And there are specific emergency planning actions that should have been taken by the mayor and the governor. And there are specific intra-governmental emergency procedures that have been followed during other natural disasters.
If its the Federal government's fault, why didn't the same failures appear last year when four hurricaned devastated Florida? -- Because local authorities did things right.
More to the point:
If it was a Federal failure, why is it only New Orleans and not any of the other cities?
There is a vast difference with New Orleans from Florida. While the devastation in FLA is great, it is paled to NO. While Miami Dade will feel the effects for months to come as other areas of the state still does from last years hurricanes, the infrastructure was able to return. It wasn't flooded out. Access wasn't totally cut off. People were not stranded without food, water or sanitation with no help in sight.
I won't make this a race issue, because it isn't. IT's a poor planning and implementation issue. And the blame needs to go around to all first, primary and extreme responders.
It didn't take the federal government that long to respond to NYC in 2001. So why did it take that long in NO?
Even the President is saying the response wasn't all it should be and will be. Why so long to realize that? Unless it's a sound bite and photo op.
I guess things aren't going so well this time?
Gov. Bush Takes Blame for Slow Wilma Aid Email this Story Oct 26, 6:47 PM (ET)
By CURT ANDERSON
MIAMI (AP) - Gov. Jeb Bush took the blame Wednesday for frustrating delays at centers distributing supplies to victims of Hurricane Wilma, saying criticism of the Federal Emergency Management Agency was misdirected.
"Don't blame FEMA. This is our responsibility," Bush said at a news conference in Tallahassee with federal Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who oversees the agency.
Many Floridians were still struggling to find food, water, ice and gas on the third day of recovery from Wilma, waiting in line for hours - sometimes in vain. Miami-Dade's mayor called the distribution system flawed and said at least one relief site of 11 in his county ran out of supplies.
So much for Florida being so much better prepared?