jaco

What is happening to the people down there is tragically sad.

To answer your questions:
It is a known "inevitable catastrophe" (see link from Oct. 2004 -read at
least the first 5 paragraphs - its spooky)
http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/n...re5/index.html

If it is a known catastrophe and the administration didn't react in a timely
manner, then:
- go to Google, type in "failure" and click "I'm Feeling Lucky"

I will now duck and run for cover as things might get ugly around here!


"Dave Milne" <jeep@_nospam_milne.info> wrote in message
news:KtAUe.106041$G8.65843@text.news.blueyonder.co .uk...
> So what's the crack on New Orleans ? Is it an administration screwup in
> not
> rescuing the people more efficiently or just an inevitable catastrophe as
> a
> result of building below the water table ?
>
> Dave Milne, Scotland
> '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
>
>

jaco

What is happening to the people down there is tragically sad.

To answer your questions:
It is a known "inevitable catastrophe" (see link from Oct. 2004 -read at
least the first 5 paragraphs - its spooky)
http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/n...re5/index.html

If it is a known catastrophe and the administration didn't react in a timely
manner, then:
- go to Google, type in "failure" and click "I'm Feeling Lucky"

I will now duck and run for cover as things might get ugly around here!


"Dave Milne" <jeep@_nospam_milne.info> wrote in message
news:KtAUe.106041$G8.65843@text.news.blueyonder.co .uk...
> So what's the crack on New Orleans ? Is it an administration screwup in
> not
> rescuing the people more efficiently or just an inevitable catastrophe as
> a
> result of building below the water table ?
>
> Dave Milne, Scotland
> '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
>
>

jaco

What is happening to the people down there is tragically sad.

To answer your questions:
It is a known "inevitable catastrophe" (see link from Oct. 2004 -read at
least the first 5 paragraphs - its spooky)
http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/n...re5/index.html

If it is a known catastrophe and the administration didn't react in a timely
manner, then:
- go to Google, type in "failure" and click "I'm Feeling Lucky"

I will now duck and run for cover as things might get ugly around here!


"Dave Milne" <jeep@_nospam_milne.info> wrote in message
news:KtAUe.106041$G8.65843@text.news.blueyonder.co .uk...
> So what's the crack on New Orleans ? Is it an administration screwup in
> not
> rescuing the people more efficiently or just an inevitable catastrophe as
> a
> result of building below the water table ?
>
> Dave Milne, Scotland
> '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
>
>

Terry Jeffrey

Good read, thanks.

