Three years ago, the Federal Emergency Management Agency drew widespread scorn for its disastrous response to Hurricane Katrina. But agency seems to have learned from that debacle. In recent days, Midwestern flood victims along the Mississippi have been praising FEMA workers for their quick response time and on-the-spot assistance.
This time around, FEMA really does seem to be doing a heckuva job — proof that government can work and benefit citizens when it’s led with competence and accountability.
23 Comments
Yeah, the government can do wonders when they have Environmentalist out of their face (like the Sierra Club)
Glad to see FEMA becoming a viable force in disaster relief and planning once again.
I doubt duh Libs will give any credit as they tend to like to bring up bad news or at least news that feeds their sordid minds.
I have heard that Salina is still waiting for their FEMA funds from the ice storm, because they’re broke.
The libs.and news media think every disaster is all Bush’s fault and or Fema’s, you can’t win with these people.
From what I’ve seen, FEMA is doing a very good job. They seem to have learned and recovered from previous mistakes, as they should. Cudos.
Or, far more likely . . .
The flooding is nothing remotely near the size or reach of of Katrina, and is simply more manageable.
And FEMA is not working with a thoroughly corrupt and incompetent local gov’t. That would be you, Mayer Nagin.
Anyone wishing to find out more about the Sierra Club…America’s premiere environmental organization…can click on:
http://www.sierraclub.org
They have amazing and helpful ideas for conservation of our natural resources.
I’m glad to hear that FEMA is getting their act together. A couple of weeks ago – when the FEMA-mobile finally rolled into town here in Indiana – that was all we saw. Just the vehicle. Then we still had to go in the community center and wait in line for two hours to call FEMA on the phone. But it sure was nice to see that great big gas-guzzling rolling building that said FEMA on the side sitting around the neighborhood – we knew that SOMEone had to drive it there.
The Red Cross has done a superb job of being there for us when we needed them this time.
It’s amazing what FEMA can do when Bush and Rove decide not to play politics with people’s lives.
Amazing how Bush transformed the agency after its failure in N.O.
The difference is as clear as Black and White!
smaller diaster and finding people who have experience besides ruuning horse shows and bad PR from katrina make Fema/government more responise
Questions:
Where are all of the Hollywood celebrities holding telethons asking for help in restoring Iowa and Illinois helping the folks affected by the floods?
Where is all the media asking the tough questions about why the federal government hasn’t solved the problem? Asking where the FEMA trucks (and trailers) are?
Why isn’t the Federal Government relocating Iowa and Illinois people to free hotels in Chicago?
When will Spike Lee say that the Federal Government blew up the levees that failed in Des Moines?
Where are Sean Penn and the Dixie Chicks?
Where are all the looters stealing high-end tennis shoes and big screen television sets?
When will we hear Governor Chet Culver say that he wants to rebuild a “vanilla” Iowa and Illinois , because that’s the way God wants it?
Where is the hysterical 24/7 media coverage complete with reports of cannibalism?
Where are the people (read liberals, progressives and other way out left wingers) declaring that George Bush hates white, rural people?
How come in 2 weeks, you will never hear about the Iowa flooding ever again?
Where are the debit cards for Iowans and Illinois people?
Why are the recent flood victims begging for 90% Fema funding instead of the norm 75%, will they get it?
does anyone remember if when Bush was running for president the first time…didn’t he say he wanted to abolish Fema?
The entity that is likely to come in for criticism here will be the Army Corps. Using outdated methods instead of geomorphological engineering has exacerbated the flooding in many areas.
Multi-nic’d ‘Regular’ posted June 26, 2008 at 6:24 am
“Yeah, the government can do wonders when they have Environmentalist out of their face (like the Sierra Club)”
—————
New Orleans levee failures,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_levee_failures_in_Greater_New_Orleans#U.S._Army_Corps_of_Engineers_admits_fault
“U.S. Army Corps of Engineers admits fault
On April 5, 2006, months after independent investigators had demonstrated that the levee failures were not due to natural forces beyond intended design strength, Lt. Gen. Carl Strock testified before the U. S. Senate Subcommittee on Energy and Water that, “We have now concluded we had problems with the design of the structure.” He also testified that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers did not know of this mechanism of failure prior to August 29, 2005. The claim of ignorance is refuted, however, by the National Science Foundation investigators hired by the Army Corps of Engineers, who point to a 1986 study by the corps itself that such separations were possible in the I-wall design.[16]
Nearly two months later, on June 1, 2006, the USACE finally and unequivocally admitted responsibility for the events in New Orleans with the release of the completed report. The final draft of the IPET report states the destructive forces of Katrina were “aided by incomplete protection, lower than authorized structures, and levee sections with erodible materials.” “
‘BLAMING ENVIRONMENTALISTS FOR KATRINA: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW!’
http://www.sierraclub.org/pressroom/releases/pr2005-09-13a.asp
Cosmos
Why are you pointing fingers about the Army Corps of Engineers?
If it WAS their fault, could you tell me if the Democrats or the Republicans controlled the White House, at the time that the N.O. Levees were built?
Could you tell me who controlled Congress, at the time the Levees were built?
The Sierra Club and their lawyers have allowed thousands to die because of their interfering lawsuits of Federal protection programs.
econ101,
Because your friend and ideological buddy, the multi-nic’d ‘Regular’ falsely blames the Sierra Club for the NO levee system failure.
He LIES, and adds a completely false, fictional last paragraph to his copy/paste posts. Example:
http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2008/06/open-thread-623/#comment-373061
‘Regular’ proves that Republicans use LIES to support their invalid opinions.
And econ101,
The failures were the fault of the USACE.
The USACE admitted it. Their system failed at BELOW design specs.
Phant,
“The difference is as clear as Black and White!”
Now that was just plain nasty! Most likely true, but nasty.
Oh, and Phant,
Remember what Georgie’s mama said about the survivors of Katrina in Houston?
“And so many of the people in the arena here, you
know, were underprivileged anyway, so this–this (she
chuckles slightly) is working very well for them.”
One Trackback
Anxiety…
nice post about this…..