New Orleans Emergency Operations Chief Blasts FEMA

WSAV-TV ^ | Thursday, September 1ST, 2005 | Associated Press.

[M. Espinola]

FEMA is getting an earful from the man heading New Orleans' emergency operations.

Terry Ebbert says the federal agency's response to Katrina is "a national disgrace."

Ebbert says FEMA has been in the city for three days, but he says that has yet to result in any command and control. He says Mayor Ray Nagin has been "pushing and asking, but we're not getting any supplies."

The emergency chief says the evacuation of thousands from New Orleans to Texas has been "almost entirely" a Louisiana operation -- saying he hasn't seen "a single FEMA guy."

[Dharmic]

While some of the criticism of the response to the Katrina situation may indeed be warranted, much of it is being spewed by pompus media types, political opportunists, and those who have no understanding of the unique complexity of this particular situation, i.e. the geographical time-bomb that has been ticking for decades and left to smolder, nor do they have experience in disaster preparedness/response, crisis management, military logistics, or communications, command and control across multiple jurisdictions.

And as harsh as it may sound, many of those who are now in dire straits may have gambled and lost. They will not admit it because it is much more convenient for them to shift blame from their own stubbornness or faux bravado - to officials who in fact did sound warnings. I doubt that less than half of those who are now the otherwise able-bodied refugees would have heeded evacuation orders even if they had been provided transport. That would have "inconvenienced" them, and they would have been raising hell and criticising the government entities for "interfering" in their lives and denying them their individual rights and freedoms, ... that is the sad truth.

The bottom line is that while there are many who are true victims of these tragic circumstances, ... there are perhaps far too many more people who were too willing to abrogate personal responsibility and common sense.

As a result, I can foresee the future implementation of far more coercive preemptive actions to be taken by all echelons of government when dealing with similar situations, ... and as I said before, the bitching and moaning will reach critical mass, ... it's a damned if you do - damned if you don't paradox.

[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

One Republican, as he refers to himself at least, who may be benefiting from the Katrina disaster is former NYC Mayor Guiliani.

Although the Katrina disaster dwarfs the collapse of two buildings in many ways, the perception of the impeccably way the aftermath was handled may raise the esteem of Guiliani in many minds.

[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

I hadn't seen your response to this article when I posted that I thought this event would probably raise Guiliani's stock.

[M. Espinola]

"FEMA does not have the personnel to be doing grunt work on the ground. It takes volunteers for that, and they aren't going in until they can be reasonably sure that their volunteers are safe."

FEMA is another government bureaucracy -things run in slow motion. The City, the Governor, or FEMA should have requested that the Army step in, as well as the National Guard, once they witnessed chaos breaking out endangering rescue teams.

[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

"Frickin' amazing! The NO emergency chief waits for FEMA to set up command and control and provide equipment. That's some planning! Corrupt bastards. They all need prison time."

Good point.

If people are going to accept responsibility, they should also be held accountable for ineptitude.

Why should criminality, from Clinton selling military secrets to Red China and raping women to not doing your job as Emergency Operations Chief of New Orleans, have no consequences.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" Maybe Rudy should take over the whole operation and get things coordinated."

I thought the same thing.
Ted and Aaron and NBC can pretend otherwise, but, anyone with half a brain must realize by now how completely inept the leadership is in Louisiana.
They are not suddenly going to become competent.
The recovery of New Orleans is going to take a long time.

I know the Democrats would go beserk, but, it would be an act of charity to the suffering citizens of New Orleans ,
if President Bush would appoint Rudy Giuliani to head a kind of Louisiana Provisional Authority along the lines of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq.
I'm sure there are no legal and constitutional ways for this to happen , just late night musing.

[roses of sharon]

They did.

[M. Espinola]

"One Republican, as he refers to himself at least, who may be benefiting from the Katrina disaster is former NYC Mayor Guiliani. Although the Katrina disaster dwarfs the collapse of two buildings in many ways, the perception of the impeccably way the aftermath was handled may raise the esteem of Guiliani in many minds."

You have stated it correctly.

The one crucial point between 9-11 and Katrina is one was a premeditated, vicious sneak attack to decapitate the nation's political leadership & center of global trade.

On the other hand, Hurricane Katrina had already slammed through southern Florida and was clearly visible as this storm entered the Gulf of Mexico and began heading in the general direction of New Orleans.

Rudy, in the midst of NY & America under multi-terrorist attacks, reassured the citizens of New York, the nation as a whole, and even the world.

[SAJ]

It's only someone else's ''fault'' (when you're in charge, as in this case the dipstick mayor and twitbrain governor) if you happen to be incompetent.

Bad luck on the Big Easy that these two just happened to be ''in charge''.

Or even breathing.

[M. Espinola]

"Sounds familiar - like Richard Clarke blaming W for 9-11 although he was the anti-terrorism czar for 8 years. He too did his job well... Although you must give Terry Ebbert some credit for his service - retired Marine Col., two purple hearts. Seems that he should have been able to do better and is probably very frustrated. I think the entire system in NO and LA have let them down."

Very well stated.

Here are a couple of quotes on the related oil situation:

Colonel Terry Ebbert is the director of Homeland Security for New Orleans. TERRY EBBERT: "We have 135 petrochemical companies refining 40 per cent of the nation's oil."

Reporter for ABC. BRENDAN TREMBATH: "The last big storm, Hurricane Ivan, swept through the Gulf in September and uprooted oil rigs and damaged underwater pipelines. It took six months for the industry to get back to full production."

Peter Beutel is an oil analyst at the energy risk management company, Cameron Hanover. PETER BEUTEL: "When the markets are as tight as they are, when the markets are as nervous and jittery as they are, I mean, the timing just could not be worse."

[Arizona Carolyn]

Sure does make you remember what a great job he did on 9/11...... if this hurricane does anything it elevates him a whole lot.

[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

"Rudy, in the midst of NY & America under multi-terrorist attacks, reassured the citizens of New York, the nation as a whole, and even the world."

You're right. He put a face on the one holding the light out of the darkness. That face as yet has not appeared in the current tragedy.

[pnz1]

Wasn't the National Guard at the SD before Katrina hit?

[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

"You're right. He put a face on the one holding the light out of the darkness. That face as yet has not appeared in the current tragedy."

Unfortunately, I think Chertoff does not command the respect needed by Homeland Security Chief.

When Republicans surrender to making political appointments that are acceptable to Democrats because they don't feel threatened that the person will show any leadership, as is too often the case, then we wind up with wimps.

I don't know what all the dirty laundry Bernard Kerik carried, but if it was just that he had a mistress and an illegal nanny, then after the Clintons that should be small potatoes in relation to the challenges this nation faces. Just as we need John Bolton in the U.N. right now, we need someone strong and decisive in that position, not someone politically inoffensive to the enemies within.

[faithincowboys]

See post #24 on this thread--it's a must read. Looks like the locals bungled this thing....

[M. Espinola]

"You're right. He put a face on the one holding the light out of the darkness. That face as yet has not appeared in the current tragedy."

After 9-11 the American public was almost conditioned into believing further national catastrophes would bring forth another stabilizing factor such as Rudy, and so far, with this Katrina nightmare the next Rudy has not emerged.

[ApplegateRanch]

saying he hasn't seen "a single FEMA guy."

Could it be because the FEMA guys are on the lines, while this guy is a rear admiral...say, 500 miles to the rear?

[M. Espinola]

"I guess this means Ebbert is giving FEMA the thumbs down."

It looks like both thumbs, way down.

[Vis Numar]

grrrr, reminds me why i gave up on the republicans years ago.

[Vis Numar]

damn right.