Red tape keeping Samaritans from New Orleans (Honore angrily put this issue to rest)

From combined dispatches ^ | September 6, 2005 | From combined dispatches

[Former Military Chick]

Hundreds of would-be rescuers are wending their way to the Gulf Coast in buses, vans and trailers. But critics say government red tape has hampered many who are trying to help Hurricane Katrina's victims.

Long lines of volunteers are reportedly being stopped on freeways on their way into New Orleans.

"The military was worried about having more people in the city. They want to limit it to the professionals," said Kevin Southerland, a California firefighter whose rescue team was sent to New Orleans at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Aaron Broussard, president of Louisiana's Jefferson Parish, said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that FEMA turned back three trailers of water, ordered the Coast Guard not to provide emergency diesel fuel and cut emergency power lines.

Mr. Broussard said FEMA needs to bring in all its "force immediately, without red tape, without bureaucracy, act immediately with common sense and leadership, and save lives."

"The bureaucracy needs to do more than one thing at a time," Rep. Bobby Jindal, Louisiana Republican, told Time magazine. "It's appropriate to save people with helicopters, but it can't be done to the exclusion of everything else."

At a press conference yesterday, the Army general in charge of military relief efforts denounced such complaints in angry and, at times, profane language.

"There is no red tape. ... There are isolated incidents that people take to paint a broad brush," Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, said in Baton Rouge after a reporter questioned him about Mr. Jindal's criticism.

The cigar-chomping three-star general's arrival last week in New Orleans prompted Mayor C. Ray Nagin to exclaim, "I give the president some credit on this -- he sent one John Wayne dude down here that can get some stuff done."

[Former Military Chick]

The General went on to say, "Have you been to New Orleans? Did anybody accost you? ... You need to get on the streets of New Orleans, you can't sit back here and say what you hear from someone else," said the commander of the Georgia-based First Army. "It is secure, we walk around without any issues. Why ... are you trying to make that the issue?"

What a leader this man has turned out to be!!-FMC

[jmc1969]

This guy needs a fourth star quick.

[Jeff Head]

Outstanding! The President saw the vacuum and then used his own resources and people to fill that vacuum with an individual who is getting things done and is not afraid to call a spade a spade!

[SE Mom]

Infantry CO's are like that:)

[onevoter]

I loved him - this guy turned the idiotic questions of the press right back at them and demonstrated to everyone who was watching what a bunch of hysterical children the press corps is made up of.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Watching the media get ripped to shreds by Honore was like watching some idiot try to tease and prod a Rottweiler.

[Arkie2]

This report about the water being turned back has grown into some kind of Katrina legend. From an earlier article about this it was stated the water was turned back before the hurricane even hit shore. If you use common sense you would suspect whoever turned those trucks around didn't want them destroyed in the hurricane but wanted to save them for later when they could do some good.

Some lies just seem to have a life of their own.

[jmc1969]

We got to put this guy on MTP, Tim Russert has been an especially big bitch this week and I want to see him get stomped by a real man.

[mtbopfuyn]

He makes good points. If the police and other LE can't get in, of course "regular people" can't get in. Same as LE not wanting Bush to go in too early due to taking LE from their rescue duties for his security, but nooooo, the media has to spin it.

[AliVeritas]

You see how it's getting twisted right? On the first day and thereafter, Red Cross and supplies were turned away from New Orleans; They can't blame the military or FEMA, they weren't there (correct?). So what happened then?
BTW, check out the video I posted on Katrina Thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1478301/posts

[TomGuy]

Samaritan helo pilot talking now about rescuing around 100 babies/children from stranded hospitals by by-passing the 'rules' and getting them to safety at 'safe' hospitals.

He said they literally packed them in shipping cartons, etc., to 'pack' as many as he could get each trip into the helo and get them to a better location.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

General Honore is the real deal! I was so impressed by him at the press conferences. I also so him on 60 minutes and the reporter was trying to make a big deal out of the dead bodies and how they needed to get them out. The general told the reporter-I can work on removing dead bodies or rescue the living-now which do you think should be done first? He really put the interviewer in his place.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Lt. Gen. Honore a 'John Wayne dude'
CNN ^ | Septmber 3, 2005 | Staff

Posted on 09/03/2005 10:04:58 AM MDT by NavySEAL F-16

(CNN) -- New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin calls Lt. Gen. Russel Honore a "John Wayne dude" who can "get some stuff done."

"He came off the doggone chopper, and he started cussing and people started moving," Nagin said in an interview Thursday night with a local radio station. (See the Nagin video where he demands feds 'get off their asses' -- 12:09 )

The three-star general directed the deployment of an estimated 1,000 National Guard troops from a New Orleans street corner Friday, making it clear that it was a humanitarian relief operation. (Watch the convoy slog through floodwaters -- 3:33)

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...

[Racehorse]

. . . this guy turned the idiotic questions of the press right back at them and demonstrated to everyone who was watching what a bunch of hysterical children the press corps is made up of.

Would be nice to believe he taught administration officials how to conduct press conferences.

Give em the facts, tell em the truth, shut em down when they get . . . outrageous.  Nobody back talked Honore.

Honore, after bluntly putting the facts to the press, suddenly said something to Michael Chertoff and immediately, without a wave or a nod to the press, left.  Chertoff, looking awestruck, said something like, "We're going with the general," and followed Honore out of briefing.  End of press conference.

That's how its done.

Next, face off between Honore and David Gregory.  One can dream . . .

[joesnuffy]

If you have ever been a part of a any kind of small search team..you know every grid has to be systematically searched then crossed off your list

If a flood of even well intentioned helpers rushes in... you can have big overlaps in your search..and rescue..

To be systematic there must be control...and one man in charge not fifty..

Distractions of having to intercept others in your search and rescue area slow the whole process down

Chertov put it best...'We're following the General"

Great advice

Extras need to hang back and wait until they are called upon and then they can be efficiently folded into the organization

imo

[p23185]

amen!!! The press needs to have their heads handed to them by someone of this caliber

[Paraclete]

I didn't clearly hear a reporter's question at this morning's news conference, but the gist was, "What's the difference between here and war in Iraq?"

General Honore's response was, "In war we break things, here we're trying to fix them."

This guy's a gem.

[IamConservative]

I like this General more and more everyday. Anyone that will tell a reporter: "We ain't stuck on stupid" can have a beer on my tab anytime, don't even need to ask.

[wtc911]

Not to mention tons of volunteers with dysentery, e-coli, etc...