NEWS: Bush Acknowledges that Federal Disaster Efforts Failing

About 2 days ago, I decided I wanted to go help .. I was willing to pack up my belongings, enough food and cash to get me by for a few months and drive down there to help... In any way possible.

Before my journey, I decided to do some searching.. see what all was required.

I ran into a slew of articles telling people (like me) NOT to go.. not to even bother. The articles stated that if you're not a part of a relief organization, then you wont be able to help.

So I decided to send emails to 26 different organizations, telling them my situation, what skills I had to offer, and how long I could help...a rather nice resume of boating skills, heavy machinery skills, tow motor, cranes, backhoes, ect, construction background, ect ect ect.. I even have a boat I was willing to tow down there..


... every single one of them said they werent taking volunteers.

So, the worst disaster in America's history strikes, cities are under water or completely destroyed, people are begging for help. Yet organizations continue to spout off on TV/Radio that they don't have enough help.. yet they all turn away anyone that is willing to help.

Ironic.

Originally posted by shots
See what I am getting at even the state had the authority to mobilize their state agencies and they did not, so it is not all the administrations fault as many of you want to imply. Lets put the blame were it belongs not just the administration OK?

No.

This is exactly like the government knowing about 9/11, FEMA should have known what was going to happen. In turn warning the state officials of impeding disaster, but they didn't and the states were not warned. Sure they could see it on the local news. Then again common sence was never very common was it.

South Florida gets wiped out every year, there are standard operating procedures for hurricane prevention & recovery. This isn't any thing new, only worse. Only god knows why things only get worse, when we think they can't. Best thing to do, is not contribute to further dividing ourselves.
It is hard enough with being seperated as a nation, global ties are strained enough as well. I see nothing to gain from doing so, who could do so with the billions being spent on war and Katrina.

Point is, FEMA and the State knew before hand the potential and immeadiate threat to the area. But nothing was done to prevent it, even on 9/11 and before a readiness exercise was being conducted.

This is absolutely disorganized, every aspect of the media seems to be more focused on doing that than helping. Even the TV networks could asist, while doing live coverage of their help. But NO, there is none of it.

Who is responsible, the government for not telling FEMA. FEMA for not telling the state or the state for not telling the people.
Or perhaps it is the people of N.O. for not leaving.
Look at what FEMA is and was created for, they have how much of the budget for this reason and worse.

Nothing against you shots, it is the government I am and disappointed in.

Originally posted by QuietSoul
... every single one of them said they werent taking volunteers.

So, the worst disaster in America's history strikes, cities are under water or completely destroyed, people are begging for help. Yet organizations continue to spout off on TV/Radio that they don't have enough help.. yet they all turn away anyone that is willing to help.

Ironic.

Your not the only one, I'm getting the same on my end as well. Ironic indeed, one would think there are not enough volunteers. Perhaps it is time for a rescue version of the Minuteman Project.

REACH PROJECT

Originally posted by QuietSoul
About 2 days ago, I decided I wanted to go help .. I was willing to pack up my belongings, enough food and cash to get me by for a few months and drive down there to help... In any way possible.

Before my journey, I decided to do some searching.. see what all was required.

I ran into a slew of articles telling people (like me) NOT to go.. not to even bother. The articles stated that if you're not a part of a relief organization, then you wont be able to help.

So I decided to send emails to 26 different organizations, telling them my situation, what skills I had to offer, and how long I could help...a rather nice resume of boating skills, heavy machinery skills, tow motor, cranes, backhoes, ect, construction background, ect ect ect.. I even have a boat I was willing to tow down there..


... every single one of them said they werent taking volunteers.

So, the worst disaster in America's history strikes, cities are under water or completely destroyed, people are begging for help. Yet organizations continue to spout off on TV/Radio that they don't have enough help.. yet they all turn away anyone that is willing to help.

Ironic.

Disorganized volunteer units could hamper relief efforts more than they help. For example, people that are untrained in rescue operations may very well end up trapped themselves in the city and surrounding areas, forcing relief units to rescue them as well. If the dorrs are opened into New Orleans, so to speak, then how many people who have absolutely no skills at all would come down just to be 'a part of the action' and make things even worse? How many of those people would be looters in disguise?

Let's say you get your boat down there and start motoring around, looking for survivors. What are the odds that someone who hasn't had food or clean water in several days decides that he wants your boat? We've heard reports of people *shooting* at relief workers, and odds are you would end up as one more corpse they have to load into a truck.

I have no idea where you live, so I don't know how much the next issue would apply to you. But right now we're going to be hitting a severe gasoline shortage. Do you really think the best way to respond to that is to have people driving cross-country so they can provide at-best nominal help? I'm sure the problem isn't a lack of skilled opeators for boats and bulldozers, but rather a lack fo the equipment itself. I highly doubt there are emergency vehicles standing idle.

