FEMA's Response

Private email ^ | September 17, 2005 | Jodi Wiite

[radar101]

just got home from 15 days in New Orleans and the surrounding areas. I am tired, and I am emotional. But mostly I am angry. I am angry at the news - the TV stations, the newspapers - for what I view is a grossly misrepresented placement of blame. For those of you who know me, you know I work for FEMA as an "intermittent employee" of a disaster response team. My team, called VMAT or Veterinary Medical Assistance Team, is part of the response branch of FEMA known as the National Disaster Medical System.

Let me tell you how "awful" FEMA's response was from someone who was there on the front lines working for FEMA.

President Bush declared a state of emergency prior to Katrina's landfall due to its strength and location. This is not normally done before a hurricane makes landfall. Damn good work by George W in my honest opinion. This opened the door for our federal teams to pre-deploy assets in nearby locations so that we were ready when Katrina did hit. I was contacted by FEMA before the hurricane hit, asking for my availability and to place me on alert. Many teams were moved into the region including 2 VMAT teams. My team was mobilized immediately after landfall and I arrived in the area before New Orleans had completely filled with water, before we even realized how bad it was truly going to be. FEMA responded immediately and with unprecedented numbers of responders. There were DMAT teams! inside the Super Dome before the levee broke. Never before had so many FEMA teams and personnel been sent into a disaster.

One thing you must understand, the DMAT, VMAT, and DMORT teams that make up the National Disaster Medical System are NOT "first responders". Our job is to supplement overwhelmed communities if needed. The initial responsibility lies with the state. If they become overwhelmed in the aftermath of a disaster where their local hospitals, medical, veterinary and mortuary assets cannot handle the magnitude of the disaster, we come in and augment their resources. It takes 24 to 48 hours to mobilize the federal assets in normal circumstances. We come from every state in the US, leaving our jobs and families behind at the drop of a hat to help where ever it is needed. Our cache of equipment and medical supplies must either be moved from our home base or from the federal warehouses in Maryland by truck or plane. This takes time. But we were there before Katrina hit and many more arrived immediately after even before knowing the full scope of this disaster.

So why is FEMA being blamed? I'm not exactly sure. I really am not. Yes, FEMA was overwhelmed. God sakes how could it not be? This hurricane has been the largest natural disaster the US has had on record. Nothing can compare. We train and train for almost anything. We try to be ready. But no one was ready for how bad this truly was. I am sure there were some bad decisions made high up, of that I cannot deny. It was a logistical nightmare to get the teams placed and the supplies sent in. Some stuff arrived too late. But, seeing how hard the FEMA employees worked to help the people and animals of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama it makes me angry and very, very sad to hear us put down so bad on TV and in the news.

One day, just a couple days after New Orleans was under water, I was stationed in the New Orleans airport. This is where I was the first week. The airport was where all the buses and helicopters that were rescuing people from the city brought them first. They came in the thousands to the airport and went through lines holding their last bit of possessions, which included a small amount of clothing or keepsakes and often times their pets. Yes, they got to bring their pets with them on the buses and helicopters. I know because I was there. I saw them. They came in and were triaged by FEMA medical personnel. Minor injuries or illnesses were treated with the utmost care and love by FEMA DMAT teams and then they took their place in line through concours! e C to board planes to shelters where they could receive follow up medical treatment. The very ill were moved into the D concourse area for more thorough medical care and support in a true MASH hospital set up right there inside the airport. I walked through this area frequently and watched as DMAT members held the critically and gravely ill peoples' hands, cared for them, helped them in so many ways trying to save their lives and to comfort those who could not be saved.

I walked through feces, urine, blood and vomit covering the floor of the airport. I watched custodians working tirelessly to clean up the floor even though it was soiled again as soon it was cleaned. People were handed water and food as soon as they arrived. Those who were well, moved through an endless line to concourse B to board both commercial and military planes going to shelters in other states. I walked the lines of concourse B, C, and D as did other members of my VMAT team to provide any needed veterinary care to the pets who were evacuated with their families. We cared for stray animals that arrived at the airport too. See, the coast guard and military helicopters were picking up stray animals if they had room when they would rescue people from the city. FEMA personnel did everything possible to comfort and care for the people of New Orleans. I know because I was one of them, and I did everything I could for them, and I saw with my own eyes what the others were also doing.

