"Voter" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 5 Sep 2005 14:01:25 -0800, Dana wrote:
"styron" wrote in message
news
Pookie:
Northern Command oversees all active-duty military operations inside
the
United States - it's also responsible for organizing the military
relief
operations on the Gulf Coast
The soon to be silenced NorthCom Lt. Commander Sean Kelly's take:
"Northcom started planning before the storm even hit. We were
ready
when it hit Florida, because, as you remember, it hit the bottom part
of
Florida, and then we were planning once it was pointed towards the Gulf
Coast.
"So, what we did, we activated what we call 'defense coordinating
officers' to work with the states to say, 'OK, what do you think you
will need?' And we set up staging bases that could be started.
"We had the USS Bataan sailing almost behind the hurricane so once
the hurricane made landfall, its search and rescue helicopters could be
available almost immediately So, we had things ready.
"The only caveat is: we have to wait until the president
authorizes
us to do so.
And the president has to wait for the governor. She rejected his offer
to
federalize the relief effort, hence he could do nothing.
Wrong. Bush has to wait for no one. Besides, Blanco did ask on Aug 26th:
The President
The White House
Washington, D. C.
Through:
Regional Director
FEMA Region VI
800 North Loop 288
Denton, Texas 76209
Dear Mr. President:
Under the provisions of Section 501 (a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. ?? 5121-5206 (Stafford
Act),
and implemented by 44 CFR ? 206.35, I request that you declare an
emergency
for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina for the time period
beginning August 26, 2005, and continuing...
...I request Direct Federal assistance for work and services to save lives
and protect property.
..Pursuant to 44 CFR ? 206.35, I have determined that this incident is of
such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the
capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that
supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect
property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a
disaster. I am specifically requesting emergency protective measures,
direct Federal Assistance, Individual and Household Program (IHP)
assistance, Special Needs Program assistance, and debris removal...
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
UNITED STATES CODE
Title 42. THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
CHAPTER 68. DISASTER RELIEF
? 5121. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS {Sec. 101}
1. The Congress hereby finds and declares that--
1. because disasters often cause loss of life, human suffering,
loss of income, and property loss and damage; and
2. because disasters often disrupt the normal functioning of
governments and communities, and adversely affect individuals and families
with great severity;
special measures, designed to assist the efforts of the affected
States in expediting the rendering of aid, assistance, and emergency
services, and the reconstruction and rehabilitation of devastated areas,
are necessary.
2. It is the intent of the Congress, by this Act, to provide an orderly
and continuing means of assistance by the Federal Government to State and
local governments in carrying out their responsibilities to alleviate the
suffering and damage which result from such disasters by--..."
?5122. DEFINITIONS {Sec. 102}
As used in this chapter--
1. EMERGENCY. "Emergency" means any occasion or instance for which, in
the determination of the President, Federal assistance is needed to
supplement State and local efforts and capabilities to save lives and to
protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the
threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States.
2. MAJOR DISASTER. "Major disaster" means any natural catastrophe
(including any hurricane, tornado, storm, high water, winddriven water,
tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide,
snowstorm, or drought), or, regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or
explosion, in any part of the United States, which in the determination of
the President causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to
warrant
major disaster assistance under this Act to supplement the efforts and
available resources of States, local governments, and disaster relief
organizations in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering
caused thereby...
? 5143. COORDINATING OFFICERS {Sec. 302}
1. 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.
2. Functions of Federal coordinating officer
In order to effectuate the purposes of this Act, the Federal
coordinating officer, within the affected area, shall--
1. make an initial appraisal of the types of relief most urgently
needed;
2. establish such field offices as he deems necessary and as are
authorized by the President;
3. 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;
4. 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.;
5. State coordinating officer When the President determines
assistance under this Act is necessary, he shall request that the Governor
of the affected State designate a State coordinating officer for the
purpose of coordinating State and local disaster assistance efforts with
those of the Federal Government...
Don't Blame Bush for Katrina
Christopher Ruddy
Monday, Sept. 5, 2005
George Bush and the federal government are not to blame for the disaster we
have witnessed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
In fact, the primary responsibility for the disaster response lies with New
Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and other local
officials.
Yet leading Democrats and their allies in the major media are clearly using
this disaster for political purposes and ignoring one obvious fact.
This fact - which needs to be repeated and remembered - is that in our
country, state and local governments have primary responsibility in dealing
with local disasters.
The founding fathers devised a federal system of government - one that has
served us remarkably well through great disasters that have befallen America
over more than two centuries.
But if we believe the major TV networks, George Bush, FEMA and the
Republicans in Congress are all to blame for the current nightmare.
Let's remember that FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was
created only in 1979. It was formed to coordinate and focus federal response
to major disasters - to "assist" local and state governments.
Common sense suggests that local and state governments are best able to
prepare and plan for local disasters.
Is a Washington bureaucrat better suited to prepare for an earthquake in San
Francisco, a hurricane in Florida, or a terrorist act in New York?
After the Sept. 11 attacks against the World Trade Center, no one suggested
that the Bush administration should have been responsible for New York's
disaster response or that federal agents should have been involved in the
rescue of those trapped in the buildings.
Last year, four major hurricanes slammed into Florida. Governor Jeb Bush led
the disaster response and did a remarkable job, with nothing happening like
what we have seen in New Orleans.
The primary response in disasters has always come from local communities and
state governments.
