New Orleans Emergency Operations Chief Blasts FEMA

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

[Petronski]

I wish I could post the obscenity I received in an FR reply...heh heh heh.

[Trust but Verify]

I would think this disaster would be a boon to the candidacy of Hizzoner.

[NittanyLion]

This guy had his whole term in office to prepare for this...and he is blaming the Feds for not reacting in three day's time? How about him not having the good sense, foresight or planning capability to be prepared himself for a very specific event that has been long discussed. The failing is his, and the Mayor's and the Governor's, IMHO.

Yeah, but this was just supposed to be a patronage job. It's not his responsibility to actually do anything.

[MortMan]

FEMA has NO AUTHORITY to request the Army step in. The Governor of the state controls the state NG. So, who's responsible for the order not being given?

[teenyelliott]

Hello balls. I was just about to scratch you. How did you get an FR account? I never even felt you leave my pants.

Oh my goodness. You are the funny one. Without balls, but funny. : )

[MarMema]

I'm glad you think so. That particular can of worms is not well-represented in my knowledge base.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Your post was perfect.

[antonia]

Rudy Giuliani for President 2008

For what party, Rhinocrat?

The republican party has certainly not been making conservative choices in spending, they have not managed to get any kind independence for our energy source, like opening up ANWR, Alaska for development, building American refineries, developing more than one port for the reception of oil supplies. Building nuclear reactors. They are still being led around by the environmentalist. In New Orleans it was the environmentalists who would not let the levees be built to with stand any greater than a level 3 storm, because they didn't want the bigger levees.

The environmentalists are terrorists and need to be stop. 

And most importantly, after four years of funding a united states department of defense  I want to know why there was no apparent contingency plan. When disasters like this strike we should have a federal agency with life time experts, move in, take over and centralize help. They should never wait until a non- expert can finally bring himself to 'ask' for help.. It should not be left to locals who are already overcome with the disaster.

I also don't understand why the military didn't solve the communication problem immediately . we already knew from 9/11 that the loss of communication was crippling. Clean water, medical teams, sanitation arrangements should be in place and working within 12 hours. Otherwise law and order is lost.

The whole world can see for themselves just how vulnerable and unprepared America is for a terrorist attack. So much for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. What was it's point? We so absolutely no evidence of what it has been up to in the last four years. We are all just as vulnerable as Louisiana to our won sort of disasters or terrorist attacks. If Our local nuclear reactor gets hit, I can see that I will have absolutely no help for at least a week. Where are my taxes going??!!!!!!

http://www.defendamerica.mil/

This just shows what great  leader  Rudy Giuliani is.  We need him to run this war/and all disasters. Rudy Giuliani for President  2008
He made it look so easy, and got it done seamlessly,  that we didn't really understand the magnitude of his accomplishment. We need this proven master of people and resource management to work his magic for America.

[Ann Archy]

Yikes!! That was some history about poor planning in NO!!

[Ann Archy]

Rudy did NOT want the job...period. You wishing so won't make it so. Not even Rudy could handle this crisis 100% correctly....it's MASSIVE!! What if people were shooting at the FIREMEN on 9-11 and New York was FLOODED?? Geesh....

[King Prout]

badco - you ain't wrong!

Petronski - I genuflect to your wit

[Petronski]

I done good!

[churchillbuff]

Frickin' amazing! The NO emergency chief waits for FEMA to set up command """

IF the federal emergency authorities and homeland security can't be held accountable - -- then why in the hell are we sending the federal government more than a third of our paychecks? I'm sorry, but there's been so much boastful blather about "homeland security" from the federal government over the past 4 years - - a billions and billions of our tax dollars shoveled at these bureaucrats -- that I won't accept your excuses for them now. I choose not to behave like a slave who allows the government to rob him through high taxes and expects no service or accountability in return.

[telebob]

Oh really? You obviously don't know jack about how this stuff works. When you're in charge of local emergency operations you make plans and contingencies. You consider everything that will be needed under different emergency scenarios and all the things that can go wrong. You put into place all the assets that can be reasonably expected to be needed to fill the gap until outside help can arrive.

Every emergency planner knows that during the first hours and days of a wide-spread disaster you are essentially on your own. You plan for just that contigency.

Why? Because you are supposedly the most knowledgable about the local situation and resources. You are responsible as the first responder. You are responsible for the basic organization that will be needed to build upon.

If your comm equipment doesn't work because you didn't foresee the need for backup power and consequently you cannot provide local command and control then you are obviously incompetent

If you are incompetent and couldn't foresee the need for at least the backbone of a system to manage a crises, how can you blame an outside agency for not being able to immediately come into your area of responsibility, pick up the pieces and hit the ground running if they can't even piggy-back off your comm system?

When you've had years and years of time to plan, organize, game and drill, there is no excuse for such a piss poor performance by the local and state authorities.

[M. Espinola]

You know where you can stick that 'liberal' barb.

Everyone in leadership has let victims down in this mess.

"Every level of local politics is TOTALLY ROTTEN through and through, and has been for centuries."

That's about the same deplorable local political situation, no matter where one lives.

[Watery Tart]

You know where you can stick that 'liberal' barb.

So....the N.O. emergency guy is NOT liberal in wanting the Feds to do his job? IIRC, he was given the local Homeland Security post with many powers. It seems to me like nothing was set up in advance of an event that has happened frequently in recent years. "Send 'em to the Dome" will only work so many times.

That's about the same deplorable local political situation, no matter where one lives.

I have held just a few places in such high regard. New Orleans is on the short list.
;o)