It seems to me that rescue assistance for tsunami assistance was quicker than assistance to those in NO.
I was looking, unsuccessfully for a timeline for Katrina when I encountered this:
"There has been an outcry from victims of Hurricane Katrina asking, "Why aren't they helping us?" with comparisons drawn between this disaster and the tsunami in December of last year.
"In searching the Internet for a timeline of relief efforts, I see that the tsunami struck on Dec. 26 (local time).
"The first relief efforts came from local agencies trying to mobilize assessment teams on Dec. 28.
"The first relief from U.S. troops started when a flight left Japan on Dec. 30, bound for Thailand.
"The first mention that 'Aid starts to get through' is a Jan. 1 headline.
"This was criticized as being inadequate, but it was a start. The first fresh water delivered to the scene arrived on Jan. 5 -- 10 days after the disaster struck.
"I wish it was possible to have vast storehouses of food and water as well as emergency medical teams available for deployment anywhere within our country within 24 hours of a disaster, but this is not possible.
"Terry Ebert, head of emergency operations for New Orleans, complained, 'We can send massive amounts of aid to tsunami victims, but we can't bail out the city of New Orleans.'
"The storm struck on Monday. Levies broke on Tuesday with flood waters rising through Tuesday and Wednesday.
"FEMA teams were already there before the major flooding began.
"Republican Sen. Thad Cochran (Mississippi), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, reported, 'Over half a billion dollars a day is being spent by FEMA.' This is 500 million dollars a day.
"By the time you read this, four day after Katrina, over $2 billion will have been spent.
"As of Aug. 31, 2005, eight months after the tsunami, U.S. government aid totals slightly less than $2 billion.
"Members of Congress were called back from their summer vacation for an emergency session to approve relief money for Katrina victims.
"The Senate approved $10.5 billion in aid and it is expected that Congress will approve the bill around noon on Friday.
"This is five times the total amount of U.S. aid sent to the entire region struck by the tsunami and it is just a start.
"People of the Mississippi delta, we have not forgotten you. In light of the loss of roads for access, lack of power for communication, and shortages of fuel for transportation in the region, it will take an extra day or two to reach you.
'Local authorities are already referring to relief efforts as a 'war,' because of anarchists looting stores and even hospitals for supplies.
"They are finding some relief attempts turned away by gunfire.
"It is likely that there is no communication in the region so the people who are criticizing relief efforts on the TV news have no idea what is already being done on their behalf.
"Even though we see it on the news, the destruction is unimaginable.
"Death tolls will mount daily from the after effects of the storm.
"I would not wish trade places with the victims of Katrina, but I will try to do my part by supporting the Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund. (PO Box 37243, Washington DC 20013).'
-- Sam Feinstein
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