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FEMA Chief Waited Until After Storm Hit
NewsMax ^ | September 7, 2005 | NewsMax Wires

Posted on 09/06/2005 5:56:44 PM PDT by bobsunshine

WASHINGTON - The government's disaster chief waited until hours after Hurricane Katrina had already struck the Gulf Coast before asking his boss to dispatch 1,000 Homeland Security employees to the region - and gave them two days to arrive, according to internal documents.

Michael Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, sought the approval from Homeland Security Secretary Mike Chertoff roughly five hours after Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29. Brown said that among duties of these employees was to "convey a positive image" about the government's response for victims.

Before then, FEMA had positioned smaller rescue and communications teams across the Gulf Coast. But officials acknowledged Tuesday the first department-wide appeal for help came only as the storm raged. Brown's memo to Chertoff described Katrina as "this near catastrophic event" but otherwise lacked any urgent language. The memo politely ended, "Thank you for your consideration in helping us to meet our responsibilities."

The initial responses of the government and Brown came under escalating criticism as the breadth of destruction and death grew. President Bush and Congress on Tuesday pledged separate investigations into the federal response to Katrina. "Governments at all levels failed," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said Brown had positioned front-line rescue teams and Coast Guard helicopters before the storm. Brown's memo on Aug. 29 aimed to assemble the necessary federal work force to support the rescues, establish communications and coordinate with victims and community groups, Knocke said.

Instead of rescuing people or recovering bodies, these employees would focus on helping victims find the help they needed, he said.

'Time for Blame'

"There will be plenty of time to assess what worked and what didn't work," Knocke said. "Clearly there will be time for blame to be assigned and to learn from some of the successful efforts."

Brown's memo told employees that among their duties, they would be expected to "convey a positive image of disaster operations to government officials, community organizations and the general public."

"FEMA response and recovery operations are a top priority of the department and as we know, one of yours," Brown wrote Chertoff. He proposed sending 1,000 Homeland Security Department employees within 48 hours and 2,000 within seven days.

Knocke said the 48-hour period suggested for the Homeland employees was to ensure they had adequate training. "They were training to help the life-savers," Knocke said.

Employees required a supervisor's approval and at least 24 hours of disaster training in Maryland, Florida or Georgia. "You must be physically able to work in a disaster area without refrigeration for medications and have the ability to work in the outdoors all day," Brown wrote.

The same day Brown wrote Chertoff, Brown also urged local fire and rescue departments outside Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi not to send trucks or emergency workers into disaster areas without an explicit request for help from state or local governments. Brown said it was vital to coordinate fire and rescue efforts.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., said Tuesday that Brown should step down.

After a senators-only briefing by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and other Cabinet members, Sen. Charles E. Schumer said lawmakers weren't getting their questions answered.

"What people up there want to know, Democrats and Republicans, is what is the challenge ahead, how are you handling that and what did you do wrong in the past," said Schumer, D-N.Y.

Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, said the administration is "getting a bad rap" for the emergency response.

"This is the largest disaster in the history of the United States, over an area twice the size of Europe," Stevens said. "People have to understand this is a big, big problem."

Meanwhile, the airline industry said the government's request for help evacuating storm victims didn't come until late Thursday afternoon. The president of the Air Transport Association, James May, said the Homeland Security Department called then to ask if the group could participate in an airlift for refugees.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: brown; fema; incompetence; katrina; katrinafailures; michaelbrown; relief
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To: spanalot
"read 782 - I called the number and it is valid - Suzanne told me that they were denied access to NO by the NATIONAL GUARD."

Even if that were true, which it is not, that would also be under the control of Governor Blanco.

"I asked her if it was a new policy to NOT go into ANY disaster areas and she said she would have to get back to me."

The Red Cross does not conduct search and rescue operations. We are an organization of civilian volunteers and cannot get relief aid into any location until the local authorities say it is safe and provide us with security and access.
source http://www.redcross.org/faq/0,1096,0_682_4524,00.html

"The purpose of this is to determine why a vast population were not getting food and water - hopefully the problem gets fixed before Osama comes to your neghborhood (as he did to mine)."

