FEMA
Posted by B. Preston
JunkYardBlog
isn't a perfect organization, and I was as uncomfortable as any conservative when it became clear that the Bush administration's domestic answer to 9-11 was to create a big shiny new bureaucracy known at the Department of Homeland Security. But as more and more facts come out, it's becoming clearer that FEMA wasn't ill prepared for Katrina.
Here's data point number one:
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USNORTHCOM was prepositioned for response to the hurricane, but as per the National Response Plan, we support the lead federal agency in disaster relief — in this case, FEMA. The simple description of the process is the state requests federal assistance from FEMA which in turn may request assistance from the military upon approval by the president or Secretary of Defense. Having worked the hurricanes from last year as well as Dennis this year, we knew that FEMA would make requests of the military — primarily in the areas of transportation, communications, logistics, and medicine. Thus we began staging such assets and waited for the storm to hit.
The biggest hurdles to responding to the storm were the storm itself — couldn't begin really helping until it passed — and damage assessment — figuring out which roads were passable, where communications and power were out, etc. Military helos began damage assessment and SAR on Tuesday. Thus we had permission to operate as soon as it was possible. We even brought in night SAR helos to continue the mission on Tuesday night.
The President and Secretary of Defense did authorize us to act right away and are not to blame on this end. Yes, we have to wait for authorization, but it was given in a timely manner.
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The feds, as has been noted everywhere but the MSM, can't just send in the troops to any state any time it feels like it. Ultimately, states have to request federal aid, and that's precisely where the breakdown occurred. Gov. Blanco figuratively stood in the highway for days on end, keeping much FEMA support from entering the LA disaster zone.
Here's data point number two: Where FEMA could get in early it did, until it couldn't operate anymore due to deteriorating law and order on the ground in New Orleans:
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"We first got in on Tuesday night," a FEMA pilot, who identified himself only as "Randy," told Fox News Radio's Tony Snow this morning. The 17th Street levee had begun to give way late in the evening Monday. Well into Tuesday, city officials were celebrating reports that the brunt of Hurricane Kartrina had missed the Big Easy.
By the time the scope of the impending tragedy became known, however, FEMA rescue operations were already well underway.
"We were one of two helicopters with night vision goggles," Snow's caller explained. "They wanted to start evacuating Tulane Hospital, which is right next to Charity [Hospital]."
Shortly thereafter, however, the mission ground to a halt. "We were being shot at by various snipers around the city," chopper pilot Randy said. "So the military, Eagles Nest 1, basically called all helicopters out about 10 o'clock that night."
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This blog warned that the Mad Max situation in New Orleans made rescue operations more dangerous, which meant more innocent people would die. But I don't think anyone who wasn't familiar with the true condition of city and state government in NOLA would have forseen the complete meltdown that took place last week. And those most familiar with the situation--Mayor Nagin but also and even more importantly Gov. Blanco--contributed more than their fare share to the meltdown. Blanco's performance was particularly indecisive and destructive. Still is.
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