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.
So EFFEN what!! The Governor waited until Sunday to declare it a disaster area. FEMA DOES NOT supercede either the mayor of NOLA or the Governor of LA. This isn't Communist China FGS.
You don't disagree with people by ignoring the key facts.
That's part of an argument. I'm sure people who disagree with you feel you are ignoring 'key facts,' whether that is the case I'm not to judge at this point. But it doesn't make you a troll.
It always seems to me someone is losing their case or frustrated when they start tossing insults and the over-exposed 'troll' tag, especially at someone who has been here for years (one such accused 'troll' has a sign up date of '98, I believe). jmho.
If FEMA had gone in to NOLA within the first 24 hours before the military put "boots on the ground", they might have been shot at with AK-47's. The mayor of NOLA couldn't even restore order in his own city, and he's talking about "slow response" from the FEDS? Geez. Try telling that to the 10,000+ people who had to walk to the SuperDome because the mayor told them they were on their own.
Cite where I called you a "troll" and other various insults. Either cite where I called you a troll or lobbed insults at you or stop making up bogus charges.
HUH? Did miss something? I'm not talking about you, bud. You came in and replied to a post that I wrote to someone else, and I was trying to explain... oh nevermind. This is what happens when you respond to a post that's not addressed to you. Take your finger off the trigger and relax.
Well, I honestly have no clue what a "troll with a signup date of '98" has to do with you, me, or this thread. If you want to change the subject, I'm not going to have any of that.
One other thing, this is a public forum. I can respond to any post in any thread I so choose, even if that means telling you what I think of your posting style.
Fine. Why did you respond to my post to ForGod'sSake, if you don't know a thing about what I was referring to, and obviously have no interest in the thread history? If you're going to be so defensive, maybe you should stick to minding your own business. C-YA.
You haven't told me a thing about my "posting style," but yours sucks, and you're showing your ass right now. Or did you just pop in here looking for a fight, and I'm the first person you bumped into? Lucky me. Get bent.
The overwhelming disaster of Katrina will hopefully institute passage of workable laws interlinking the different portions of governmental response efforts.
The next challenge may unfortunately be brewing off the Florida coast right now, since Tropical Depression No. 16 is expected to become Tropical Storm Ophelia. Data
Florida's 'Coming' Hurricane Calamities
Note the date of this Miami Herald news article; July 22nd 2002.
If telling you the fact that FEMA is not a first responder is "picking a fight", you need to chill.
I'm hardly being defensive
maybe you should stick to minding your own business.
Whatever kiddo.
Yeah, go sleep it off, "BigSky." We're done.
For now, anyway. The next time you make some bogus argument as "fact", I'll call you on it.
Very interesting. Unless GOP conservatives are blind followers of FEMA's Czar, Michael Brown, we are idiots? Nice, real nice.. .....
When Bush cuts Brown loose, as I'm sure he will, I bet you'll almost hear a "swoosh" sound as many of these folks twist 180 in breeze, and change their tune on the "former" FEMA head.
I sat and watched on Sunday (before Kat hit) as Brown gave several interviews, clearly stating that FEMA was on the ground, ready to go, with needed resources in place - "prepared" for whatever the daylight would bring. It's clear their was either denial, ineptitude, or both going on.
No doubt the governor and locals screwed up badly as well. But Brown never should have perpetuated the obviously false belief that they were ready and prepared for a catastrophic event. Hopefully the voters will dump the governor as well. But to hear people rigorously defend Brown smacks of the kool-aid talkin'.
So, for the sake of argument, lets just say FEMA was "ready to go" before the hurricane hit. Why don't you tell all of us here when FEMA is 'legally' allowed to go in and assist? Whose decision is it?
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