This guy nails it too:
http://tiadaily.com/php-bin/news/sho...le.php?id=1026




"reconair" <reconair@staffnet.com> wrote in message
news:11i5nsk5nf72l5b@corp.supernews.com...
> Here's a pretty good take.
>
> Blame Amid the Tragedy
> Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin failed their constituents.
>
> BY BOB WILLIAMS
> Wednesday, September 7, 2005 12:01 a.m. EDT
>
> As the devastation of Hurricane Katrina continues to shock and sadden the
> nation, the question on many lips is, Who is to blame for the inadequate
> response?
>
> As a former state legislator who represented the legislative district most
> impacted by the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, I can fully
> understand and empathize with the people and public officials over the
> loss of life and property.
>
> Many in the media are turning their eyes toward the federal government,
> rather than considering the culpability of city and state officials. I am
> fully aware of the challenges of having a quick and responsive emergency
> response to a major disaster. And there is definitely a time for
> accountability; but what isn't fair is to dump on the federal officials
> and avoid those most responsible--local and state officials who failed to
> do their job as the first responders. The plain fact is, lives were
> needlessly lost in New Orleans due to the failure of Louisiana's governor,
> Kathleen Blanco, and the city's mayor, Ray Nagin.
>
> The primary responsibility for dealing with emergencies does not belong to
> the federal government. It belongs to local and state officials who are
> charged by law with the management of the crucial first response to
> disasters. First response should be carried out by local and state
> emergency personnel under the supervision of the state governor and his
> emergency operations center.
>
> The actions and inactions of Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin are a national
> disgrace due to their failure to implement the previously established
> evacuation plans of the state and city. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin cannot
> claim that they were surprised by the extent of the damage and the need to
> evacuate so many people. Detailed written plans were already in place to
> evacuate more than a million people. The plans projected that 300,000
> people would need transportation in the event of a hurricane like Katrina.
> If the plans had been implemented, thousands of lives would likely have
> been saved.
>
> In addition to the plans, local, state and federal officials held a
> simulated hurricane drill 13 months ago, in which wide------ flooding
> supposedly trapped 300,000 people inside New Orleans. The exercise
> simulated the evacuation of more than a million residents. The problems
> identified in the simulation apparently were not solved.
>
>
>
> A year ago, as Hurricane Ivan approached, New Orleans ordered an
> evacuation but did not use city or school buses to help people evacuate.
> As a result many of the poorest citizens were unable to evacuate.
> Fortunately, the hurricane changed course and did not hit New Orleans, but
> both Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin acknowledged the need for a better
> evacuation plan. Again, they did not take corrective actions. In 1998,
> during a threat by Hurricane George, 14,000 people were sent to the
> Superdome and theft and vandalism were rampant due to inadequate security.
> Again, these problems were not corrected.
>
> The New Orleans contingency plan is still, as of this writing, on the
> city's Web site, and states: "The safe evacuation of threatened
> populations is one of the principle [sic] reasons for developing a
> Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan." But the plan was apparently
> ignored.
>
> Mayor Nagin was responsible for giving the order for mandatory evacuation
> and supervising the actual evacuation: His Office of Emergency
> Preparedness (not the federal government) must coordinate with the state
> on elements of evacuation and assist in directing the transportation of
> evacuees to staging areas. Mayor Nagin had to be encouraged by the
> governor to contact the National Hurricane Center before he finally,
> belatedly, issued the order for mandatory evacuation. And sadly, it
> apparently took a personal call from the president to urge the governor to
> order the mandatory evacuation.
>
> The city's evacuation plan states: "The city of New Orleans will utilize
> all available resources to quickly and safely evacuate threatened areas."
> But even though the city has enough school and transit buses to evacuate
> 12,000 citizens per fleet run, the mayor did not use them. To compound the
> problem, the buses were not moved to high ground and were flooded. The
> plan also states that "special arrangements will be made to evacuate
> persons unable to transport themselves or who require specific lifesaving
> assistance. Additional personnel will be recruited to assist in evacuation
> procedures as needed." This was not done.
>
> The evacuation plan warned that "if an evacuation order is issued without
> the mechanisms needed to disseminate the information to the affected
> persons, then we face the possibility of having large numbers of people
> either stranded and left to the mercy of a storm, or left in an area
> impacted by toxic materials." That is precisely what happened because of
> the mayor's failure.
>
> Instead of evacuating the people, the mayor ordered the refugees to the
> Superdome and Convention Center without adequate security and no
> provisions for food, water and sanitary conditions. As a result people
> died, and there was even rape committed, in these facilities. Mayor Nagin
> failed in his responsibility to provide public safety and to manage the
> orderly evacuation of the citizens of New Orleans. Now he wants to blame
> Gov. Blanco and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In an emergency
> the first requirement is for the city's emergency center to be linked to
> the state emergency operations center. This was not done.
>
>
>
> The federal government does not have the authority to intervene in a state
> emergency without the request of a governor. President Bush declared an
> emergency prior to Katrina hitting New Orleans, so the only action needed
> for federal assistance was for Gov. Blanco to request the specific type of
> assistance she needed. She failed to send a timely request for specific
> aid.
>
> In addition, unlike the governors of New York, Oklahoma and California in
> past disasters, Gov. Blanco failed to take charge of the situation and
> ensure that the state emergency operation facility was in constant contact
> with Mayor Nagin and FEMA. It is likely that thousands of people died
> because of the failure of Gov. Blanco to implement the state plan, which
> mentions the possible need to evacuate up to one million people. The plan
> clearly gives the governor the authority for declaring an emergency,
> sending in state resources to the disaster area and requesting necessary
> federal assistance.
>
> State legislators and governors nationwide need to update their
> contingency plans and the operation procedures for state emergency
> centers. Hurricane Katrina had been forecast for days, but that will not
> always be the case with a disaster (think of --------- attacks). It must
> be made clear that the governor and locally elected officials are in
> charge of the "first response."
>
> I am not attempting to excuse some of the delays in FEMA's response.
> Congress and the president need to take corrective action there, also.
> However, if citizens expect FEMA to be a first responder to ---------
> attacks or other local emergencies (earthquakes, forest fires, volcanoes),
> they will be disappointed. The federal government's role is to offer aid
> upon request.
>
> The Louisiana Legislature should conduct an immediate investigation into
> the failures of state and local officials to implement the written
> emergency plans. The tragedy is not over, and real leadership in the state
> and local government are essential in the months to come. More
> importantly, the hurricane season is still upon us, and local and state
> officials must stay focused on the jobs for which they were elected--and
> not on the deadly game of passing the emergency buck.
>
> Mr. Williams is president of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a free
> market public policy research organization in Olympia, Wash.
>
>
>
> "Dave Milne" <jeep@_nospam_milne.info> wrote in message
> news:KtAUe.106041$G8.65843@text.news.blueyonder.co .uk...
>> So what's the crack on New Orleans ? Is it an administration screwup in
>> not
>> rescuing the people more efficiently or just an inevitable catastrophe as
>> a
>> result of building below the water table ?
>>
>> Dave Milne, Scotland
>> '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
>>
>>
>
>

