The lesssons I have learned from the Hurricane Katrina disaster and tragedy

JEFFHEAD.COM ^ | September 5, 2005 | Jeff Head

[Two-Bits]

Just think what 9/11 would have been like if it local government has not responded and waited for the federal government to come in.

[the irate magistrate]

AG, Did you get any of that bad weather over your way?

[Born Conservative]

The specter of those who decided to stay, and who were partying in the path of this storm on live news coverage up to the time the storm began to come on shore, will remain etched in our memory for the rest of our lives.

Check this out. I posted this on 8/28/05:

 

Bourbon Street is still hopping at 9pm local time considering there's a Cat 5 Hurricane on the way...

[radiohead]

You have some good items I hadn't thought of for my bag. I gotta ask about the napalm tho! Why do you have it and where do you get it? I can't wait to tell my son, "To hell w/more ammo, we gotta get some napalm!"

My Norwegian friend, who thinks the government is supposed to handled everything, finally made a bugout bag the other day. I think it dawned on her that she needed to take care of herself first and not wait on the government to save her.

[radiohead]

Required reading for all Americans.

[nascardaughter]

No. The President of the United States does not have to get permission from state governors to call in the National Guard or to coordinate response efforts during a national emergency.

Please see, for example the Department of Homeland Security's National Response Plan, which states:

HSPD-5 further designates the Secretary of Homeland Security as the "principal Federal official" for domestic incident management.
In this role, the Secretary is also responsible for coordinating Federal resources utilized in response to or recovery from terrorist attacks, major disasters, or other emergencies if and when any of the following four conditions applies:
(1) a Federal department or agency acting under its own authority has requested DHS assistance;
(2) the resources of State and local authorities are overwhelmed and Federal assistance has been requested;
(3) more than one Federal department or agency has become substantially involved in responding to the incident; or
(4) the Secretary has been directed to assume incident management responsibilities by the President.

It so happens that the state did ask for federal assistance when they invoked the Stafford Act prior to the storm, but even if they hadn't, the president is free to direct DHS to assume responsibility with no state input whatsoever under condition 4.

Please also see President Bush's declaration of a state of emergency from Aug. 28th, which states:

President Bush has declared a state of emergency for the Gulf Coast state of Louisiana, as it braces for the expected onslaught of Hurricane Katrina, set to make landfall on Monday.
Saturday's emergency declaration authorizes federal officials to coordinate all disaster relief efforts

Please see also from the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, which was activated by both the governor's and the president's declaration of a state of emergency:

5143. COORDINATING OFFICERS {Sec. 302}

Appointment of Federal coordinating officer

Immediately upon his declaration of a major disaster or emergency, the President shall appoint a Federal coordinating officer to operate in the affected area.

Functions of Federal coordinating officer

In order to effectuate the purposes of this Act, the Federal coordinating officer, within the affected area, shall--
make an initial appraisal of the types of relief most urgently needed;
establish such field offices as he deems necessary and as are authorized by the President;
coordinate the administration of relief, including activities of the State and local governments, the American National Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Mennonite Disaster Service, and other relief or disaster assistance organizations, which agree to operate under his advice or direction, except that nothing contained in this Act shall limit or in any way affect the responsibilities of the American National Red Cross under the Act of January 5, 1905, as amended (33 Stat. 599) [36 U.S.C. §§ 1 et seq.]; and;
take such other action, consistent with authority delegated to him by the President, and consistent with the provisions of this Act, as he may deem necessary to assist local citizens and public officials in promptly obtaining assistance to which they are entitled.;

[the irate magistrate]

This begs comment:

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[KC_for_Freedom]

I agree with others who have posted that the local and state officials must make the first call. In many cases the Governors do quickly ask for full federal support. (It does not cost their state anything). But in the case of Louisana it is becoming clear (even from Mayor Nagin) that Governor Blanco delayed her request for a federal take over of the hurricane response.

When a question of "who is in charge" is raised at this time, then leaders have to review what they want to do unilaterialy and how best to respond. In this case Bush clearly deferred to the Governor for a time. Both the governors of Mississippi and Alabama immediately fell in witht he Federal government. This raises the spector that the holdout, Blanco a democrat, was making a political statement with her state. (She clearly thought that her guy, a former FEMA employee would do a better job than Bush.) I personally think this was a mistake but I also believe state governments should have a role and I would not like to see the federal government come in without first receiving a request. Once they do receive a request, I DO want them to be ready to roll.

We are dealing with huge bureauracies in both levels and we know that this creates logistic problems. What we end up seeing is that the military is really the most capable responder but again we don't want the military to move in without being requested either do we?