I'm not worried, my state is not controlled by a ignorant liberal governor who would deny food and water to the very people she is suppose to protect.
801 posted on 09/08/2005 1:26:10 PM PDT by 1035rep
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To: SandyInSeattle
Apparently FEMA did indeed stock the dome. Maybe Brown was at a loss to know something was wrong, because he had been told the dome was stocked.
802 posted on 09/08/2005 1:45:58 PM PDT by spunkets
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To: spunkets

I read that through, and it says "relief crews" stocked the Dome. Who were they, I wonder? It's frustratingly sparse on detail.


803 posted on 09/08/2005 2:00:55 PM PDT by Not A Snowbird (Official RKBA Landscaper and Arborist, Duchess of Green Leafy Things)
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To: Perdogg

It should be if it isn't. They need to know what resources need to go where,and by what available route. None of which is known until after the damage is done. Also remember that folks thought (for no good reason) that NO was out of the woods the night after the storm.


804 posted on 09/08/2005 2:12:21 PM PDT by Dead Dog
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To: SandyInSeattle
""relief crews" stocked the Dome. Who were they, I wonder? "

The article is a hit piece on the Admin. Notice their's no mention, not even a hint of LA EM folks rules regarding any relief effort's outside their own. The kept the Red Cross out and FEMA. Those relief crews were fedFEMA, not Red Cross, or anyone else.

That NYTs piece was a vicious, pure partisan attack.

805 posted on 09/08/2005 2:35:12 PM PDT by spunkets
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To: SandyInSeattle

"I read that through, and it says "relief crews" stocked the Dome. Who were they, I wonder? It's frustratingly sparse on detail."

The NG brought in MRE's for 15000 for 3 days


806 posted on 09/08/2005 4:23:17 PM PDT by spanalot
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To: Coop; spanalot
Progress, or just a change of direction?
The NG brought in MRE's for 15000 for 3 days
Span, hope your wife doesn't mind me posting to you, would be bad etiquette not to include you in the To: box.
807 posted on 09/08/2005 4:38:29 PM PDT by Freedom is eternally right
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To: JaneAustin

Sometimes you play chess 2 moves ahead and sometimes 3.

Novak came out saying there are two too many lawyers at Homeland and FEMA and I think he is playing 1 move ahead of any of us.

I hate to think the worst but keeping in mind the narrow advantage the conservative movement has developed and the 80 years it took, there is not a whole lot I'm not willing to trade for that if the poop hits the fan.

And 2 lawyers is chump change.


808 posted on 09/08/2005 4:51:31 PM PDT by spanalot
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To: spanalot
Well, here you are

Why is it that every time you are enlightened on the bogus information you post you flee the scene only to turn up somewhere else?
809 posted on 09/08/2005 5:04:25 PM PDT by 1035rep
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To: spanalot

Never trust Novak, unless of course you're a Dem. But it is nice to learn that you can actually read. I, too, hate to think the worse and would like to give you the benefit of the doubt on that chess thing, but not going to do it, so keep trying.


810 posted on 09/08/2005 5:04:46 PM PDT by Freedom is eternally right
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To: 1035rep

He's all yours. Have fun!


811 posted on 09/08/2005 5:07:27 PM PDT by Freedom is eternally right
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To: JaneAustin

Thanks, I'll give it a try but this one is as slippery as an eel.


812 posted on 09/08/2005 5:12:47 PM PDT by 1035rep
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To: spanalot

The conservative movement only grows bigger each election.

America sees the libs for the dregs they are.

So don't worry about us we can keep our hand on the treasure


813 posted on 09/08/2005 6:10:55 PM PDT by 1035rep
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To: JaneAustin; 1035rep

The dude's just completely outclassed. Let him crawl away.


814 posted on 09/09/2005 4:03:26 AM PDT by Coop (www.heroesandtraitors.org)
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To: Coop; JaneAustin; 1035rep

"The dude's just completely outclassed. Let him crawl away."

Thanks for sharing all the love, but I guess Bush put this thread to bed.


815 posted on 09/09/2005 11:55:25 AM PDT by spanalot
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