Posted on 02/02/2009 4:19:28 PM PST by smokingfrog
In some parts of rural Kentucky, they're getting water the old-fashioned way -- with pails from a creek. There's not room for one more sleeping bag on the shelter floor. The creative are flushing their toilets with melted snow.
At least 42 people have died, including in Kentucky five from the storm and six others suspected to be storm-related, and conditions are worsening in many places days after an ice storm knocked out power to 1.3 million customers from the Plains to the East Coast. About a million people were still without electricity Friday, and with no hope that the lights will come back on soon, small communities are frantically struggling to help their residents.
One county put it bluntly: It can't.
"We're asking people to pack a suitcase and head south and find a motel if they have the means, because we can't service everybody in our shelter,'' said Crittenden County Judge-Executive Fred Brown, who oversees about 9,000 people, many of whom are sleeping in the town's elementary school.
Local officials were growing angry with what they said was a lack of help from the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In Grayson County, about 80 miles southwest of Louisville, Emergency Management Director Randell Smith said the 25 National Guardsmen who have responded have no chain saws to clear fallen trees.
"We've got people out in some areas we haven't even visited yet,'' Smith said. "We don't even know that they're alive.''
Smith said FEMA has been a no-show so far.
"I'm not saying we can't handle it; we'll handle it,'' Smith said. "But it would have made life a lot easier'' if FEMA had reached the county sooner, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at insurancejournal.com ...
Obama says Bush’s fault
0bama doesn’t like white people.
Do you think there will ever be a time when something is officially “Obama’s fault”? I’m not holding my breath...
Obama HATES white people. Just like his linebacker, shrew of a wife.
What do you expect. Those effected are just bitter white folk clinging to their guns and Bibles!
“Slow FEMA Response Hit”
My God! Where’s George Bush’s response? What’s the delay?
Barack Obama hates white people.
Where’s Orca, Geraldo, Shep?
Obama Hates white people!!!
Obozo’s fault.
If 55 died in Kentucky in this ice storm.... how does the body count compare with Katrina?
Where is the FEMA mobilization?
KY = “Vanilla State”?
Kentucky is the not part of the United States for Obama. It is not worthy of the Messiah’s attention. Hallejuah!
Bush should have known this was coming. He should have put in place a FEMA response to this before he felt office.
He also should have called the global warming people and taken direction from them on how to stop this.
It’s all his fault.
Good. Get used to doing a lot of things "the old-fashioned way" - like in the '30's.
How ‘bout this, Bambi ?
Kentucky did not vote for Obama, therefore the media doesn’t give a damn about them. Where is President Obama during all this, oh yeah, making jokes about Sarah Palin at the Alfalfa dinner, good job giving a damn about the people of America Obama
Or perhaps the Messiah can wipe away Jessica Simpson’s weight gain and cause all the misery and misfortune in Kentucky to disappear by arguing for Hope and Change.
Obama hates white people.
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