Terry Jeffrey

Good read, thanks.

This guy nails it too:
http://tiadaily.com/php-bin/news/sho...le.php?id=1026




"reconair" <reconair@staffnet.com> wrote in message
news:11i5nsk5nf72l5b@corp.supernews.com...
> Here's a pretty good take.
>
> Blame Amid the Tragedy
> Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin failed their constituents.
>
> BY BOB WILLIAMS
> Wednesday, September 7, 2005 12:01 a.m. EDT
>
> As the devastation of Hurricane Katrina continues to shock and sadden the
> nation, the question on many lips is, Who is to blame for the inadequate
> response?
>
> As a former state legislator who represented the legislative district most
> impacted by the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, I can fully
> understand and empathize with the people and public officials over the
> loss of life and property.
>
> Many in the media are turning their eyes toward the federal government,
> rather than considering the culpability of city and state officials. I am
> fully aware of the challenges of having a quick and responsive emergency
> response to a major disaster. And there is definitely a time for
> accountability; but what isn't fair is to dump on the federal officials
> and avoid those most responsible--local and state officials who failed to
> do their job as the first responders. The plain fact is, lives were
> needlessly lost in New Orleans due to the failure of Louisiana's governor,
> Kathleen Blanco, and the city's mayor, Ray Nagin.
>
> The primary responsibility for dealing with emergencies does not belong to
> the federal government. It belongs to local and state officials who are
> charged by law with the management of the crucial first response to
> disasters. First response should be carried out by local and state
> emergency personnel under the supervision of the state governor and his
> emergency operations center.
>
> The actions and inactions of Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin are a national
> disgrace due to their failure to implement the previously established
> evacuation plans of the state and city. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin cannot
> claim that they were surprised by the extent of the damage and the need to
> evacuate so many people. Detailed written plans were already in place to
> evacuate more than a million people. The plans projected that 300,000
> people would need transportation in the event of a hurricane like Katrina.
> If the plans had been implemented, thousands of lives would likely have
> been saved.
>
> In addition to the plans, local, state and federal officials held a
> simulated hurricane drill 13 months ago, in which wide------ flooding
> supposedly trapped 300,000 people inside New Orleans. The exercise
> simulated the evacuation of more than a million residents. The problems
> identified in the simulation apparently were not solved.
>
>
>
> A year ago, as Hurricane Ivan approached, New Orleans ordered an
> evacuation but did not use city or school buses to help people evacuate.
> As a result many of the poorest citizens were unable to evacuate.
> Fortunately, the hurricane changed course and did not hit New Orleans, but
> both Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin acknowledged the need for a better
> evacuation plan. Again, they did not take corrective actions. In 1998,
> during a threat by Hurricane George, 14,000 people were sent to the
> Superdome and theft and vandalism were rampant due to inadequate security.
> Again, these problems were not corrected.
>
> The New Orleans contingency plan is still, as of this writing, on the
> city's Web site, and states: "The safe evacuation of threatened
> populations is one of the principle [sic] reasons for developing a
> Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan." But the plan was apparently
> ignored.
>
> Mayor Nagin was responsible for giving the order for mandatory evacuation
> and supervising the actual evacuation: His Office of Emergency
> Preparedness (not the federal government) must coordinate with the state
> on elements of evacuation and assist in directing the transportation of
> evacuees to staging areas. Mayor Nagin had to be encouraged by the
> governor to contact the National Hurricane Center before he finally,
> belatedly, issued the order for mandatory evacuation. And sadly, it
> apparently took a personal call from the president to urge the governor to
> order the mandatory evacuation.
>
> The city's evacuation plan states: "The city of New Orleans will utilize
