As the richest nation in the world, I find it appalling that we don't have
emergency relief staging areas setup in prime areas for national disasters.
This would include California with the possibilities of earth quakes, the
east coast and the "Gulf" area for hurricanes. The talk of the calderas at
Yellowstone. It would be impossible to prestage for any and all disasters,
but a regional staging should be established, for different areas, with
monitoring as to possible need for activation and personnel and
transportation at a standby. Had the relief effort been started a day sooner
into the gulf area, the suffering would have been reduced considerably. How
much would it have helped to have bottled water trucked and ready to move
with a couple hours notice? Prepacked foods for at least a temporary
feeding. A standby call for doctors should be established, with medical
supplies pre staged. The cost to this would be astronomical. What is the
price of human life? Must we help with foreign aid? YES!! But we have a
greater requirement to take care of our own!! As Americans, we must take
care of Americans, disregarding race or ethnicity.
HGD, (Have a Great Day)
Roy P.
[log in to unmask]
440-365-1819
----- Original Message -----
From: "Automatic digest processor" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Recipients of C-PALSY digests" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, September 04, 2005 1:28 AM
Subject: C-PALSY Digest - 2 Sep 2005 to 3 Sep 2005 (#2005-176)
> There are 5 messages totalling 302 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
> 1. Here's an article on the preparedness of FEMA. (4)
> 2. Here's an article on the preparedness of FEMA. -- Kyle Where Are You?
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2005 11:21:05 -0400
> From: Mike Collis <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Here's an article on the preparedness of FEMA.
>
> Was FEMA ready for a disaster like Katrina?=20
> Critics cite shift in priorities following the 9/11 attacks
> By Lisa Myers
> Senior investigative correspondent
> NBC News
> Updated: 6:46 p.m. ET Sept. 2, 2005
>
> WASHINGTON - The terrorist attacks of 2001 changed the priorities and =
> focus
> of federal emergency planners. Former officials say 9/11 diverted =
> attention
> from natural disasters such as Katrina, which had been the=A0 primary =
> focus of
> the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
> A government document obtained by NBC News shows just how radically the
> focus shifted to terrorism. It is dated July 2004 and lists 222 upcoming
> FEMA and homeland security exercises scheduled to prepare for national
> emergencies. Only two involve hurricanes.
> "And even in both of those cases, they're dealing with what would happen =
> if
> there were a terrorist attack associated with a hurricane event," says =
> NBC
> News analyst William Arkin.
> What's more, it appears that the federal government did not follow up on =
> an
> exercise last year that mostly predicted what happened in New Orleans =
> =97
> devastating flooding and hundreds of thousands stranded.=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=20
> The scenario was dubbed Hurricane Pam: 120 mph winds, a massive storm =
> surge,
> 20 feet of water in the city, 80 percent of buildings damaged, refugees =
> on
> rooftops, possibly gun violence that would slow the rescue.
> "What bothers me the most is all the people who've died unnecessarily," =
> says
> Ivor Van Heerden, a hurricane researcher from Louisiana State University =
> who
> ran the exercise.
> Van Heerden says the federal government didn't take it seriously.=20
> "Those FEMA officials wouldn't listen to me," he says. "Those Corps of
> Engineers people giggled in the back of the room when we tried to =
> present
> information."
> One recommendation from the exercise: Tent cities should be prepared for =
> the
> homeless.
> "Their response to me was: 'Americans don't live in tents,' and that was
> about it," recalls Van Heerden.=20
> However, others say it's unfair to blame the federal government, that no
> amount of planning could have prepared for this.
> "We have trained against similar scenarios, but it's not the same as a
> crisis unfolding before your eyes," says Frank Cilluffo, a former Bush
> administration aide for homeland security.
> Homeland security officials also argue that no one predicted that =
> flooding
> and devastation would encompass not just New Orleans but the entire Gulf
> Coast.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2005 11:49:04 -0400
> From: Kathy <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Here's an article on the preparedness of FEMA.