Where are you planning on living when you get there? There aren't going to be any vacancies at the local Holiday Inn. I suppose you could live in the back seat of your car, but that creates the carjacking problem. As for your food, you're plan on showing up with a trunk full of ramen noodles and granola bars (I also am highly suspect that you could bring several *months* worth of food with you). I am completely confident that you would either be pushed by compassion to dole that food out, or have it taken by force. Now back to the gasoline. Fuel shortage. Are you going to just park your car and walk the rest of the way?

The way I see it, if you went down there, within a week you would end up as just another foodless, gasless, homeless refugee who provided little actual help. You would just be making the situation worse.

Don't take my opinion as an insult. That you even entertained the idea putting your life on hold to help others is commendable. I just don't think that it's a good idea.

There can be no excuse for the "Too Little, Too Late" gestures as have been shown by the governor of Louisiana and the President of the United States.










[edit on 9/2/2005 by bodebliss]

i'd like to refrence mulberryblueshimmer's podcast.

we have done airlifts in the berlin air lift in a communist society @ the time, why can't we strategically work around a few people with guns? or drop down some ops to take out these individuals causing the problems?

it's all bull#

I have to say as a foreigner i am in absolute shock of the federal governments response to the hurricane. What I am more shocked about is the arrogance of some Americans and Bushco who refuse foreign assistance and aid because "we are the most powerful country on earth and we can handle our own etc".

People are dying!!!! if the president said on TV and asked for all the international help the US would get countless thousands of trained professional disaster relief workers to help save people and help with the cleanup. Is this just foolish pride or arrogance?? or both?

thanks,

DrFunk In Fox news live tonight they are showing that the people at the dome is not allowed to leave to go for help, they have been kind of lock down in the street there.

The reporters show that the children and elderly and they said that they are dying and the bodies pilling.

The convoys went to the city but the people on the highway are not receiving help.

The dome is so fiflty that they people have to stay outside while bodies rot inside.

The only exit has been block so the people can not leave.

I still don't understand the problem, the reporters are telling the people to just take off and start walking out of the dome area so they can get help.

Perhaps it will be over tomorrow but these people are probably contaminated and I can not imagine the littler babies.

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
Very good point, shots, about the state not mobilizing, and the direction of blame on this. I think most Americans are just ashamed. I think we are ashamed that we are living in such a very great country, and yet those poor people are sitting there, starving, dying, and helpless, and we feel that more should have been done, and much faster. I know I feel guilty and sad bigtime over this, to watch this happen right here in our very own US of A. Our backyard. It hurts. And I am very sorry. Emabarrased, really.

I have to agree with you on this, True. It sickens me to see our government jumping through hoops to treat the Iraqi prisoners "humanely", to not think twice about sending money to other countries,yet here at home we have the homeless, the jobless, senior citizens that have to choose between medication or groceries, and now a lack of response to OUR OWN CITIZENS that are in desperate need of help. I'm struggling just like anyone else, but I'm making financial contributions to a couple of organizations because I feel it is my DUTY AS AN AMERICAN to help.

Sorry if I strayed off topic... I got carried away with emotion.

Originally posted by worldwatcher
Of course the President visits on the day the military and relief finally arrives..see how things work around here

I do admit though, seeing troops and heavy military trucks finally arrive is a major relief.

You expected him to visit when there were more gansters and hudlums going around shooting at helicopters, at civilians and government employees?

WW, i understand your frustration, but i think too many people are taking their frustration at this moment in time against the president because of their "opinion" on the president, and they blame anything and everything on president Bush. Half of the world was blaming the US when SE Asia was hit by the Tsunami.....and they were even trying to sue the US..

Nothing like this has ever happened in the US, not at this magnitude. Trucks are nor submarines, and the helicopters that were sent to bring provisions and take people out were being shot at. If the military started back then shooting blindly into the streets of NO, I am sure a few people would have been blaming the administration and president Bush for that also.... so what exactly should the administration have done?

You all saw the pictures of how the streets were flooded and it was getting worse, on the second day there were already hudlums, gansters and other criminals attacking, raping, pillaging and killing.

[edit on 3-9-2005 by Muaddib]

It is real easy for all of us to sit here and play Monday morning quarterbacks or as some others are doing by trying to blame this on the President which I feel is outright wrong. The Mayor of NO and the Governor of the state DECLARED a state of Emergency existed prior to the arrival of the storm and had the powers to mobilize the national guard at that time yet they did not do so. Why is that?