> all available resources to quickly and safely evacuate threatened areas."
> But even though the city has enough school and transit buses to evacuate
> 12,000 citizens per fleet run, the mayor did not use them. To compound the
> problem, the buses were not moved to high ground and were flooded. The
> plan also states that "special arrangements will be made to evacuate
> persons unable to transport themselves or who require specific lifesaving
> assistance. Additional personnel will be recruited to assist in evacuation
> procedures as needed." This was not done.
>
> The evacuation plan warned that "if an evacuation order is issued without
> the mechanisms needed to disseminate the information to the affected
> persons, then we face the possibility of having large numbers of people
> either stranded and left to the mercy of a storm, or left in an area
> impacted by toxic materials." That is precisely what happened because of
> the mayor's failure.
>
> Instead of evacuating the people, the mayor ordered the refugees to the
> Superdome and Convention Center without adequate security and no
> provisions for food, water and sanitary conditions. As a result people
> died, and there was even rape committed, in these facilities. Mayor Nagin
> failed in his responsibility to provide public safety and to manage the
> orderly evacuation of the citizens of New Orleans. Now he wants to blame
> Gov. Blanco and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In an emergency
> the first requirement is for the city's emergency center to be linked to
> the state emergency operations center. This was not done.
>
>
>
> The federal government does not have the authority to intervene in a state
> emergency without the request of a governor. President Bush declared an
> emergency prior to Katrina hitting New Orleans, so the only action needed
> for federal assistance was for Gov. Blanco to request the specific type of
> assistance she needed. She failed to send a timely request for specific
> aid.
>
> In addition, unlike the governors of New York, Oklahoma and California in
> past disasters, Gov. Blanco failed to take charge of the situation and
> ensure that the state emergency operation facility was in constant contact
> with Mayor Nagin and FEMA. It is likely that thousands of people died
> because of the failure of Gov. Blanco to implement the state plan, which
> mentions the possible need to evacuate up to one million people. The plan
> clearly gives the governor the authority for declaring an emergency,
> sending in state resources to the disaster area and requesting necessary
> federal assistance.
>
> State legislators and governors nationwide need to update their
> contingency plans and the operation procedures for state emergency
> centers. Hurricane Katrina had been forecast for days, but that will not
> always be the case with a disaster (think of --------- attacks). It must
> be made clear that the governor and locally elected officials are in
> charge of the "first response."
>
> I am not attempting to excuse some of the delays in FEMA's response.
> Congress and the president need to take corrective action there, also.
> However, if citizens expect FEMA to be a first responder to ---------
> attacks or other local emergencies (earthquakes, forest fires, volcanoes),
> they will be disappointed. The federal government's role is to offer aid
> upon request.
>
> The Louisiana Legislature should conduct an immediate investigation into
> the failures of state and local officials to implement the written
> emergency plans. The tragedy is not over, and real leadership in the state
> and local government are essential in the months to come. More
> importantly, the hurricane season is still upon us, and local and state
> officials must stay focused on the jobs for which they were elected--and
> not on the deadly game of passing the emergency buck.
>
> Mr. Williams is president of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a free
> market public policy research organization in Olympia, Wash.
>
>
>
> "Dave Milne" <jeep@_nospam_milne.info> wrote in message
> news:KtAUe.106041$G8.65843@text.news.blueyonder.co .uk...
>> So what's the crack on New Orleans ? Is it an administration screwup in
>> not
>> rescuing the people more efficiently or just an inevitable catastrophe as
>> a
>> result of building below the water table ?
>>
>> Dave Milne, Scotland
>> '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
>>
>>
>
>

Terry Jeffrey

Good read, thanks.

