[Howlin]

then why declare a FEDERAL disaster area BEFORE the storm hits? Isn't FEMA a FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY?

Gosh, you are dense, aren't you?

The President of the United States did that, not FEMA.

And he did it so he could order FEMA to PRE-POSITION resources before the storm.

[MoefromMs]

Name calling. How mature. If it was pre-positioned as you say, why did they not disperse it after the storm hit? Why did it take days?

[Cboldt]

Re: declaration of emergency and disaster - the locals are still driving the buggy. Local/state officials first make a local declaration, then request federal designation as same. E.g., Blanco declares "State of Emergency" in Louisisna, and asks the President, through FEMA, to make a parallel Federal declaration. That protocol was followed in this case.