Maybe you can help me understand better.
From your post that you linked me to earlier, I find the following quote in the letter from Gov. Blanco to President Bush dated Aug. 27th, before the hurricane landed:
"Pursuant to 44 CFR § 206.35, I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster. I am specifically requesting emergency protective measures, direct Federal Assistance, Individual and Household Program (IHP) assistance, Special Needs Program assistance, and debris removal"
Am I wrong to think that this indeed was a request from Gov. Blanco to Pres. Bush for federal help before the storm hit?
I don't buy that for a nanosecond.
If there were any credence to it, the headlines EVERYWHERE would have been four stories high, beginning Monday the 29th.
Variation on the theme already outted by Buckhead.
Not at all. It is. In the form of money and material, buut not in the form of directing evacuation, recovery and relief. The governor is holding onto the responsibility to direct evacuation, recovery and relief.
As I read that, it is simply request for several different types of federal funding assistance and a single request for assistance in the physical removal of debris. Certainly nothing in there pertains to evacuation or search and rescue operations.
Yes. This was a formal request, issued on August 27, as specified in the Stafford Act, formally requesting Federal assistance for storm affected areas in Louisiana. Jefferson, Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, and St. Charles Parishes were previously declared disaster areas on August 23, 2005 per FEMA-1601-DR for Louisiana Tropical Storm Cindy. The State of Mississippi made a similar request the morning of August 28th. The President announced the declarations in a news conference on August 28th. The declaration by the President officially went into effect on August 29th. Formal notice was given to the Congress and the notice was entered into federal register per FEMA-1603-DR and FEMA-1604-DR on August 29th for Louisiana and Mississippi respectively. Certain counties in Florida (FEMA 1602, Aug. 28) and Alabama (FEMA 1605, Aug. 29) were also declared disaster areas eligible for federal assistance. Shortly thereafter, as has been widely reported, the Congress met in special session to immediately approve a supplemental appropriation to cover the costs of disaster relief operations.
Also note that certain counties in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi were declared disaster areas due to Hurricane Dennis on July 10, 2005.