This guy nails it too:
http://tiadaily.com/php-bin/news/sho...le.php?id=1026




"reconair" <reconair@staffnet.com> wrote in message
news:11i5nsk5nf72l5b@corp.supernews.com...
> Here's a pretty good take.
>
> Blame Amid the Tragedy
> Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin failed their constituents.
>
> BY BOB WILLIAMS
> Wednesday, September 7, 2005 12:01 a.m. EDT
>
> As the devastation of Hurricane Katrina continues to shock and sadden the
> nation, the question on many lips is, Who is to blame for the inadequate
> response?
>
> As a former state legislator who represented the legislative district most
> impacted by the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, I can fully
> understand and empathize with the people and public officials over the
> loss of life and property.
>
> Many in the media are turning their eyes toward the federal government,
> rather than considering the culpability of city and state officials. I am
> fully aware of the challenges of having a quick and responsive emergency
> response to a major disaster. And there is definitely a time for
> accountability; but what isn't fair is to dump on the federal officials
> and avoid those most responsible--local and state officials who failed to
> do their job as the first responders. The plain fact is, lives were
> needlessly lost in New Orleans due to the failure of Louisiana's governor,
> Kathleen Blanco, and the city's mayor, Ray Nagin.
>
> The primary responsibility for dealing with emergencies does not belong to
> the federal government. It belongs to local and state officials who are
> charged by law with the management of the crucial first response to
> disasters. First response should be carried out by local and state
> emergency personnel under the supervision of the state governor and his
> emergency operations center.
>
> The actions and inactions of Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin are a national
> disgrace due to their failure to implement the previously established
> evacuation plans of the state and city. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin cannot
> claim that they were surprised by the extent of the damage and the need to
> evacuate so many people. Detailed written plans were already in place to
> evacuate more than a million people. The plans projected that 300,000
> people would need transportation in the event of a hurricane like Katrina.
> If the plans had been implemented, thousands of lives would likely have
> been saved.
>
> In addition to the plans, local, state and federal officials held a
> simulated hurricane drill 13 months ago, in which wide------ flooding
> supposedly trapped 300,000 people inside New Orleans. The exercise
> simulated the evacuation of more than a million residents. The problems
> identified in the simulation apparently were not solved.
>
>
>
> A year ago, as Hurricane Ivan approached, New Orleans ordered an
> evacuation but did not use city or school buses to help people evacuate.
> As a result many of the poorest citizens were unable to evacuate.
> Fortunately, the hurricane changed course and did not hit New Orleans, but
> both Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin acknowledged the need for a better
> evacuation plan. Again, they did not take corrective actions. In 1998,
> during a threat by Hurricane George, 14,000 people were sent to the
> Superdome and theft and vandalism were rampant due to inadequate security.
> Again, these problems were not corrected.
>
> The New Orleans contingency plan is still, as of this writing, on the
> city's Web site, and states: "The safe evacuation of threatened
> populations is one of the principle [sic] reasons for developing a
> Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan." But the plan was apparently
> ignored.
>
> Mayor Nagin was responsible for giving the order for mandatory evacuation
> and supervising the actual evacuation: His Office of Emergency
> Preparedness (not the federal government) must coordinate with the state
> on elements of evacuation and assist in directing the transportation of
> evacuees to staging areas. Mayor Nagin had to be encouraged by the
> governor to contact the National Hurricane Center before he finally,
> belatedly, issued the order for mandatory evacuation. And sadly, it
> apparently took a personal call from the president to urge the governor to
> order the mandatory evacuation.
>
> The city's evacuation plan states: "The city of New Orleans will utilize
