Ok. Was the destruction outside of New Orleans worse than the tsunami? We and the rest of the world had touched and delivered supplies to just about all of the affected areas in less than a week. Here we are at over a week, and while New Orleans is improving, there still are other areas that are not.
The destruction wasn't due to the sheer scope of the Tsunami; however, the problem of delivering supplies and evacuating people is much larger for New Orleans -- as has been pointed out by emergency officials. One likened it to the Tsunami, but only had the Tsunami waters not receded, which seems like a reasonable characterization.
If you want to argue that FEMA knew the flood was coming and therefore should have been more prepared for the most devastating flood even to hit the Untied States, we can argue that. But trying to suggest that this incident requires anything like the response required for an ordinary hurricane, even a huge one, is an untenable argument. They are two totally different things.
I have yet to hear anyone explain what FEMA might have reasonably done in a different way that would have materially improved response. I believe the only real response is, "They could have elected to fly in supplies for the Conv. Center & Superdome rather than saving lives elsehwere.". But who is going to make THAT call? Was it not reasonable to assume that people who were on solid ground, presumably in the care of city officials, were in better shape than those hanging on rooftops and having to be cut out of attics?
The only OTHER argument would be, "Well, instead of a hundred helicopters they should have had 1000". Or whatever. Then, you get into the situation of prepositioning gear where it can be damaged by the storm. As general Honere said, "Hell, when the storm's coming, we fly our aircraft AWAY from the storm to keep them from being damaged." Perhaps they should have stationed plenty of choppers around Mobile, AL or Jackson, MS?
The major highways from the East, Hwy 90 and I10, will be out for a month or more according to today's news. Even now, the trip from Baton Rouge to New Orleans (90 miles) by I10 is 5 hours and involves innumerable detours. In the hours after the hurricane, there was no communications and nobody would have known which highways were up, down, flooded, or dry. |
