Posted on 01/17/2009 1:24:05 PM PST by BBell
BATON ROUGE -- Nearly five months after Hurricane Gustav, the public relations battle between Gov. Bobby Jindal and FEMA continues over who was to blame for the exasperating depletion of emergency food and water supplies soon after the storm.
At stake is a clear understanding of how to prepare for disasters.
FEMA's argument, contained in a retort to comments made by Jindal last week, is that basically the responsibility for the problem lies with the storm victims of Louisiana, who gobbled up food and water at an "extraordinary" rate after Gustav swept through.
The federal agency said it worked closely with state officials to pre-position what was believed to be an adequate supply of Meals Ready to Eat packets, water bottles, ice and tarps, but the actual demand was far greater and resupply efforts stumbled.
"FEMA brought up this same assertion during the storms, and the governor made it clear that it is nutty to tell the people of south Louisiana that we are simply eating too much and are choosing MREs over our terrific local cuisine," Jindal's spokeswoman Melissa Sellers said.
The renewed flap apparently started when Jindal on at least two occasions in the past week brought up the post-Gustav supply problem.
"FEMA took too long to replenish the MREs, the water, the tarps that were in desperate need by our people," Jindal said Wednesday at the grand opening of the National Guard Readiness Center in Reserve. "Victims should not have to worry about delays in FEMA shipments of food, water and emergency supplies.
In a "Fact Sheet" released Friday, FEMA described a massive program of emergency supplies for Louisiana and Texas both before and after Hurricanes Gustav and Ike struck in September. FEMA said it had more than 1.4 million meals, 4.5 million bottles of
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
The sad thing is that the same sort of people abuse charitable organizations during holidays, etc. Many needy people go without because of the actions of those who are more greedy than needy.
In VA a few years ago, we had the tail end of a big hurricane that knocked out power all over for 2 days.
In our quiet little town, One gas station had power and the manager had to stand at the door with a pistol to keep things from turning ugly.
Never the same town since.
Having eaten MRE’s I don’t see how it is possible to be a glutton on those things. I can find tastier things under my sink.
How very novel!...
Louisiana is part of the South...
There are major water problems looming in the South.
I live in Ohio now...transferred three times in three years.
A large part of it goes mainly to social programs to pacify the 26+ % Black population.
"As for the Mid West, we will come back because we have one thing in abundance the South is lacking...water. Can’t increase manufacturing without this precious commodity.
The 10 rainest cities in the US:
1. Mobile, Ala.: 67 inches average annual rainfall; 59 average annual rainy days
2. Pensacola, Fla.: 65 inches average annual rainfall; 56 average annual rainy days.
3. New Orleans, La.: 64 inches average annual rainfall; 59 average annual rainy days
4. West Palm Beach, Fla.: 63 inches average annual rainfall; 58 average annual rainy days
5. Lafayette, La.: 62 inches average annual rainfall; 55 average annual rainy days 6. Baton Rouge, La.: 62 inches average annual rainfall; 56 average annual rainy days
7. Miami, Fla.: 62 inches average annual rainfall; 57 average annual rainy days
8. Port Arthur, Texas: 61 inches average annual rainfall; 51 average annual rainy days
9. Tallahassee, Fla.: 61 inches average annual rainfall; 56 average annual rainy days
10. Lake Charles, La.: 58 inches average annual rainfall; 50 average annual rainy days
We don’t have and illegal problem here. Louisiana is not a friendly state for illegals.
I read sometime back where New Orleans had to limit the number of Taco Trucks plying the streets.
Alabama should pay for their own citizens...after all Michigan and New York do. There are water problems...I’m not kidding I know engineers involved in this now.
Hi dickhead!
Hi yourself...I have not been called that since the last time I got in a fight with my better half...it’s fun making up though.
If you live in a flood plain: plan, evacuate, move, or just sit thee. I just don’t think Bobby Jindal should expect a handout everytime it happens.
The water problems relate to the city of Atanta trying to siphon off water from rivers that flow through Alabama and Florida. Georgia Loses Federal Case In A Dispute About Water
Now, there has been an unusual long and hard dry spell that has lasted 3-4 years that has affected North east Alabama, Georgia and North/South Carolina. Recenty, there has been some relief.
Long term, the pols are very concerned with the water supply keeping up with demand...also there are some serious water disputes between states.
Long term...everybody has water problems.
The problems in the south are limited to a subset of the population. Did you see the news coverage of NO?
It is a shame that so many expect so few to pay for everything. Your anger is real but IMHO misdirected. Conservatives nation wide opposed the bailout of many of the banks, insurance, and other companies. The problem is the only conservatives left in the senate are from the south.
I would have flooded NO and turned into a wildlife area except no one would take the current wildlife off their hands. NO, LA, and FEMA were an embarrassment. NY city behaved better (MUCH BETTER) during the power outage and during 9/11. That was wonderful and I was ashamed but not surprised that a portion of the south failed the same test.
Keep those panties untangled and Free!
Information at this link may be in interest to those reading this thread
http://www.frfrogspad.com/disastr.htm
Enjoy, esp the part where the “did not perpare” type held a child at knifepoint to extort supplies....
Odd place this USofA.
good link. I engoyed the way it was given, no BS way.
Anyway, if you go to New Orleans now you don't see too many Taco Trucks.
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