> all available resources to quickly and safely evacuate threatened areas."
> But even though the city has enough school and transit buses to evacuate
> 12,000 citizens per fleet run, the mayor did not use them. To compound the
> problem, the buses were not moved to high ground and were flooded. The
> plan also states that "special arrangements will be made to evacuate
> persons unable to transport themselves or who require specific lifesaving
> assistance. Additional personnel will be recruited to assist in evacuation
> procedures as needed." This was not done.
>
> The evacuation plan warned that "if an evacuation order is issued without
> the mechanisms needed to disseminate the information to the affected
> persons, then we face the possibility of having large numbers of people
> either stranded and left to the mercy of a storm, or left in an area
> impacted by toxic materials." That is precisely what happened because of
> the mayor's failure.
>
> Instead of evacuating the people, the mayor ordered the refugees to the
> Superdome and Convention Center without adequate security and no
> provisions for food, water and sanitary conditions. As a result people
> died, and there was even rape committed, in these facilities. Mayor Nagin
> failed in his responsibility to provide public safety and to manage the
> orderly evacuation of the citizens of New Orleans. Now he wants to blame
> Gov. Blanco and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In an emergency
> the first requirement is for the city's emergency center to be linked to
> the state emergency operations center. This was not done.
>
>
>
> The federal government does not have the authority to intervene in a state
> emergency without the request of a governor. President Bush declared an
> emergency prior to Katrina hitting New Orleans, so the only action needed
> for federal assistance was for Gov. Blanco to request the specific type of
> assistance she needed. She failed to send a timely request for specific
> aid.
>
> In addition, unlike the governors of New York, Oklahoma and California in
> past disasters, Gov. Blanco failed to take charge of the situation and
> ensure that the state emergency operation facility was in constant contact
> with Mayor Nagin and FEMA. It is likely that thousands of people died
> because of the failure of Gov. Blanco to implement the state plan, which
> mentions the possible need to evacuate up to one million people. The plan
> clearly gives the governor the authority for declaring an emergency,
> sending in state resources to the disaster area and requesting necessary
> federal assistance.
>
> State legislators and governors nationwide need to update their
> contingency plans and the operation procedures for state emergency
> centers. Hurricane Katrina had been forecast for days, but that will not
> always be the case with a disaster (think of --------- attacks). It must
> be made clear that the governor and locally elected officials are in
> charge of the "first response."
>
> I am not attempting to excuse some of the delays in FEMA's response.
> Congress and the president need to take corrective action there, also.
> However, if citizens expect FEMA to be a first responder to ---------
> attacks or other local emergencies (earthquakes, forest fires, volcanoes),
> they will be disappointed. The federal government's role is to offer aid
> upon request.
>
> The Louisiana Legislature should conduct an immediate investigation into
> the failures of state and local officials to implement the written
> emergency plans. The tragedy is not over, and real leadership in the state
> and local government are essential in the months to come. More
> importantly, the hurricane season is still upon us, and local and state
> officials must stay focused on the jobs for which they were elected--and
> not on the deadly game of passing the emergency buck.
>
> Mr. Williams is president of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a free
> market public policy research organization in Olympia, Wash.
>
>
>
> "Dave Milne" <jeep@_nospam_milne.info> wrote in message
> news:KtAUe.106041$G8.65843@text.news.blueyonder.co .uk...
>> So what's the crack on New Orleans ? Is it an administration screwup in
>> not
>> rescuing the people more efficiently or just an inevitable catastrophe as
>> a
>> result of building below the water table ?
>>
>> Dave Milne, Scotland
>> '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
>>
>>
>
>

