Posted on 09/06/2005 5:56:44 PM PDT by bobsunshine
WASHINGTON - The government's disaster chief waited until hours after Hurricane Katrina had already struck the Gulf Coast before asking his boss to dispatch 1,000 Homeland Security employees to the region - and gave them two days to arrive, according to internal documents.
Michael Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, sought the approval from Homeland Security Secretary Mike Chertoff roughly five hours after Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29. Brown said that among duties of these employees was to "convey a positive image" about the government's response for victims.
Before then, FEMA had positioned smaller rescue and communications teams across the Gulf Coast. But officials acknowledged Tuesday the first department-wide appeal for help came only as the storm raged. Brown's memo to Chertoff described Katrina as "this near catastrophic event" but otherwise lacked any urgent language. The memo politely ended, "Thank you for your consideration in helping us to meet our responsibilities."
The initial responses of the government and Brown came under escalating criticism as the breadth of destruction and death grew. President Bush and Congress on Tuesday pledged separate investigations into the federal response to Katrina. "Governments at all levels failed," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.
Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said Brown had positioned front-line rescue teams and Coast Guard helicopters before the storm. Brown's memo on Aug. 29 aimed to assemble the necessary federal work force to support the rescues, establish communications and coordinate with victims and community groups, Knocke said.
Instead of rescuing people or recovering bodies, these employees would focus on helping victims find the help they needed, he said.
'Time for Blame'
"There will be plenty of time to assess what worked and what didn't work," Knocke said. "Clearly there will be time for blame to be assigned and to learn from some of the successful efforts."
Brown's memo told employees that among their duties, they would be expected to "convey a positive image of disaster operations to government officials, community organizations and the general public."
"FEMA response and recovery operations are a top priority of the department and as we know, one of yours," Brown wrote Chertoff. He proposed sending 1,000 Homeland Security Department employees within 48 hours and 2,000 within seven days.
Knocke said the 48-hour period suggested for the Homeland employees was to ensure they had adequate training. "They were training to help the life-savers," Knocke said.
Employees required a supervisor's approval and at least 24 hours of disaster training in Maryland, Florida or Georgia. "You must be physically able to work in a disaster area without refrigeration for medications and have the ability to work in the outdoors all day," Brown wrote.
The same day Brown wrote Chertoff, Brown also urged local fire and rescue departments outside Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi not to send trucks or emergency workers into disaster areas without an explicit request for help from state or local governments. Brown said it was vital to coordinate fire and rescue efforts.
Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., said Tuesday that Brown should step down.
After a senators-only briefing by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and other Cabinet members, Sen. Charles E. Schumer said lawmakers weren't getting their questions answered.
"What people up there want to know, Democrats and Republicans, is what is the challenge ahead, how are you handling that and what did you do wrong in the past," said Schumer, D-N.Y.
Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, said the administration is "getting a bad rap" for the emergency response.
"This is the largest disaster in the history of the United States, over an area twice the size of Europe," Stevens said. "People have to understand this is a big, big problem."
Meanwhile, the airline industry said the government's request for help evacuating storm victims didn't come until late Thursday afternoon. The president of the Air Transport Association, James May, said the Homeland Security Department called then to ask if the group could participate in an airlift for refugees.
They didn't stop the Red Cross from coming in it was the local and state officals.
I think you'll find some convincing arguments that pretty much turn yours into so much detritus.
Brown ain't no redneck and he doesn't have a clue about disaster management. He's a PR guy and htat's it. Talk about Lewinski...From the article.
"Brown's memo told employees that among their duties, they would be expected to "convey a positive image of disaster operations to government officials, community organizations and the general public.""
"Brown said(to Chertoff) that among duties of these employees was to "convey a positive image" about the government's response for victims.
and "The memo politely ended, "Thank you for your consideration in helping us to meet our responsibilities."
That's not a thanks from a redneck. It's a brain dead kiss from a brown nose.
The President and those around him knew the 'cane was a big one and attempted to head off and minimize the imminent disaster as much as possible. Brown let him down. Brown wouldn't even make a good Boy Scout. That's why Rummy, Chertoff, and Lt. Gen Honere had to make appearances to make up for Brown's failings. Brown failed to even see what needed to be done. I doubt the Ivy League clowns would have done any better.
Thanks for that link proving acting quickly & prior to a hurricane striking saves lives.
"The very size of the task was daunting: about 500 buses were ordered to move 30,000 tourists in Cancun — part of a total of 70,000 to 80,000 mostly foreign tourists to be evacuated statewide to temporary shelters in ballrooms and convention centers."
As I said before, resulting from city, state & federal mismanagement an unnecessary & an inexcusable lose of life has happened.
One other point for you: When that once in a century storm hits and floods some of the beach and valley areas of San Diego (my hometown), you can bet that nobody will be shooting at the Coast Guard choppers and Fire Dept. boats that are trying to rescue them. And nobody will "beat back" the SD police when they move in to maintain order. Some of the people in New Orleans are completely insane and they greatly disrupted the early rescue and law enforcement efforts.
There is a freaking chain of command between state and federal government darn it! Are there so few people who know how our government works?
Can you tell me one thing he did wrong or are you just an another idiot.
The man's a clueless brown nose, in way over his head. "... The memo (to Chertoff) politely ended, "Thank you for your consideration in helping us to meet our responsibilities." after having said, "that among duties of these employees was to "convey a positive image" about the government's response for victims."
This is what John and Ken were yelling about today. Brown has no business heading FEMA. He was FIRED from his previous job of running horse shows. He got his job at FEMA due to cronyism.
The main cause of the heavy loss of life from Katrina was that New Orleans' emergency plan for a flood was incomplete and inadequate and their implementation of this plan was a cluster f***. Maybe we've reached the point where all local emergency plans have to be approved by FEMA (because of incompetent local officials), but at this time that isn't required by law.
Of course they waited, the US has never seen a storm like this in its entire history. What, they think this guy should have a crystal ball for a brain?
Last thing we need is FEMA agents forcing mandatory evacuations every time someone thinks a storm is going to hit. Only people that would like this are looters and Jack Booted thugs.
Be careful for what you ask for, some people are far too willing to supply it.
I'll bet John and Ken on KFI radio are a highly reliable source of information.
You and everyone else make good points-- but fer the luvva Pete can you explain why whoever is behind the following idiocy is still employed?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1478776/posts
What, an Army of Gestapo is supose to take over entire citys and herd the people into camps whenever a storm is brewing?
Why does that reminded me of sheep? (and slaugherhouses) Even Nazi Germany could not have gotten away with what you are demanding.
You know, I think you've hit on a big cause of this New Orleans fiasco: Governor Blanco and Mayor Nagin were TOO concerned about looking like jack-booted thugs by calling for a mandatory evacuation. They didn't want to look too heavy-handed in the eyes of those inner-city people who vote for them. In this specific case, with a Cat 5 hurricance heading straight for New Orleans, that was a big mistake because a mandatory evacuation was actually humane and necessary.
That was the president of Jefferson Parish. He called the woman his mama. Kept promising the fed's would rescue her. The feds never came, so the woman drowned. BS. The guy's a con artist.
And you believe Aaron Broussard??!!!He is under investigation by the State now.
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