>
> At first, I was inclined to give the feds some slack but when I learned
> the=
> y'd=20
> diverted funds from disaster preparedness to Homeland Security, I was=20
> incensed. It's all very well to prepare for invasions, etc., but when
> the=
> =20
> richest country in the world can't take care of its own citizens after
> a=20
> natural disaster, there's something very wrong.
>
> And the head of FEMA saying it was their own fault, in a way, was quite=20
> tactless to say the least. Of course they made the wrong choice, no
> one=20
> disputes that, but to say that in face of such misery and suffering shows
> a=
> n=20
> arrogance and disregard for the suffering of others that seems all too=20
> evident in this administration. It's as if they can't believe we can
> have=
> =20
> our own poor people who can't fend for themselves in times like these.
>
> I have broken down in tears several times this week when watching the
> news.=
> =20
> This is *America* dammit - I can't believe we could respond more quickly
> to=
> =20
> the tsunami victims last year than our own victims.
>
> Kat
>
> On Saturday 03 September 2005 11:21 am, Mike Collis wrote:
>> Was FEMA ready for a disaster like Katrina?
>> Critics cite shift in priorities following the 9/11 attacks
>> By Lisa Myers
>> Senior investigative correspondent
>> NBC News
>> Updated: 6:46 p.m. ET Sept. 2, 2005
>>
>> WASHINGTON - The terrorist attacks of 2001 changed the priorities and
>> foc=
> us
>> of federal emergency planners. Former officials say 9/11 diverted
>> attenti=
> on
>> from natural disasters such as Katrina, which had been the=A0 primary
>> foc=
> us
>> of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
>> A government document obtained by NBC News shows just how radically the
>> focus shifted to terrorism. It is dated July 2004 and lists 222 upcoming
>> FEMA and homeland security exercises scheduled to prepare for national
>> emergencies. Only two involve hurricanes.
>> "And even in both of those cases, they're dealing with what would happen
>> =
> if
>> there were a terrorist attack associated with a hurricane event," says
>> NBC
>> News analyst William Arkin.
>> What's more, it appears that the federal government did not follow up on
>> =
> an
>> exercise last year that mostly predicted what happened in New Orleans =97
>> devastating flooding and hundreds of thousands stranded.=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0
>> The scenario was dubbed Hurricane Pam: 120 mph winds, a massive storm
>> surge, 20 feet of water in the city, 80 percent of buildings damaged,
>> refugees on rooftops, possibly gun violence that would slow the rescue.
>> "What bothers me the most is all the people who've died unnecessarily,"
>> says Ivor Van Heerden, a hurricane researcher from Louisiana State
>> University who ran the exercise.
>> Van Heerden says the federal government didn't take it seriously.
>> "Those FEMA officials wouldn't listen to me," he says. "Those Corps of
>> Engineers people giggled in the back of the room when we tried to present
>> information."
>> One recommendation from the exercise: Tent cities should be prepared for
>> the homeless.
>> "Their response to me was: 'Americans don't live in tents,' and that was
>> about it," recalls Van Heerden.
>> However, others say it's unfair to blame the federal government, that no
>> amount of planning could have prepared for this.
>> "We have trained against similar scenarios, but it's not the same as a
>> crisis unfolding before your eyes," says Frank Cilluffo, a former Bush
>> administration aide for homeland security.
>> Homeland security officials also argue that no one predicted that
>> flooding
>> and devastation would encompass not just New Orleans but the entire Gulf
>> Coast.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2005 11:50:07 -0400
> From: Kathy <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Here's an article on the preparedness of FEMA. -- Kyle Where
> Are
> You?
>
> I wonder if Kyle is working with the disaster teams?
>
> Kat
>
>
> On Saturday 03 September 2005 11:21 am, Mike Collis wrote:
>> Was FEMA ready for a disaster like Katrina?
