Homeland Security won't let Red Cross deliver food" Ann Rodgers got it wrong!

Pittsburgh Gazette and the American Red Cross website ^ | Sept. 3, 2005 | Ann Rodgers/Red Cross

[rightinthemiddle]

Homeland Security won't let Red Cross deliver food

Saturday, September 03, 2005 By Ann Rodgers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

As the National Guard delivered food to the New Orleans convention center yesterday, American Red Cross officials said that federal emergency management authorities would not allow them to do the same.

Other relief agencies say the area is so damaged and dangerous that they doubted they could conduct mass feeding there now.

"The Homeland Security Department has requested and continues to request that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans," said Renita Hosler, spokeswoman for the Red Cross.

"Right now access is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities. We have been at the table every single day [asking for access]. We cannot get into New Orleans against their orders."

Calls to the Department of Homeland Security and its subagency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, were not returned yesterday.

[LucyJo]

One more piece of information:
Ann Rodgers
Religion reporter
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Arodgers@post-gazette.com
412-263-1416
1-800-234-6990 ext. 1416
======
Thanks for the info. Perhaps Ms. Rodgers didn't understand the explanation she received via telephone. Some folks hear what they want to hear.

Don't know how high she scores in reader comprehension, but here is the Red Cross link that explains why they weren't in New Orleans.

http://www.redcross.org/faq/0,1096,0_682_4524,00.html#4524

[spanalot]

""What is the relationship of state Homeland Security officials to Federal Homeland Security"".

"..I have no idea.
They are independent, for the most part, "

Here is the website and it appears they are very closely coordinated with the Feds with respect to Terrorism.

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:Zraixq_rxNwJ:www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/+louisianna+homeland+security&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

[Pete]

I just emailed her and provided the link to the Red Cross website where the following is written to answer the question as to why the Red Cross is not in New Orleans:

# Acess to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders.

# 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.

[emphasis is mine]

[rhombus]

I think many think the Feds control the National Guard.

[Ros42]

Yep! FOX just had a Red Cross spokeman on saying AGAIN, it was the STATE that wouldn't let them in. Bet that retraction is coming any minute now!---> (not holding my breath) :)

[Pete]

Probably an auto-responder by now. But telling that she is defending her version as accurate, when the PResident of the Red Cross has been on Larry King saying otherwise, on O'Reilly saying otherwise, and her top officials say other wise to Major Garrett of FoxNews.

I also received the exact same email. However, she addressed it to me using my last name which leads me to believe she is cutting and pasting.

On that chance that she is still reading her emails, I responded to her form response and pointed out that the Red Cross has cleared up any confusion by posting a public statement on their website. I provided her, again, with the link.

[Pete]

I just received another email from Ann. Her responses are not auto responses. I had sent her this:

Dear Ann,

The Red Cross website, right now!, says that it is the
STATE Homeland Security Department. That is what they
have released publicly. That would seem to clear up
any confusion.

Pete

She responded with this:

Dear Pete,
Yes, I saw that too, so I called my original source back and
questioned
her. She stands by what I wrote in the article. She says the state and
federal departments are connected.
Ann

[mewzilla]

... the media offices of Homeland Security and FEMA have not returned my phone calls. This is the case even though I explained today that I was calling because I was concerned that I might have printed something about them that was erroneous.

Snort. Where have we heard that before?

[hawkaw]

I also got the auto responder so I Emailed her the following:

Dear Ms. Rodgers

Thank you kindly for your Email.

I am well aware of what the “F” stands.

How can the Red Cross stand by what they say when their own web site explains it is the State’s Homeland Department issuing the order? And also the Red Cross was interviewed by Foxnews last night confirming that it was the State’s Homeland Security Department?

I also believe that by statute, FEMA cannot order people around in a particular state. I thought that statutes prescribed that the federal government works in the disaster zone to assist State and Local governments. It is the State and Local government who by statute issue orders such as preventing people from entering zones. Similar laws exist in my country [Canada].

If you follow up, I recommend that should carefully review the law prior to making such claims of FEMA.

[rightinthemiddle]

I wonder who her "source" voted for in '04?

So, because the departments are "connected," it's Bush's fault.

[IrishGOP]

I sent Ms. Ann an email stating she was wrong, here is her reply:

Dear XXXX, Due to e-mails such as yours I called the Red Cross again to make sure I had not misunderstood them in our conversations about Homeland Security and FEMA. (The F stands for Federal). They said my story was not in error. As when I was working on the story last week, the media offices of Homeland Security and FEMA have not returned my phone calls. This is the case even though I explained today that I was calling because I was concerned that I might have printed something about them that was erroneous. The Louisiana Department of Homeland Security and and Emergency Preparedness is currently impossible to reach because whatever phone lines are working down there are overwhelmed. If the story is in error I will be more than happy to write a correction, but the Red Cross stands by what it originally told me. Sincerely, Ann

OK Freepers, we have a problem.

[1035rep]

"She says the state and
federal departments are connected. "

They might be connected but who does the hiring for State Homeland Security?
Didn't N. J. Governor James McGreevey resign after he hired his unqualified lover to head homeland security in his state

[TomGuy]

Ann Rodgers: Fact checkers!!! We don't need no stinkin' fact checkers!!!!

[somerville]

I just emailed the reporter and asked for a correction. Others should too.

[quidnunc]

Ann Rodgers can be reached at arodgers@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1416.

I called her and got a run-around about the situation being 'complex' and just wanting to get the truth.

I'm afraid I finally hollered at he and hung up.

[TomGuy]

about Homeland Security and FEMA. (The F stands for Federal)

A tad bit of Clintonesque parsing and Kerryesque nuancing. Yes, the F stands for Federal, but only in FEMA, not in Homeland Security -- in this instance. The way the statement is worded, it gives the impression that 'both' agencies references are 'Federal'---which makes it a half-truth. [But, then, you knew that, didn't ya, Ann.]

[Pete]

I just emailed the reporter and asked for a correction. Others should too.

Apparently, many others have. If the past holds, you should receive shortly a standard response that Ann is pasting in. I actually followed up to the one I received and then recieved another email addressing my specific concerns. I have posted that exchange above.

[mware]

I wrote them last night telling of the error they made on their sept 03 article about the red cross. Is this actually from today????

[TomGuy]

So, because the departments are "connected," it's Bush's fault.

Both departments have an 'e' in them, so ... yes.


lol

[somerville]

I volunteered for the Red Cross in NYC in the days after Sept.11. I have never seen such a bunch of disorganized people. One administrator would give us directions and then another one would come along and rescind it. No one seemed to know what the others were doing. Orders were scattershot. I think it's very possible that Major Garrett's source and Rodgers' source both believe they are correct. But I also believe the truth will come out.