Katrina Response Mismanagement

[Ghoulish Delight]

Here's a fine example of the well thought-out recover process by FEMA:

http://katrinablog.msnbc.com/2005/09...tml#below-fold

As noted here two days ago, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's decision to ask evacuees to call (800) 621-3362 or browse to www.fema.gov to start the process of filing a claim for disaster assistance was greeted with disbelief by most relief workers we talked to, who noted that most of these people don’t have ready access to telephones.
It turns out, according to a Red Cross worker here, the response is even a bigger Catch-22 than I realized.

It turns out, according to the worker, who like the other aid workers spoke on condition of anonymity, that the call to the FEMA number does not open a claim; it results in a package containing the claim form being mailed to the address of the evacuee.

Since the evacuee is in a shelter, mail service has been suspended in many of the hardest hit areas and some of the homes are likely still under water, it seems clear that those claim forms won’t be mailed back any time soon.

[emphasis mine]

[Name]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Here's a fine example of the well thought-out recover process by FEMA:

http://katrinablog.msnbc.com/2005/09...tml#below-fold

[emphasis mine]

Brought to you by the finest MBAs our institutions of higher learning can produce.

[/sarcasm]
any resemblance to any actual MBAs is purely coincidental. This is not a well researched post, just a poke at MBAs of our finest corporations.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

That truly boggles the mind. Did anyone think about any of this beforehand?

[scaeagles]

Oh my.

[Gemini Cricket]

I this sums it up...

[Cadaverous Pallor]

FEMA had better be completely reorganized after this. They may have to change the name...

I don't know if I posted this earlier, but....We put out a collection box at the library. A lady asked where the money went, and we told her that the city is working with the Red Cross. She said, "oh, ok, as long as it's not FEMA!" I put a little Red Cross logo on the box after that. Our little box has made a few bucks and it's nice to think that we're helping out a tiny bit.

<heartwarming moment>
Over the past weekend there was a street fair at our city and they set up a Red Cross booth. They raised over $48,000! From a little street fair over Labor Day weekend! Every time I hear about the worst from the coast, be it about the humanity or the bureaucracy, I think of all the wonderful people that are helping in any way they can.

Now back to the anger.

As to the debate going on here - I think everyone fvcked up, and I'm sure there's no one involved that is without guilt. Just because the mayor is yelling doesn't mean that he's blameless, but anyone who actually comes out and is honest about the state of things gets kudos from me.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Sigh. FEMA responded so damned well to the Northridge Quake too.

[Ghoulish Delight]

The Mayor has ordered forced evacuations, though they have not begun yet.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9156612/

[scaeagles]

Thought this was a good piece -

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/sto...p-293598c.html

[SacTown Chronic]

Well golly, there sure is plenty of blame to go around.

Are you Bush apologists gonna care about the performance of the state and local goverments of Louisiana if an epic natural disaster (or terrorist attack) hits your state? Fvck no.

Is Bin Laden laughing at the response of the state and local governments?

As if on cue, Karl Rove shoves his hand up Bush's ass and millions of Bush enablers start parroting the company line.

And let's not forget the cronyism and complete disregard for the safety of the American public that led to FEMA being in the shape it's in.

"Fire Brown" they say.

For what...being who he is? And what exactly will that solve? The same incompetent CEO that hired Allbaugh, who begat Brown, will just appoint another incompetent homey and away we go. Fvck me.