This is a photo on the FEMA website. What you don't see here is that this little dog is sitting below the hospital gurney of his master who was critically ill inside one of the DMAT MASH tents. I walked through this medical tent to check on the dog with a couple other members of my VMAT team. The nurse had given the dog a dish of water and was feeding him some crackers. We promised the man we would bring back some food for his dog. He was very thankful as he laid there with IVs going. I returned a few minutes later with one other member of my team, bringing a Ziploc bag of dog food. When we arrived they were moving him to a different stretcher because he needed to be medivac'ed out on a helicopter for more intense medical care. The helicopter pilot told us he cannot take the dog unless its in a crate. I stepped up to talk to the very ill man. I as! ked him if he would let me care for his dog while he went to the hospital. He grabbed my hand and had tears in his eyes as he begged me to help him take his dog with him because it was all he had left in the world. There was nothing else. I looked into this man's eyes as he cried. He was a middle aged white man with cuts and scrapes all over him. His face was puffy and feverish with infection. I then looked at the DMAT nurse and the Coast Guard pilot. Both looked back at me with very grave expressions and each asked me to please find a crate for the dog so he can go with the man. My teammate and I both knew right then that this man may not make it and we had to make sure he he got to spend as much time as possible with his dog. There was no way we were going to make him leave his dog behind. We took off running and found an empty crate. It was a bit too small for the dog, but would work temporarily. We returned and found the pilot waiting for us with the man. Once we got the dog in! the crate and on the stretcher with the man, he again took my hand and thanked us as we cried together. He said "you have no idea what you have done for me and I will never forget it" Then he was wheeled away toward the waiting helicopter.

So, at the end of this day...a 29 hour shift that I spent at the airport, I arrived back at our bunk location - a building on the campus of LSU where we slept on the floor - and I got to see the news on one of the cable networks. I was absolutely outraged at the reports of the lack of response by FEMA. I changed to another cable news network and saw the same thing there. What they don't mention when they talk about FEMA is the people that make up FEMA's response, working countless hours, pouring their very heart and soul into this response despite being slammed and criticized all over the news.

I cried with sadness and anger at how we are viewed all over the world. I am a FEMA responder who cannot wear my FEMA badge in public in Louisiana because everyone thinks we are so terrible. Do they even yet mention how hard we have worked for the people and animals of Louisiana? No, maybe they never will.

Just yesterday the radio was criticizing the fact that FEMA had so many trucks filled with water and supplies that were just sitting somewhere and was costing $600 per day each to sit and wait. Does anyone realize this is the right thing to do? There is already a tremendous amount of water and supplies in the areas. The reason there are trucks waiting full of more supplies and water is so they can move at a moments notice to where ever they are needed at any time. Would they rather have the extra supplies sitting in a warehouse where they would have to wait to secure trucks, then load the supplies and water, then move them out? Hell no. They complain about the lack of quick response by FEMA but yet don't get the whole concept that these supplies and water sitting in trucks ready to go is for quick response and now they criticize FEMA readiness without ! realizing it. The contradictions in the news is ridiculous.

Now 13 days after I first saw the news reporting how awful FEMA is, I still remain proud to be a member of FEMA, and I am proud of the work I did in New Orleans and I am proud to work for the federal government headed up by a strong and brave president. It was not easy, and things may not have gone perfectly, but we did and continue to do amazing work there even if no one knows it because they will only look at what went wrong instead of so much that went right.

Jodi Witte

Veterinary Technician/Logistics Officer VMAT-1, Veterinary Medical Assistance Team FEMA Response Branch US Department of Homeland Security

[radar101]

Jodi Beck Witte


Jodi Beck Witte currently works full time for AnimalHelp.Com and is also a member of the Veterinary Medical Assistance Team (VMAT), part of the National Disaster Medical System, US Department of Homeland Security. In addition to her disaster response experience, she has worked as a veterinary technician in both small animal practice and at a zoo, and has done wildlife rehabilitation for many years. She is certified in Chemical Immobilization/Remote Capture, Large Animal Rescue, and is certified as a Weapons of Mass Destruction Specialist.

[HangnJudge]

God Bless You

and your service to the people affected by this catastrophe

[NetValue]

I wonder if Jodi saw the looters or wrote down any license plate numbers?

First thing FEMA should have done is send in the military to PREVENT looting! The NO-cops fled in the face of the looting hoard of 3000+ from Miami, Dallas, Memphis and other great American cities.

[NetValue]

I wonder if Jodi saw the looters or wrote down any license plate numbers?

First thing FEMA should have done is send in the military to PREVENT looting! The NO-cops fled in the face of the looting hoard of 3000+ from Miami, Dallas, Memphis and other great American cities.