>> Critics cite shift in priorities following the 9/11 attacks
>> By Lisa Myers
>> Senior investigative correspondent
>> NBC News
>> Updated: 6:46 p.m. ET Sept. 2, 2005
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2005 10:55:32 -0500
> From: pamie <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Here's an article on the preparedness of FEMA.
>
> I agree with you Kat.
> Pamie
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kathy" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2005 10:49 AM
> Subject: Re: Here's an article on the preparedness of FEMA.
>
>
>> At first, I was inclined to give the feds some slack but when I learned
> the=
>> y'd=20
>> diverted funds from disaster preparedness to Homeland Security, I was=20
>> incensed. It's all very well to prepare for invasions, etc., but when
> the=
>> =20
>> richest country in the world can't take care of its own citizens after
> a=20
>> natural disaster, there's something very wrong.
>>
>> And the head of FEMA saying it was their own fault, in a way, was
>> quite=20
>> tactless to say the least. Of course they made the wrong choice, no
> one=20
>> disputes that, but to say that in face of such misery and suffering shows
> a=
>> n=20
>> arrogance and disregard for the suffering of others that seems all too=20
>> evident in this administration. It's as if they can't believe we can
> have=
>> =20
>> our own poor people who can't fend for themselves in times like these.
>>
>> I have broken down in tears several times this week when watching the
> news.=
>> =20
>> This is *America* dammit - I can't believe we could respond more quickly
> to=
>> =20
>> the tsunami victims last year than our own victims.
>>
>> Kat
>>
>>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2005 13:03:46 -0700
> From: Magenta Raine <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Here's an article on the preparedness of FEMA.
>
> the whole thing incenses me too, Kathy. especially when I heard fema was
> NOT allowing swiftboats to make rescues because they needed more security.
> I was thinking, excuse me, did i hear that right? these are trained ng
> troops that have fought in wars, and you're worried about their
> security???? and bush is obscene when he continued to ride his bike in
> idaho after the hurricane, it makes me so sick. I'm with you, kathy, this
> is the usa damit, why can't we rescue our own? and if he is not
> impeached,
> I am seriously thinking about moving or at least will wish i could!
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> [log in to unmask]
> If you need a business card designed, please email me.
>
>
>> [Original Message]
>> From: pamie <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Date: 9/3/2005 8:59:19 AM
>> Subject: Re: Here's an article on the preparedness of FEMA.
>>
>> I agree with you Kat.
>> Pamie
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Kathy" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2005 10:49 AM
>> Subject: Re: Here's an article on the preparedness of FEMA.
>>
>>
>> > At first, I was inclined to give the feds some slack but when I learned
>> the=
>> > y'd=20
>> > diverted funds from disaster preparedness to Homeland Security, I
>> > was=20
>> > incensed. It's all very well to prepare for invasions, etc., but when
>> the=
>> > =20
>> > richest country in the world can't take care of its own citizens after
>> a=20
>> > natural disaster, there's something very wrong.
>> >
>> > And the head of FEMA saying it was their own fault, in a way, was
> quite=20
>> > tactless to say the least. Of course they made the wrong choice, no
>> one=20
>> > disputes that, but to say that in face of such misery and suffering
> shows
>> a=
>> > n=20
>> > arrogance and disregard for the suffering of others that seems all
> too=20
>> > evident in this administration. It's as if they can't believe we can
>> have=
>> > =20
>> > our own poor people who can't fend for themselves in times like these.
>> >
>> > I have broken down in tears several times this week when watching the
>> news.=
>> > =20
>> > This is *America* dammit - I can't believe we could respond more
>> > quickly
>> to=
>> > =20
>> > the tsunami victims last year than our own victims.
>> >
>> > Kat
>> >
>> >
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of C-PALSY Digest - 2 Sep 2005 to 3 Sep 2005 (#2005-176)
> ************************************************************
>
>
|
