FEMA Knew Storm's Potential, Mayfield (Hurricane Ctr) Says

TheTimes - Picayune ^ | September 4, 2005 | Mark Schleifstein

[akron]

FEMA knew storm's potential, Mayfield says

Sunday, 4:44 p.m.

By Mark Schleifstein Staff writer

Dr. Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center, said Sunday that officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, including FEMA Director Mike Brown and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, listened in on electronic briefings given by his staff in advance of Hurricane Katrina slamming Louisiana and Mississippi and were advised of the storm’s potential deadly effects.

NOLA.COM

[wildwood]

i don't think the point is that FEMA knew, as much as the local politicos knew.

[hugorand]

...and Bush had to plea to New Orleans Mayor and Lousina's Governor to get them to order mandatory evacuation, which they finally did on Sunday (too late).

[Doogle]

please consider the source folks....it's BYOA time..


Doogle

[indianrightwinger]

Conservatives are losing the political game being played.

It is a red herring to say FEMA knew. They did not have authority to evacuate.

[Mark]

With the exception of Mark Schleifstein Staff writer, everyone knew it.

[A CA Guy]

They were all told to evacuate. End of issue!

[Cboldt]

Conservatives are losing the political game being played.

Maybe, temporarily. But they are winning the recue and relief "game," and in the end will gain respect.

Meanwhile, the DEMs are in full blame mode, too busy blaming than to pitch in with the relief. Let them blather, it suits them well.

[Gringito Burrito]

There is plenty of blame to go around, but the local officials must be blamed first. Why weren't there busses waiting to evacuate the poor and elderly before the hurricane? I guess Blanco forgot that elderly and poor people live in New Orleans.

[silverleaf]

No mention of a previous report that Mayfield personally called Mayor Nagin on Saturday night to press him to order evacuation of the city?

[Keith in Iowa]

>>>FEMA Knew Storm's Potential, Mayfield (Hurricane Ctr) Says

Yeah, so?

So did NOLAs mayor, and LAs Gov - and what the hell did they do in a timely fashion?.......Why do I hear crickets chirping????

[Keith in Iowa]

Why Didn't Louisiana Follow it's Required Emergency Plan?

[msnimje]

What the heck does that have to do with anything? FEMA is suppose to help the LOCAL GOVERNMENT after about 72 hours. The LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS A RESPONSIBLITY TO Take care of its own citizens until then.

[akron]

"Chertoff told reporters Saturday that government officials had not expected the damaging combination of a powerful hurricane levee breaches that flooded New Orleans."

I don't know if you read the article. The point is FEMA claims the federal response was poor because they were unaware of the storm's potential. Mayfield, the director of the hurricane center is disputing that.

[A CA Guy]

Yes, their mayor is and was a total idiot. He was the anti-Rudy IMO.

Beyond that, they were all warned to get out and should not have stayed at home.

Even now there are a bunch that are refusing to leave their homes for what ever reasons.

[11x62]

I knew.

[msnimje]

Michael Brown was on the TV 36 hours before the storm hit BEGGING the people of New Orleans to take the storm seriously and GET OUT. HE was way out in front of the Governor and Mayor of N.O. on evacuations.

[Naspino]

The Federal Emergency Management Agency knew the power of a hurricane before the hurricane? This is outrageous to know. /sarcasm

[Sonar5]

Thanks keith

[silverleaf]

No mention of this?

Knight-Ridder news service, as of Monday, August 29th:

Numerous officials urged him (Mayor Nagin) to evacuate the city, but he worried about the legality of ordering people out when New Orleans has few safe hurricane shelters. Also, National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield in Miami called Nagin at home Saturday night and told him: ' Get people out of New Orleans.

'I could never sleep if I felt like I didn't do everything that I could to impress upon people the gravity of the situation,' Mayfield said. `New Orleans is never going to be the same'

http://www.philly.com/mld/miamiherald/news/special_packages/5min/12505019.htm