First responders and the manpower to deal with emergencies come from local
communities: police, fire and medical. Under our federal system, these local
departments answer to local authorities, not those in Washington. These
first responders are not even under federal control, nor do they have to
follow federal orders.
In addition to local responders, every state in the Union has a National
Guard.
State National Guards answer first to the governor of each state, not to the
president. The National Guard exists not to defend one state from an
invasion by another state, but primarily for emergencies like the one we
have witnessed in New Orleans and in other areas impacted by Katrina. (See:
http://www.arng.army.mil/about_us/or..._structure.asp)
Tim Russert and the Blame Game
The media would have you believe that this disaster was worsened by a slow
response from President Bush and his administration, though the primary
responsibility for disaster response has always been with local and state
governments.
It is true that federal response was not as fast as it could have been. The
president himself has acknowledged that fact.
But the press has focused on the first 48 hours of federal response, not
uttering a word about the fact that New Orleans had 48 hours of warning that
a major Category 4 or 5 would make landfall near the city, yet local
officials apparently did little to prepare.
Obviously, Gov. Blanco did not effectively deploy her state's National
Guard.
And New Orleans' city leaders did almost nothing to evacuate the portion of
the population with no transportation. In failing to follow their own
evacuation plan, these officials did little to pre-position food, water and
personnel to deal with the aftermath.
I was surprised Sunday to watch Tim Russert, on his show "Meet the Press,"
tear into Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff. During his encounter
with Chertoff, Russert did not suggest once that local government had any
role in dealing with the disaster. Russert also asked for Chertoff's
resignation.
It wasn't until after the first 29 minutes of his show - 29 minutes - that
Russert raised the question of local responsibility. And when he did so with
Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard, he did so in a passing way.
Broussard brushed off his question with a non-answer.
Broussard began his interview claiming that the nation had "abandoned" New
Orleans.
That is nonsense and a lie.
Broussard, who was never identified by "Meet the Press" as a Democrat, spent
much of his time attacking the Bush administration, as has Democratic New
Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin.
Broussard then ended his performance as he collapsed in tears with a demand:
"For God's sake, just shut up and send us somebody!"
His tears didn't wash with me. My sympathies lie with the tens of thousands
of people who have suffered or died because local officials like Broussard,
Mayor Nagin and Governor Kathleen Blanco, also a Democrat, failed
monumentally at their jobs.
As former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial told Russert, the disaster in New
Orleans was "foreseeable."
In fact, New Orleans has long known that such a disaster could take place if
a major hurricane hit the city.
The municipality even prepared its own "City of New Orleans Comprehensive
Emergency Management Plan."
The plan makes it evident that New Orleans knew that evacuation of the
civilian population was the primary responsibility of the city - not the
federal government.
The city plan acknowledges its responsibility in the document:
As established by the City of New Orleans Charter, the government has
jurisdiction and responsibility in disaster response. City government shall
coordinate its efforts through the Office of Emergency Preparedness.
The city document also makes clear that decisions involving a proper and
orderly evacuation lie with the governor, mayor and local authorities.
Nowhere is the president or federal government even mentioned:
The authority to order the evacuation of residents threatened by an
approaching hurricane is conferred to the Governor by Louisiana Statute. The
Governor is granted the power to direct and compel the evacuation of all or
part of the population from a stricken or threatened area within the State,
if he deems this action necessary for the preservation of life or other
disaster mitigation, response or recovery. The same power to order an
evacuation conferred upon the Governor is also delegated to each political
subdivision of the State by Executive Order. This authority empowers the
chief elected official of New Orleans, the Mayor of New Orleans, to order
the evacuation of the parish residents threatened by an approaching
hurricane.
It is clear the city also recognized that it would need to move large
portions of its population, and it would need to prepare for such an
eventuality:
The City of New Orleans will utilize all available resources to quickly and
safely evacuate threatened areas. Those evacuated will be directed to
temporary sheltering and feeding facilities as needed. When specific routes
of progress are required, evacuees will be directed to those routes. Special
arrangements will be made to evacuate persons unable to transport themselves
or who require specific life saving assistance. Additional personnel will be
recruited to assist in evacuation procedures as needed. ...
Evacuation procedures for small scale and localized evacuations are
conducted per the SOPs of the New Orleans Fire Department and the New
Orleans Police Department. However, due to the sheer size and number of
persons to be evacuated, should a major tropical weather system or other
catastrophic event threaten or impact the area, specifically directed long
range planning and coordination of resources and responsibilities efforts
must be undertaken. [You can read New Orleans' Emergency Plan for hurricanes
at its Web site:
http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=46&tabid=26]
The city's plan also specifically called for the use of city-owned buses and
school buses to evacuate the population. These were apparently never
deployed, though the Parish of Plaquemines just south of the city evacuated
its population using school buses.
The plan, written well before Katrina was even a teardrop in God's eye, was
obviously never heeded or implemented by local leaders.
But why should the New Orleans mayor and Governor Blanco take responsibility
when they can blame George Bush and the Republicans in Washington?
With congressional elections fast approaching, Democrats who are out of
power in every branch of the federal government know they need to change the
tide quickly.
They have apparently seized on the Katrina disaster to harm the president
politically.
Criticism of the federal government's response is fair and warranted. But
putting full responsibility for this disaster on the Bush administration is
way over the top.
Primary responsibility for this disaster remains with local officials like
Nagin and Blanco, not President Bush.
http://newsmax.com/archives/articles...4/151327.shtml