FEMA and the Galveston West End Cover up

Val,

Thank you for this thread - truly. As a journalist (not in the affected area) I find it outrageous that media access has been denied. People this is not about protecting the privacy of the individuals as much as my heart breaks for them and their families - this is about reporting on and demanding accountability by an administration whose disaster management track record is deplorable.

We have subscribed willingly to a sanitized bubble of existence and knowledge. This hurricane was a public event and as much as it does affect the lives of private individuals they now are part of the public consciousness. We, as Americans, have the right to see, at our own discretion and without censorship, the sometimes brutal reality of what has occurred. Why is it we fight for freedoms of literature, entertainment and everything else but, continue to allow ourselves to be "protected from the harsh realities' of life by a government that believes we can't handle and don't deserve the truth? This is outrageous in my opinion.

I hope that the reporters on the ground find a way past the "authorities" and bring out the truth of what has happened and even more importantly, how the recovery is being or not being administered.

I do sympathize for the victims. Most do. But, we have history being re-written even as it is happening now. The real story will never be told. For me, I pray that someday we will have a media that is designed to be watched by adults who are competent to decide for themselves what they can handle seeing. Do we truly understand, that this has now been lost. We are seeing what They deem it appropriate for us to see. As horrible as reality can be, it is in knowing these depths that we, as people, gain perspective which allows us to see, build and appreciate what is good in our world. If you know no sorrow, you can't truly appreciate happiness.

My heart goes out to all in this storm's path. Both those who have suffered directly and those that have had the stunning realization thrust upon them that you are no longer deemed mature enough to view reality.

Thank you Val. Eyes continue to be opened and see what we are no longer allowed to "see".

[edit on 15-9-2008 by DancedWithWolves]

Originally posted by LostNemesis

Originally posted by darkelf

Originally posted by Essan
Such a shame that a natural and humanitarian disaster is already down to conspiracy theories. Not sure I really want anything to do with American websites like ATS any more

It's not really a conspiracy, it's more of a question as to why the media is not coming forth with more information in the aftermath.

I find it offensive that ATS is such a bad place, because we are not supposed to be curious to find out what is going on in our homeland, to fellow Americans??

Where IS an acceptable place to talk about updates about a storm that happened to us?

Wasn't gunna comment. Done now.

Why are you mad? Because someone is saying it’s a shame that a natural disaster is ALREADY the subject of conspiracy?

People died, homes and memories are destroyed.. and yet here we are discussing how this or that could be the cause… this person or that agency is to blame.. even before any water has receeded, before any real evaluations can be done.

It isn’t the fact that it is being discussed on ATS, it is that it is ALREADY the topic of conspiracy.


Basically, you missed the point like so many others do... the issue isn't whether you should/can/will question.. of course you should/can/will, but there is a time for that.
The issue is that we on ATS are way too quick to assign the conspiracy label
Hence the “ALREADY” part of his comment.


ATS is NOT the place to find out storm details. The best you will find here are people who believe their own personal ‘common sense” rules to world. Too many people are non –experts pretending to be experts and too many of the other people are blind followers.

Too many think “that’s sounds right to me..” and then they build a cement wall up to any “facts" that might be presented, if it sounds good, it must be true...so a FEW of us get pissed off when EVERYTHING becomes a conspiracy, right down to the immediate aftermath of a storm.

“where is Bush”
“Why no video”
why this, why that.. with no regard to actual facts, like perhaps there is coverage and no one has spotted it, perhaps there are circumstances preventing this or that, or perhaps its just not in yet..

The point its that too many of us on ATS jump the gun and in turn that creates “facts” that aren’t “facts”.

So yea, you can get your storm details on ATS if you want, but just keep an open mind.
The lack of coverage to a sparsely populated island isn’t proof one way or another of anything. (goes to OP)

found a link to video from the west end.

www.brightcove.tv...

lots of damage to the couple of homes the film. not a good video to get a large scale idea of the damage. plus I cant use the sound here a work so I can only watch the interviews.

reply to post by Manasseh


honestly from looking, i can see nothing on an credible sources that says anything about FEMA taking over cell phone service in the area.

