FEMA Chief Waited Until After Storm Hit

NewsMax ^ | September 7, 2005 | NewsMax Wires

[spanalot]

"a flash flood of jack booted thugs with no limitations on their power and automatic weapons are far worse. "

Is this what is happening in Iraq, Afghanistan? I thought the US troops were working with exceptional diplomacy.

[spanalot]

"Part of the New Homeland Security contract (federal govt) with the states keeps Red Cross out of disaster areas. They are only allowed in after the area is no longer a disaster as their presence could keep people from evacuating. That's the national policy. That might look good on paper but since the evacuation locations were still inside NOLA (convention center, superdome, highways) Red Cross was not allowed to help these people. Red Cross was also not allowed to help
inside the hospitals. This policy works with all relief efforts (Salvation Army, ect). You can call the Red Cross and confirm: Red Cross National Affairs number (202-303-5551). "

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I called the number and was advised that they were not allowed into the disaster area BY THE NATIONAL GUARD.

Seems like 4 different answers from 3 different people.

And I don't trust the Red Cross as far as I can throw them - I doubt that they will retuen any donations that people sent in for NO victims.

Coop, why don't you lighten up - we all agree that there is a big problem and I would like to know that things get better if we have a real terror attack.

I am not sure if you are really concerned with getting to the bottom of this but some of us are.

I donated $50k a few days after 9/11 and I hate to think we don't have the best people in charge of disaster relief.

[Coop]

Coop, why don't you lighten up we all agree that there is a big problem and I would like to know that things get better if we have a real terror attack.

We all agree? I have no idea what you really think, since you constantly shift directions and refuse to answer questions. I'll lighten up when you depart the area.

[1035rep]

It was the STATE Homeland security that would not let the Red Cross in. National Guard was not sent in. Both controlled by Governor Blanco.

[SuziQ]

Has it ever occurred to anyone that some of the people who were slated to show up might have been in the path of Katrina? The storm came through NO early Monday morning, but because of her sheer size, was STILL going through the state of MS on Monday evening. If some of the FEMA people were in that path, they couldn't go ANYWHERE!! And when the storm had passed, they probably would have had difficulty even negotiating the roads to get there.

As for this particular memo, I had heard that it was not sent to the regular FEMA employees who were supposed to be there, but to additional VOLUNTEERS from within FEMA. That's why the two day travel suggestion.

When are we gonna stop getting our knickers in a twist because of what the media CLAIMS? The MSM has shown this week that it will say, or allowed to be stated on their broadcasts ANYTHING that they hope will make President look bad. Why are some of us letting ourselves get sucked into that crap?

[SuziQ]

Joseph Farah can't stand Michael Brown, and he seems glad for anything that stains the President, who he is pi$$ed at too. What this article fails to mention is Michael Brown's other work experiences. No, he may not have been a 'Disaster Specialist', but he doesn't need to be. He is an administrator, and his job is to get resources in place so that they are AVAILABLE to the LOCAL authorities. FEMA does not move a thing into a disaster area without the permission and the direction of the local folks. FEMA doesn't know where the needs in an area are. They have to depend on the people on the ground to tell them where to take materials.

[1035rep]

Many DU posters here.

[spanalot]

read 782 - I called the number and it is valid - Suzanne told me that they were denied access to NO by the NATIONAL GUARD.

I asked her if it was a new policy to NOT go into ANY disaster areas and she said she would have to get back to me.

The purpose of this is to determine why a vast population were not getting food and water - hopefully the problem gets fixed before Osama comes to your neghborhood (as he did to mine).

[JNL]

Yes I do disagree, IMHO the guy is a hack. I've hired guys in the past who I thought could do the job and later regretted it. Firing them was not a reflection on my skills but on theirs.

[spanalot]

PRIVITIZE FEMA!

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RE: PRIVATE FEMA [Kathryn Jean Lopez]
There are the charitable organizations as well as the corporations, of course. The Salvation Army on 9/11/01 was almost immediately at work once we were attacked—no one had to ask them to be there, this is what they do, no government mandates or bureacratic holdups. This is from a piece I did a while back on
Within 45 minutes of the September 11 terrorist attacks, about 200 Salvation Army officers got themselves to the crash sites in New York City, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, assisted by some 5,000 volunteers. (No one even had to ask, they just marched to the scene, ready for whatever they faced.) According to Salvation Army reports, personnel got to what would become known as “Ground Zero” in Manhattan so quickly that one of their trucks was covered in debris when the first tower of the World Trade Center collapsed.

The Army quickly set up 21 mobile feeding stations in Manhattan that served 300,000 meals during the first 72 hours after the attack. As Worth magazine reported, they provided whatever was needed, literally: “American flags to drape over a refrigerated truck bearing the remains of a fallen policeman, hundreds of teddy bears to comfort the children of the victims, Vicks VapoRub for the rescuers to smear inside their nostrils to cover the acrid stench of death and burning metal. Small things, but, as the grateful recipients declared over and over, they made all the difference at ground zero.” Salvation Army staff and volunteers gave rescue and recovery workers foot massages. (“We would take their boots off, and they would literally be melting,” an Army soldier reported. “We would massage their feet, put on salve, then put on new socks and boots.”) They seemingly thought of everything and everyone, from all reports: Salvationists even handed out phone cards for the rescue and recovery workers to call home with. Coordinating with federal and city workers, the Salvation Army’s counseling experience made them lifesavers not only for grieving families, but for workers faced with the overwhelming death and destruction. From around the world donations have come in, and the Army has used whatever they have been sent. Gloves, respirators, hardhats, bottled water. Children have sent in snack packs with notes for the rescue workers. One typical letter, this one from a child in Alabama, reads: “Dear Volunteirs[sic], Thank you for helping. It seems you are helping all of America.”

[pepperhead]

Let's see do I trust you or Major Garrett? Tough choice.(/s)

[Coop]

I've hired guys in the past who I thought could do the job and later regretted it. Firing them was not a reflection on my skills but on theirs.

Ahhh, still trying to pin all the blame on others...

[jw777]

really? i wonder why they keep saying there were no provisions at the dome? probably a MSM lie.

[1035rep]

Disaster FAQs

Hurricane Katrina: Why is the Red Cross not in New Orleans?

"The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city."

http://www.redcross.org/faq/0,1096,0_682_4524,00.html

You need to get your facts straight

[Coop]

really? i wonder why they keep saying there were no provisions at the dome? probably a MSM lie.

Probably not a lie, but definitely inaccurate.

[spanalot]

I am in doubt to and that is why I called the above number for the Red Cross Public Relations Staff.

Instead of diddling with the keyboard, try getting some direct answers yourself.

[pepperhead]

http://www.redcross.org/faq/0,1096,0_682_4524,00.html

Ignore it all you want.

[Freedom is eternally right]

Of course, it probably never occurred a certain poster to see which department in LA who oversees the NG. If the poster would learn to Google, perhaps the poster would find out that that would be the Military Dept. of OHSLA, and surprise, surprise the head of the Military Dept. (irony: Michael L. Brown) is under Federal Indictment.

[pepperhead]

Maybe there is a router down between him and Google.;)