[TexasCajun]

Good Job Jodi!

[zot]

Thank you for posting this. Her story and those like it need to be heard and published.

[HangnJudge]

First thing FEMA should have done is send in the military to PREVENT looting!

But of course, the LA Governor prevented the military from responding initially

[hoosiermama]

A must read.....The truth will get out.

[bvw]

Why? To keep the black vote on the plantation.

[ThreePuttinDude]

You forgot the picture of the dog under the cot.

[BurbankKarl]

Did you even read the post?

[i_dont_chat]

Thank you very much for this report and for your unselfish service.

I was glued to the TV and I saw video of much of what you report. I was aghast that the news media went so negative.

It's politics, as usual.

The "dirty shame" in this country is the biased reporting of the news.

[Lancey Howard]

BUMP

[aspiring.hillbilly]

The big failure is not declaring Martial Law and initially deploying combat troops, with shoot to kill orders, to keep order in the urban setting of NOLA and elsewhere. Past history dictates that unrest, looting is sure to break out in these settings for things as trivial as the Rodney King verdict. The local LE, not numerous enough to put down a uprising of lawlessness, will be under duress and outnumbered and cant keep law and order. How many times does this lesson have to be repeated in the last 40 years for the leaders to catch on?> It should be "SOP" to send in Rangers or other similar urban trained assault troops at the onset of the catastrophe so that the rescue efforts can take place without the responders having to be wary of being fired upon. Their were cases of thugs shooting at hospitals and raping of helpless women. The US Constitution sanctions the fed govt to do this. Article 4 section 4.

[ncpatriot]

This is the rest of the story.

[Normal4me]

FEMA doesn't have anything to do with deploying the military. That job was the responsibility of the State Governor and the national guard.

[ken in texas]

First thing FEMA should have done is send in the military to PREVENT looting!

You seem to show a great deal of misunderstanding about how things work.

[fella]

Thank you for posting this. Her story and those like it need to be heard and published.

With the DNC still in control of the MSM they are NOT going to let this happen.

[Yellow Rose of Texas]

bumping for the truth. I is the news media who allowed the Democratic Party to turn this hurricane into a political statement of an inefficient and ineffective G. W. Bush.

[aspiring.hillbilly]

Heard on the news that FEMA bought semi trailers ice from as far away as Wisconsin, and had routed them haphazardly all over the nation in a frantic and mindless bid to get supplies to the gulf. This very same truck was further diverted to some place in the state of Maryland where it sat and the ice melted into the pavement. Cost to taxpayers of that one truck ride to nowhere. $9000. There were hundreds more like it. Even the owner of the ice company that filled the order said he liked the business but as a taxpayer decried the waste. FEMA was not so much as overwhelmed but staffed by blithering incompetents. And the "horse" lawyer {horse's asss} who head the agency was a profound embarrassment...

[NavySEAL F-16]

Above and beyond -- great work, Jodi!

[Logical me]

Thank you for your service with FEMA. I just knew FEMA was doing everything possible. I never believe the main stream media because of the distortion and lies they use to discredit any Government service. Their hatred of President Bush is beyond belief and they will do everything to discredit him just to regain power.

I was very saddened to see on Fox news that had a couple of reporters that were wrong. Their reporting was so distorted because I guess they never knew that first responders are the Mayor and next the Governor. Both were by law to prepare and respond immediately. Too bad Fox news got it wrong and kept blaming FEMA.

[Waco]

Now, where's Rather with that damned memo?!!!

[NetValue]

You better check. Homeland Security which oversees FEMA has authority to send in the military.

[combat_boots]

"The US Constitution sanctions the fed govt to do this. Article 4 section 4."

And the 2nd Amendment tells us what you do when there are no lines:

Prepare to defend yourselves.

[NetValue]

You better check. Homeland Security which oversees FEMA has authority to send in the military.

[aspiring.hillbilly]

If FEMA cant deploy military, then that needs to be changed. FEMA is not effective if given the responsibility for a disaster, cant deploy what assets are required. Armed troops are surely the initial requirement for these catastrophes. In hurricane Andrew, looting was a huge problem also. When will the knuckleheads running the government ever learn????

[Paleo Conservative]

First thing FEMA should have done is send in the military to PREVENT looting!

Don't you know it is illegal to send in active duty military units into a state without the permission of that state's governor?

[aspiring.hillbilly]

Preeeesent HArms!

[combat_boots]

Jodi, I am sorry you had to see the news.

