I read somewhere yesterday that FEMA wouldn't let the ARC into NOLA because they said (1) it wasn't secure due to the looters and (2) they felt having the Red Cross there providing relief would encourage people to stay, and they wanted everyone out. Need to find the link.
Just saw it on FNC
The acronym FEMA will be used to mean the federal relief assistance effort, but FEMA has local elements as well.
The authorities that denied relief assistenace to enter NOLA were Louisiana state authorities, who work in local FEMA capacity. The denial of entry was probably appropriate, since NOLA was not is a state of civil order.
And while NOLA is in a state of civil unrest, the mayor and governor were on teevee saying everything was gonna be just fine. They tell the public it is olway, but tell relief workers not to go in because there is civil unrest.