OP care to show a link, because i haven't heard any of that.

i didn't even know FEMA was involved yet, i do know however that homeland security is, i dropped off a couple RV's there last night for them to stay in while they are down there.


(lives in Austin)

reply to post by roadgravel


where are you guys getting you information from? two minute search and i found a wealth of photos on the west end of the island...

there is no cover up, nothing to see here... move along.
Galveston's west end

Originally posted by MrPenny
I don't want to derail an excellent thread; but I'm not sure that what I just heard warrants a completely new thread.

On NPR's 9:00 am news, it was reported that the local distribution of aid materials is proceeding at a "glacial" pace due to the confusion between who was responsible for actually dispersing it. The local emergency management claims they wanted FEMA to distribute it, and FEMA expected the local authorities to distribute it.

What the???? How do people in "emergency management" completely drop the ball on such a basic step in disaster mitigation and recovery, yet keep their jobs?

I know...that's a rhetorical question.

[edit on 15-9-2008 by MrPenny]

Yes, it appears there has been a gross fumble between local and state agencies and FEMA. Apparently the national guard and other personnel got there to find they had no food or water for themselves. So the uncomfortable situation arose that the food and water delivered for residents was being used by the people there to help them!

There's a lot of finger-pointing right now, but long story short. They're all to blame. Every agency involved is to blame if they can't handle just getting food and water from point A to point B. I would think logistics 101 would have you thinking you need to provide supplies to the 100's of people you're sending to an area that already needs supplies!

reply to post by Valhall


This place is not yet built. They broke ground on construction, but it is nowhere near completion.

reply to post by Valhall

I compared the satellite photos on the NOAA site to digital photos taken by a fellow federal employee that overflew parts of Galveston island yesterday (Sunday, 14 September 2008). Apparently areas of the island that are still under water are showing up as dark green on the NOAA photos. Don't be misled just because you don't see "blue" water all over the island.

reply to post by kosmicjack



The lab is at...
4700 Avenue U
Galveston, TX 77551

Originally posted by SRTkid86
reply to post by roadgravel

 

where are you guys getting you information from? two minute search and i found a wealth of photos on the west end of the island...

there is no cover up, nothing to see here... move along.
Galveston's west end

With all due respect...I'm glad to see you show up 48 hours afterward and decide that now that information is dribbling out (information coming from citizens instead of being reported by news media or authorities) that there is nothing to see here - move along.

Had you taken the time to read the thread before posting you would see that just like on the KHOU forums, there are Galvestonians showing up on this thread exasperated by the 48 hours they went with no information whatsoever on their communities.

Those pictures were post in just the past few hours. NOT two days ago.

The FEMA cell phone report was out of Channel 13 news in Houston.

More live streaming news reports from the are available here:

www.myfoxhoustonlive.com...

So NOAA's in the act now.

Please go to this NOAA page

ngs.woc.noaa.gov...

and notice it says:

The imagery posted on this site is of the coast of Texas after Hurricane Ike made landfall.

Then click on the squares down the west end of Galveston island and tell me if you think you're looking at a post-hurricane satellite picture.

I...
don't...
think...
so.

reply to post by Valhall


im sorry that i didn't want to read 18 pages of people complaining that they don't know if there house was under water or not, i have a house in portland right now, about 2 miles outside of corpus, that is most likely flooded, but im not whining that FEMA isn't taking my concern as special adnd running over to snap photos and email them to me.

people an entire city was DESTROYED, west galveston is NOT a priority to them considerint the TRILLIONS of dollars in damage done to the city of houston itself.

i was there last night, people are alive and ok, and using cell phones to call into radio stations, power was going back up, and most school will be re-opened on wednesday.

seriously, what im trying to say is that i was there, listening to it, because i had to drop RV's off to homeland security. i seriously doubt that west galv. was totally wiped out, and i doubt even more that they would be trying to cover that up (of things to cover up, i think that is about the LEAST important.)

this is yet another example of the over active imaginations on this webiste.

and it's not 48 hours later, did you or did you not make this thread yesterday? i would have posted that you were wrong yesterday, but i was BUSY actually going down there to see what is going on.

good day.

reply to post by Valhall


Actually, Val, I'm not sure.