[mom-7]

Thank you Jodi and all the members of FEMA. You did a fantstic job. The left wing media will not publish or report what you wonderful folks did and will not give you credit for your work. God Bless all of you for a job well done.

[aspiring.hillbilly]

You meant to say we all saw how things DON'T work. That was on display for the world to witness unfortunely.

[Brad from Tennessee]

I got to Thibodaux LA early Sept. 3 after hauling a trailer load of donated supplies from West Tennessee. Myself and three others worked for two days in the FEMA operation set up at Nicholls State University. Things weren't perfect but I was amazed how fast FEMA, working with state employees and volunteers, had set up shelters and a temporary hospital--located in a classroom building. When the campus became inundated with volunteers, we loaded our cargo trailer with water and other supplies and drove to Hattiesburg MS to unload then returned home.

One FEMA worker I talked to said his group was set up at the Superdome the morning after the storm. When the levees broke, they were told to drive up onto elevated I-10 to preserve their equipment until it was determined how high the water would rise. Once the flood crested they were unable to get back into New Orleans so they went to Thibodaux and set up.

I talked to the driver of a Wal-Mart 18-wheeler who told me Wal-Mart sent four large vans full of supplies to the Superdome the day after the storm. He said the vans were hijacked, the cargo stolen, and "the drivers escaped with the clothes on their back."

I believe FEMA did an heroic job in the face of the worst US natural disaster in modern history.

[Logical me]

Hey, still watching the MSM. Maybe you should change channels.

[sgtyork]

Wrong. Federal authorities may only send in the military at the request of that state government. (Its in the Constitution)

[snugs]

I am British and even I know this is not FEMA's job

[aspiring.hillbilly]

No its not illegal as against statue law; and the authorizing paperwork can be cleaned up later. There is nowhere in USC that prohibits the federals from acting against domestic violence. There are prohibitions from using troops in ongoing and routine law enforcement operations.

[backhoe]

Thank you for posting this- I will crosslink it to this:

-HURRICANE KATRINA- archive of links--

[NetValue]

See this:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1486521/posts

[Paleo Conservative]

There is nowhere in USC that prohibits the federals from acting against domestic violence. There are prohibitions from using troops in ongoing and routine law enforcement operations.

Even when there is domestic violence it is customary for the governor of a state to request the assitance of federal troops before those troops are sent in. In 1992 federal troops were sent in to quell the riots in Los Angeles at the request of the Governor Pete Wilson. President Bush could have invoked the Insurrection Act, but that is not something to do lightly as it has not been invoked in 99 years.

[lawdude]

"Heard on the news that FEMA bought semi trailers ice from as far away as Wisconsin,.."

Of course what you 'heard' was a bald faced BS by the MSM, but then again you already knew that.

[Mike Darancette]

First thing FEMA should have done is send in the military to PREVENT looting

The US is not Iran.

[NetValue]

Read this all the way through, please:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1486521/posts

[NetValue]

Thank you. You are correct. I wish all were as courteous, too.

[Mike Darancette]

If FEMA cant deploy military, then that needs to be changed.

You want Yankee troops at your door taking your guns for any other reason than a REAL National Emergency? Not just because a Governor and mayor are F&^% Ups.

[hoosiermama]

Send a copy of this to Rush, Drudge, All the Fox shows and/or anyone else you can think of....The word needs to get out.

[Rokke]

"First thing FEMA should have done is send in the military to PREVENT looting!"

It is ignorance like this that results in people thinking the Federal government was the major problem in New Orleans. The military is not under the authority of either FEMA or the Department of Homeland Security. And neither FEMA nor the DHS can trump the authority of a governor of a state.

[Paleo Conservative]

NetValue:
First thing FEMA should have done is send in the military to PREVENT looting

Mike Darancette:
The US is not Iran.

Governor Blanco had the full athority to send in sufficient national guard troops under her command to prevent the outbreak of disorder.

When hurricane Celia (still the most costly hurriane in Texas history) hit the Texas Coastal Bend area in 1970, the governor of Texas declared martial law and a curfew in the affected counties that evening after the hurricane had passed through. By the next morning there were lots of Texas National Guardsmen in the area and they were very visible. We had none of the disorder seen in New Orleans even though there was tremendous amounts of wind damage to homes and businesses. Of course Texas had a no nonsense attitude to criminals.

Blanco was too worried about her voters getting arrested or shot to care that the if allowed to continue the situation would quickly regress from looting, to rape, to murder, and to insurrection.