Not knowing the finer mechanics of how things are supposed to operate in the US, but I was under the impression that in situations like this, FEMA can take (or is obliged to take) overall authority for the operation.

They would have also known (as was reported before the storm) that NO would be flooded. I saw reports on the BBC a day or two in advance saying that they expected the storm surge to breach the flood defences.

Should FEMA not have immediately taken overal control of the situation prior to the storm hitting and at least have something concrete in place to manage the problem?

Seems to me that someone cocked up big time.

Well I think Bush should have been there sooner and there would not have been more violence. Maybe fewer vacation. More homeland security

What a loss!

Shame on those who suggest more violence on those who have already suffered.







[edit on 9/3/2005 by bodebliss]

Originally posted by Muaddib
WW, i understand your frustration, but i think too many people are taking their frustration at this moment in time against the president because of their "opinion" on the president, and they blame anything and everything on president Bush.

Is he or is he not "the most powerful man in the World"? Is FEMA the pinnacle of the United States' emergency response? Who is in charge of the Federal government?

When you are finished defending a man who does not need your protection you might start to realize that the buck stops with the President. He is the Commander-in-Chief and a good commander does not blame his subordinates.

All your fealty and blind devotion does is prevent you from accepting any criticism warranted or otherwise and makes you incapable of being a competent judge of character.

There is definately people who have an axe to grind with President Bush and they are capitalizing on this latest issue, on that I agree. But the vast majority of those (to quote Mayor Nagin) "pissed off" with the federal goverments response here are basing their opinions on this occurance only. The POTUS has himself agreed that the federal response was "not good enough" and that "more has to be done" so how can you sit there and defend his actions over Katrina?

To those saying the local government should of been better prepared and actually shipped in emergency measures BEFORE the hurrican hit:

First off, what would be the point of getting buses and supplies into New Orleans before the hurricane hit? They would of been destroyed and usuable along with every damn thing else in the city!

Secondly, what do the people of New Orleans contribute to the federal budget for? Are they by themselves in their time of need? Does FEMA come under direct control of Mayor Nagin? DONT MAKE ME LAUGH! Its the Federal Emergency Management Agency, that comes directly under the perview of the Federal government which supercedes the Local government. To blame this on the local government which doesnt have any where near the resources, manpower and funding to prevent this tragedy is a disgrace!

The Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA is an agency of the United States government dedicated to swift response in the event of disasters, both natural and man-made.

FEMA

Subz, I agree with you apart from:

First off, what would be the point of getting buses and supplies into New Orleans before the hurricane hit? They would of been destroyed and usuable along with every damn thing else in the city!

There are ways and means to protect the supplies. Perhaps they could have actually put some in that stadium they told veryone to go too? Perhaps they could have had some National Guard helping the evacuation, I mean they told everyone to leave but did nothing to help them! Perhaps they could have had the Guard and FEMA ready in a nieghbouring states to respond as soon as the storm passed.

Nope...Instead, they dragged their feet and go through all manner of beurocracy and then several days later finally start getting troops, supplies and rescuers into the area.

The UK has plans in place for a wide variety of disaters and have in multiple locations storages of medicines, food, clothing, blankets etc in case they are needed. I would imagine the US is very much the same but the response has been piss-poor at best.

Like I have said in another thread, they are concentraating too much on protecting property and not lives. Is this what the world has come too? Shooting dead starving, confused people in order to protect a soggy Panasonic Plasma screen which, no doubt, will be claimed against anyway by the store that owned it and is most likely useless.

Alot of people, in the ansence of any real assisatance for some days, may take to looting in order to either get food/medicines or goods in order to barter for them....shooting them solves nothing and complicates everything.

Originally posted by stumason
There are ways and means to protect the supplies. Perhaps they could have actually put some in that stadium they told veryone to go too?

From what I saw they actually did do that. I was listening to a Major in the National Guard on the news speak of the conditions inside the Superdome whilst the storm was just beginning to rage.

Originally posted by stumason
Perhaps they could have had some National Guard helping the evacuation, I mean they told everyone to leave but did nothing to help them!

The local government did do this but they only have a finite amount of personelle, manpower and resources. The local New Orleans government does not have the resources to deal with this disaster by themselves. They were stretched to their limit and I reject criticism of the local government as they obviously did everthing in their power to help their citizens.

The local government didnt drop the ball here, the federal and state government did.

Originally posted by stumason
Perhaps they could have had the Guard and FEMA ready in a nieghbouring states to respond as soon as the storm passed.

Thats state and federal government area, not local government. Mayor Nagin does not have the authourity to direct FEMA operations or National Guard operations that occur outside of New Orleans.

Originally posted by stumason
Nope...Instead, they dragged their feet and go through all manner of beurocracy and then several days later finally start getting troops, supplies and rescuers into the area.

