posted on Nov, 17 2011 @ 02:03 PM
I’m not sure what forum to put this in. I have a simple question, but I will also explain why I am asking.
Why would FEMA not want pictures taken of them setting up trailers for disaster victims?
I live in New York State and our area was widely affected by the September flooding. Our home was also flooded, and I have documented the events with
photographs and video from the start of the flooding on through cleanup, which is still going on for many people. A few days ago, the infamous FEMA
trailers have started arriving. Of course I wanted some pictures to add to the rest of my flood photos. I took some shots of a bunch of them sitting
behind a warehouse by the railroad tracks near my house. My husband’s friend’s neighbors have one in their yard now, and the FEMA workers were
doing work on it, I guess putting on finishing touches? I’m not sure of the process. My husband has been helping his friend rebuild his house and
today I went with him to help. I brought my camera to take photos of the house and him working on it and decided to get some shots of the trailer and
the workers next door. I took some pictures from a distance, then wanted some up close and from a different angle. Since the men would be in the
pictures, I thought it would be polite to ask them if they minded. One of the guys said immediately, “No, you can’t take pictures. They tell us to
not let people take pictures of us.” I said, “I wouldn’t get your faces in the pictures. I just want to document flood related stuff.” He
said, “They don’t want people to take pictures. Please take them when we leave.” I said, “Why?” He replied, “I’m sorry Ma’am, they
just don’t allow pictures to be taken.” I said, “Ok, sorry, thanks.” I then just went inside.
It didn’t seem like camera shyness. He was definite about pictures not being allowed and he used the term “they” more than once. It seemed that
it was a rule of theirs or something. I am interested in speculation, but I also hoped someone from FEMA or someone else who really knows why would
possibly reply.