The Bolivar images clearly show a great deal of destruction. I agree the West End images don't show this as clearly, but maybe it wasn't as badly hit.

reply to post by Valhall


The Crystal Beach area looks consistent with pictures we've already seen. The West End area looks virtually untouched. Is this possible? I've read several articles in which people stated that the West End was completely decimated. Seems like these images are a mixture of current and not current pics.

Originally posted by SRTkid86


people an entire city was DESTROYED, west galveston is NOT a priority to them considerint the TRILLIONS of dollars in damage done to the city of houston itself.

WOW! You sound just like the mayor of Galveston who referred to the potential losses of the west end of the island as "47% of the tax base". Money's the real story I guess.

It was 48 hours before the refugees waiting for word of their Galveston communities before information started being released.

reply to post by Valhall


well you know, the money is of concern to me, as it should to everyone, that is basically the oil capital of the US, i couldn't find gas ANYWHERE withing 150 miles of houston....

gas prices have already jumped 20 cents.

you are stressing over a sparsley populated portion of an island that was evacuated, and only a small amount of people stayed behind. last i heard last night was that there were 6 confirmed deaths in galveston. IMO, for a hurricane that is the worst to hit since a hundred years ago in corpus, that is pretty good death to live ratio if you ask me.

im not saying your concerns are irrelevant, but i just don't think you were taking into account that they have bigger fish to fry right now, than going and looking at some businesses and a few houses for people.

it's sad when people don't even wait for facts to come out before trying to blame someone for something, or trying to say they are covering something up (which makes no sense, WHY WOULD THEY?)

reply to post by Valhall


and i have still heard nothing about my house in portland, but im not on here saying FEMA is trying to cover up that my house 15 feet about sea level, and within 500 feet of the water, is most likely under or mostly under water right now.

it sucks to lose a house, and it really sucks to lose loved ones, but what happened in Houston this weekend carries MUCH heavier implications then a minor amount of lives lost.

Just finished watching a presser from the Galveston mayor and city manager.

Some highlights.

* est 15-20k still on the Island

* asking those on the Island to leave,

* asking those who left prior to stay away

* regarding those who want to Look and leave, (guessing this has to do with residents who want to assess and shore up their property), no plans for allowing this to happen this week. Will reassess next week.

* confirmed 4 deaths on the island, residential (guessing that means those who perished in their homes and discovered during the recovery efforts)

* Assessing the causeway for its integrity.

* Hospital can handle only minor injuries, they have already evacuated a few people to other hospitals who needed higher levels of treatment.

* mosquitoes are becoming an issue

* One hotel (can't remember the name) dedicated for emergency and other authorized personnel.

* Hilton hotel being set up for the media.

* Reiterated to the media that they need to make sure they have proper ID should they leave the island as the inspection of those coming to the island is very strict.

* some water restored in a very small area

* Debris removal contractor on the island could take weeks months to clear all of the debris.

*thanked FEMA and the State for helping the City.

* 13 Looters arrested and in custody in the Galveston jail.

All I can remember, they only took 5-7 questions from the press, and stated that they might take more tomorrow, but stated the reason was that they are extremely innundated and are focusing their efforts on the recovery effort which is understandable.

This is from the streaming link I posted awhile back ^^^

That station has a chopper which has made some runs towards the west end, Bolivar is one named place that I can remember.

ed:sp+ strike west end



[edit on 9/15/2008 by JacKatMtn]