[hosepipe]

[ Governmental agencies and ideologies and those in favor of "big government", particularly as they create conditions like the "Welfare State" which they termed the "Great Society" only prove and punctuate this point. ]

The only missed on FR usually is George Bush not only exacerbates THIS problem but is taking the LEAD to commit it..

I say commit it because it IS A CRIME.. All while appearing to be fighting it.. Bush is completing Lyndon Johnsons "Great Society"(i.e. the drug bill).. all while under the RNC radar.. and I'm not amused.. not amused at all..

A bush basher.> ME? <.. OK... its an easy job but somebody "here" has got to do it.. Bush is pulling off what the democrats couldn't do themselves, so far.. And most of the republicans see it as some Svengalian stragegery of Rove's.. makeing excuses for in your face socialism.. and stealing the democrats thunder..

I'm wondering IF there ARE any real republicans left..
Because what Bush does and is doing is a Coup D'etat of traditional republican platform objectives.. i.e. "the federal government is not A problem, the federal government "IS" the problem".. All blessed by the republican party generally.. even HERE on FR.. those outrageous activitys are muted..

Amazing that the democrat party and the republican party are UNITE'ED on one thing only... being PRO-illegal alien.. The illegal aliens seem to be this countrys answer(both parties) to murdering our next generation by abortion.. A very liberal answer, and be advised that "IS" why the illegal aliens are being ignored.. They are an answer to government inspired and funded abortion.. Both of which will be the death of this republic and the birth of the American Democracy.. well on its way if the Coup D'etat has not already happened.. Do I even have to say changeing our form of gov't is treasonous.. and Bush is a LEAD conspirator..

Sorry Jeff, but the KING is nekkid..

p.s. Roberts is a RINO.. and the democrats know it.. watch them.. faux posturing will be their only response.. from their angle Roberts will be a WIN.. and replacing O'Connor with another RINO will be a win,win scenario.. Which makes George Bush a ringer, a poseur..

[nascardaughter]

Lousiana declared a state of emergency on August 26. The Washington Post reported this incorrectly in an article that they have since corrected. You can find the corrected article at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR2005090301680.html

And you can find the actual declaration on the governor of Louisiana's website at:

http://gov.louisiana.gov/2005%20%20proclamations/48pro2005-Emergency-HurricaneKatrina.pdf

[Alamo-Girl]

I'm up here in Illinois and thus did not get any of the bad weather. Thanks for asking!

[Eva]

FEMA is not the National Guard and the Govenor's staff reported that their was a power struggle and the govenor refuses to allow FEMA to take control and order a mandatory evacuation. The rules require that the state invoke it's own emergency plan first, and that the fed's come in second. I have read it elsewhere several times in the official documents. The state of LA has been the administrators, the whole time, they asked for assistance in the clean up only, on Saturday. Then, later this week, the govenor called in additional Nat'l Guard troops and amphibious vehicles and asked the Guard to take over police duties at that time. That is when the President sent in Lt Gen. Honore. I don't care what your small section of the federal plans say.

[the irate magistrate]

The heathins were 'dancing around the golden calf'.

Sound familiar?

[megimoo]

Mabee a cast iron #12 frying pan with a 1 ft handle would work up close
but for real safty learn to use a 44 bulldog !

[Brad’s Gramma]

It's really emergency gasoline...

GASOLINE? Heck, Gramps has it on his wheat bran every morning! No WONDER he's....never mind.

Bumpin' the thread! :)

[Brad’s Gramma]

With all due respect, that is REALLY bad advice. You have a bunch of thugs, roaming your neighborhood and you want to hit 'em with a BB gun?

They're going to get SO angry it's for SURE they're going to come after you.

No. No. NO!

[the irate magistrate]

Jeff,

Please respond to this.

Thanks,

Mike

***************

Jeff –

I enjoyed your article about Hurricane Katrina. I edit JeffersonReview.com and would like to put your article in next week’s issue if that is alright with you. Please let me know. Thanks.

Resa

Theresa Fritz Camoriano

Camoriano and Associates

8225 Shelbyville Rd.

Louisville KY 40222 U.S.A.

http://www.inventky.com

resa@inventky.com

[megimoo]

Jimmie can screw up anything .
Jimmy carter has a way of screwing up the U.S.A !

[Brad’s Gramma]

She is a part of society that the government has taken care of from the moment she was born.

Bingo! I'm PRAYING that this will be a golden opportunity for some of the younger people who are REFUGEES!! to finally pull themselves out of this lifestyle.

[Jeff Head]

I believe that is probably a very good presumption in the vast majority of the cases.