of mayhem.
Rhetorically, I gotta wonder how this can happen in America.
Jeez
I saw a similar report on the news tonight.
There was a police commander saying "where is the government?"
I hate to break it to you, but you're the government!
If the leaders of NO and LA expected the federal government to take care of everything, why were they collecting tax dollars and federal money? Did they think that money was just there to make them feel more important or to pass out to cronies???
like this chief said, too many indians and not enough chiefs.
Leadership has simply evaporated apparently.
It didn't happen in NYC. It didn't happen in Washington DC, and it doesn't happen every year in Florida when the 'canes arrive.
This is Louisiana. A wellfare city. People used to taking the lazyboy approach to life.
It is a tragic commentary on America, isn't it? Evidently there was no emergency plans in place that were effective at all. Even with the aid of Fed. govt., the blame lies on the local politicians. In "The Big Easy" life ain't so easy anymore. Too bad they always thought it was and didn't have serious plans, and back up plans. It was quite evident from the beginning. The mayor and governor had no clue how to proceed. Pitiful. The Tsunami tragedy was managed better.
Well, it is Louisiana and that's how things are done. It's a LONG story. Goodnight, Huey. Goodnight, Earl.
It has been reported that a large number of NO police officers deserted. One writer said in a novel: "Only a thin blue line seperates us from the jungle". If this doesn't illustrate the point nothing does. Also it was John Calvin who taught the "total depravity of the human heart". NO=QED. signed: Ex-Cop.
Ah, another of the free markets are evil brigade step up!
Question:
Would you rather be able to fill up your tank for $3.50 a gallon, or not be able to buy gas at $2.50 a gallon?
Of course, if the situational socialist freepers had their way, they could power their cars merely on raw emotion and hatred for people making that evil thing called 'profit'.
Everytime I see one of these politicians on tv, I get a clearer picture of the problem.
Whether it's Bush, Condy, the mayor, the governor, or anyone else, it's all the same double talk.
This agency is working with that agency to determine how to coordinate efforts with the other agency at a different level who is handling certain duties but each needs authority from somebody different to determine which plan of action to review with which other department of a given task force...
Too much bureaucracy and too many people in power interested only in living a good life at the expense of others.
He is either completely stupid or criminally incompetent if he isn't aware of the well established principles of Emergency Incident Command. They've been published and refined for over 20 years.
Lessons in the organization and use of Incident Command Systems are available for free from FEMA for the asking. If this idiot hasn't bothered to get himself trained in how to set up an Incident Management System in his county then he shouldn't be in charge.
When I read this article I got so mad I could frigging spit nails....
L
First order of emergency operations: evacuate the non-combatants. See the pictures of all the school buses lined up so pretty in the water?? Where were the city buses, taxis, and limos? Where was the food & water for the displaced? And were was the commmunication. I lived for seven years just north of NOLA, corruption & graft is the name of the game in LA politics. Of course, the fact that the governor & mayor are Democrats has nothing to do with it--RIGHT!!!!! Instead, tell everyone to go to the Superdome & wait for the cavalry to arrive from Washington, DC!
I'm old enough to remember the last time a President tried to control the price of commodities by fiat. It didn't work out so well.
L
What did they do with the money allocated towards emergency planning.
How did they allow the police deparment to become part of the problem.
Oh, why bother to ask.
New Orleans, CORRUPTION IS THY NAME.
BTTT
That was probably Chief Compass, the head of the N.O. Police Department. Not unlike his mayor, he went fetal position today, at two different times, on two different networks. He has completely lost it.
The collapse of his department is going to require that literally thousands of National Guard troops will be conducting street patrols instead of giving aid to the displaced. The collapse prevented the evacuation of hospitals as well.
The real question is how is it that the Mayor forgot to evacuate the acute care hospitals and the nursing homes.
Perhaps he thought the tooth fairy would do his job.
I suppose you favor the repeal of usury laws as well?
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