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.
It's consistent. I don't see him as a sacrificial lamb at all though. As far as reading Chertoff's thoughts from an image goes, it can't be done.
Spunkets, are you saying that FEMA should have prepositioned their supplies IN the superdome?
So, the two "achievements" that you come up with for Brown are 1) being elected to the Oklahoma City council, and 2) passing the Oklahoma Bar exam?!
...I think you just proved my point, and owe me an apology for calling me "completely dishonest" for saying he had no achievements that qualified him for his current job...
WHoopee!
I didn't come up with any achievements. I made it quite clear you could do your own research. You are yet again being dishonest, so don't hold your breath for any apology.
That is one of your more profound posts on the thread.
I would have sent a few trucks with water and food right away, without waiting for any local official to give me permission.
I remember than during Andrew, several volunteers and church groups drove up with vans and pickup trucks full of water, food, clothing, and medicine before any FEMA help showed up. There is no need to ask permission to anyone.
I didn't expect you to apologize, because that would mean admitting you were wrong. It seems to me, though, that your defense of this guy is what is "dishonest."
And they were welcome to do the same this time. What stopped them? Oh, those pesky flood waters, that's right.
FEMA isn't a volunteer org or church group. But thanks for letting me know pavement gets hot in the summer sun and humidity (note to self).
Or, the equivalent yes. It's also possible that FEMA should have insisted on using the buses the NO/LA plan called for and taken them out of the area, because the dome was severely lacking in facilities. Apparently no equipment, or supplies were present to improvise and prepare field expedient facilities either.
FEMA being in the disaster business should do better than the cokeheads, or the laymen that end up stranded on rooftops.
I don't think you understand the mission of FEMA. They showed forsight in staging close so that they were ready, knowing it was going to be bad, but it's definitely not their responsibility for stock the superdome before the storm hit.
The locals are responsible for that. Unfortunately the locals fell down on the job. How could FEMA have known the locals wouldn't follow their own disaster plan?
FEAM ain't in the rescue biz, or haven't you learned that yet?
Again, I don't see how a simple list of past positions, job titles, etc. can be called a hit piece. Well that is unless you don't have anything to refute other than baseless accusations and a fluff piece on a government website.
Talking about jumping the gun.
what are they supposed to do? They are considered too powerful if they act first.
Local and State governments are PRIMARY help. Not fema.
The media trucks drove in, so the flood waters were not stopping them. FoxNews was broadcasting live from the freeway, showing vehicles driving by.
At any rate, you are full of excuses for FEMA's sluggishness.
As already said, we have to agree to disagree. I sincerely hope you never have to depend on FEMA to deliver water or medication to your loved ones.
For instance, 9/11's terror attacks, which everyone wants to compare this disaster to (as far as scope).
By most accounts, FEMA did an efficient job. FEMA Deputy Director Michael Brown says the removal of debris came in "under budget and ahead of schedule." Thomas Von Essen, commissioner of the New York Fire Department at the time of the attacks, puts it simply: "I cannot say enough about the help we received last fall from Joe Allbaugh and all of FEMA. New York City needed help and FEMA delivered." FEMA's work won praise in Congress, and President Bush proposed that the agency be given $3.5 billion to help local responders prepare for terrorist attacks, a more than 10-fold increase in the FEMA budget for such grants. Then, when Bush proposed that a new Homeland Security Department be created, he designated FEMA the federal government's lead agency in training local responders. FEMA's work won praise in Congress, and President Bush
You people are pathetic. It's like taking candy from a baby. :-D
No thinking necessary. Spunkets doesn't understand squat about FEMA.
I didn't come up with any achievements. I made it quite clear you could do your own research. - Coop
Okays! (on a lighter note, maybe everyone will feel a little better, and get along a little better, after lunch. Doubt it though).
So pick one. Did I use baseless accusations or a govt fluff piece? Can't have both, Billy.
Bzzzzzttt!!! Wrong! You and others here keep trying to blame FEMA for something it was not responsible for. I've been impressed by the FEMA planning and coordination, but certainly with 20/20 hindsight there are things that could have been handled better. You clueless keyboard critics are searching for a scalp, while people in FEMA and many other organizations are searching for survivors and bodies.
You make claim after claim, and then informed people like Jane, Eagle Eye or pbrown come in and rip your nonsense to shreds.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.