The local government did not, the federal and state government did. I think you might have misinterpreted what I was saying. Local government literaly threw all they had into helping New Orleans but that was not enough.

Originally posted by stumason
Like I have said in another thread, they are concentraating too much on protecting property and not lives. Is this what the world has come too? Shooting dead starving, confused people in order to protect a soggy Panasonic Plasma screen which, no doubt, will be claimed against anyway by the store that owned it and is most likely useless.

Alot of people, in the ansence of any real assisatance for some days, may take to looting in order to either get food/medicines or goods in order to barter for them....shooting them solves nothing and complicates everything.

That is spot on, I was thinking the very same thing! Who gives a damn whether or not a small amount of people are stealing TV's. Why is that a priority? Im sure the monetary value of those losses doesnt even begin to approach the human value of those dying or in need of food and water.

Also the excuse that they were being shot at also doesnt cut it with me. These national guardsmen have been in Iraq for godsake. Did they all high-tail it out of Iraq because people started shooting at them? They should of gotten on with the rescue and relief efforts in spite of the bandits or *gasps* dealt with the bandits directly.

From what I saw they actually did do that. I was listening to a Major in the National Guard on the news speak of the conditions inside the Superdome whilst the storm was just beginning to rage.

Wasn't aware of that and they certainly haven't improved the situation. the following is from a British tourist, who, along with anoth 50 Britons, has been evacuated from the dome:

"We rode that storm out and then decided to go to New Orleans. We didn't realise the storm was heading that way."

He said of his eventual Superdome refuge: "There was a lot of heat from the people in there, people shouting racial abuse about us being white.

"The army warned us to keep our bags close to us and to grip them tight."

He said he saw crack coc aine being used in the filthy toilets, youngsters breaking into soft drink machines and men brawling. Urine and excrement spilled into corridors where they were sleeping.
Source..BBC

Things are certainly going to get worse there, without a doubt.

The local government did do this but they only have a finite amount of personelle, manpower and resources. The local New Orleans government does not have the resources to deal with this disaster by themselves. They were stretched to their limit and I reject criticism of the local government as they obviously did everthing in their power to help their citizens.

The local government didnt drop the ball here, the federal and state government did.

I agree. Never have blamed the local government.

Thats state and federal government area, not local government. Mayor Nagin does not have the authourity to direct FEMA operations or National Guard operations that occur outside of New Orleans

I agree again. I have always said FEMA should have been pro-active not re-active.

The local government did not, the federal and state government did. I think you might have misinterpreted what I was saying. Local government literaly threw all they had into helping New Orleans but that was not enough.

Think there is some crossed wires here as I blame the Federal Government too...I know the locals have limited reources and the Feds should have been there...thats what they are for, right?

In addition to my previous comments:

"If we can't respond faster than this to an event we saw coming across the Gulf for days, then why do we think we're prepared to respond to a nuclear or biological attack?" asked former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Republican.

Republican Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts called the government's response "an embarrassment."

The criticism stung for a president who won widespread praise for his handling of the terrorist attacks four years ago — and who already is suffering sagging approval ratings in the polls over the
Iraq war and gasoline prices that were high even before Katrina wreaked havoc on Gulf of Mexico operations.

Hoping to turn the tide of opinion in his favor, Bush spoke four times publicly on Friday.

"The results are not acceptable," he declared at the beginning of the day.

Bush Vows To Fix Flaws In Recovery Efforts

Criticism "because of their "opinion" on the president, and they blame anything and everything on president Bush."? I would say Gingrich's comments would be pretty indicative of how justified the current criticism of the federal government and its leader is, dont you?

[edit on 3/9/05 by subz]

6 days later Bush is sending in federal troops.

Woopi, that man is action personified!

And this is the same government that is going to manage the situation in the event of a major terrorist attack? yea right!

What have we learned here kids? I'll start...

1. Everyone MUST be able to take care of themselves in the event of a crisis. And by that I do not mean at the expense of your neighbor. We all need to take steps to be self- sufficient in a crisis situation.

2. Don't migrate to gov't selected areas to receive material assistance. Large concentrations of scared, hungry people are dangerous. You can get shot, raped and if some reports are true, eaten. Besides, the odds of help coming are apparently remote.

3. When told to evacuate don't wait until you see your neighbor's car floating in your back yard (as related by one survivor).

Yes, many of these people had few resources and few options. But many did and chose to stay (either by virtue of inertia or bravado). All of us should have a bug-out bag and a plan ready at all times. Just in case...

FAILING???? That is a good word. It doesn't take a mental heavyweight to see this crap. Seems like someone has anal defilade sickness.