Terry Jeffrey

Good read, thanks.

This guy nails it too:
http://tiadaily.com/php-bin/news/sho...le.php?id=1026




"reconair" <reconair@staffnet.com> wrote in message
news:11i5nsk5nf72l5b@corp.supernews.com...
> Here's a pretty good take.
>
> Blame Amid the Tragedy
> Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin failed their constituents.
>
> BY BOB WILLIAMS
> Wednesday, September 7, 2005 12:01 a.m. EDT
>
> As the devastation of Hurricane Katrina continues to shock and sadden the
> nation, the question on many lips is, Who is to blame for the inadequate
> response?
>
> As a former state legislator who represented the legislative district most
> impacted by the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, I can fully
> understand and empathize with the people and public officials over the
> loss of life and property.
>
> Many in the media are turning their eyes toward the federal government,
> rather than considering the culpability of city and state officials. I am
> fully aware of the challenges of having a quick and responsive emergency
> response to a major disaster. And there is definitely a time for
> accountability; but what isn't fair is to dump on the federal officials
> and avoid those most responsible--local and state officials who failed to
> do their job as the first responders. The plain fact is, lives were
> needlessly lost in New Orleans due to the failure of Louisiana's governor,
> Kathleen Blanco, and the city's mayor, Ray Nagin.
>
> The primary responsibility for dealing with emergencies does not belong to
> the federal government. It belongs to local and state officials who are
> charged by law with the management of the crucial first response to
> disasters. First response should be carried out by local and state
> emergency personnel under the supervision of the state governor and his
> emergency operations center.
>
> The actions and inactions of Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin are a national
> disgrace due to their failure to implement the previously established
> evacuation plans of the state and city. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin cannot
> claim that they were surprised by the extent of the damage and the need to
> evacuate so many people. Detailed written plans were already in place to
> evacuate more than a million people. The plans projected that 300,000
> people would need transportation in the event of a hurricane like Katrina.
> If the plans had been implemented, thousands of lives would likely have
> been saved.
>
> In addition to the plans, local, state and federal officials held a
> simulated hurricane drill 13 months ago, in which wide------ flooding
> supposedly trapped 300,000 people inside New Orleans. The exercise
> simulated the evacuation of more than a million residents. The problems
> identified in the simulation apparently were not solved.
>
>
>
> A year ago, as Hurricane Ivan approached, New Orleans ordered an
> evacuation but did not use city or school buses to help people evacuate.
> As a result many of the poorest citizens were unable to evacuate.
> Fortunately, the hurricane changed course and did not hit New Orleans, but
> both Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin acknowledged the need for a better
> evacuation plan. Again, they did not take corrective actions. In 1998,
> during a threat by Hurricane George, 14,000 people were sent to the
> Superdome and theft and vandalism were rampant due to inadequate security.
> Again, these problems were not corrected.
>
> The New Orleans contingency plan is still, as of this writing, on the
> city's Web site, and states: "The safe evacuation of threatened
> populations is one of the principle [sic] reasons for developing a
> Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan." But the plan was apparently
> ignored.
>
> Mayor Nagin was responsible for giving the order for mandatory evacuation
> and supervising the actual evacuation: His Office of Emergency
> Preparedness (not the federal government) must coordinate with the state
> on elements of evacuation and assist in directing the transportation of
> evacuees to staging areas. Mayor Nagin had to be encouraged by the
> governor to contact the National Hurricane Center before he finally,
> belatedly, issued the order for mandatory evacuation. And sadly, it
> apparently took a personal call from the president to urge the governor to
> order the mandatory evacuation.
>
> The city's evacuation plan states: "The city of New Orleans will utilize
> all available resources to quickly and safely evacuate threatened areas."
> But even though the city has enough school and transit buses to evacuate
> 12,000 citizens per fleet run, the mayor did not use them. To compound the
> problem, the buses were not moved to high ground and were flooded. The
> plan also states that "special arrangements will be made to evacuate
> persons unable to transport themselves or who require specific lifesaving
> assistance. Additional personnel will be recruited to assist in evacuation
> procedures as needed." This was not done.
>
> The evacuation plan warned that "if an evacuation order is issued without
> the mechanisms needed to disseminate the information to the affected
> persons, then we face the possibility of having large numbers of people
> either stranded and left to the mercy of a storm, or left in an area
> impacted by toxic materials." That is precisely what happened because of
> the mayor's failure.
>
> Instead of evacuating the people, the mayor ordered the refugees to the
> Superdome and Convention Center without adequate security and no
> provisions for food, water and sanitary conditions. As a result people
> died, and there was even rape committed, in these facilities. Mayor Nagin
> failed in his responsibility to provide public safety and to manage the
> orderly evacuation of the citizens of New Orleans. Now he wants to blame
> Gov. Blanco and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In an emergency
> the first requirement is for the city's emergency center to be linked to
> the state emergency operations center. This was not done.
>
>
>
> The federal government does not have the authority to intervene in a state
> emergency without the request of a governor. President Bush declared an
> emergency prior to Katrina hitting New Orleans, so the only action needed
> for federal assistance was for Gov. Blanco to request the specific type of
> assistance she needed. She failed to send a timely request for specific
> aid.
>
> In addition, unlike the governors of New York, Oklahoma and California in
> past disasters, Gov. Blanco failed to take charge of the situation and
> ensure that the state emergency operation facility was in constant contact
> with Mayor Nagin and FEMA. It is likely that thousands of people died
> because of the failure of Gov. Blanco to implement the state plan, which
> mentions the possible need to evacuate up to one million people. The plan
> clearly gives the governor the authority for declaring an emergency,
> sending in state resources to the disaster area and requesting necessary
> federal assistance.
>
> State legislators and governors nationwide need to update their
> contingency plans and the operation procedures for state emergency
> centers. Hurricane Katrina had been forecast for days, but that will not
> always be the case with a disaster (think of --------- attacks). It must
> be made clear that the governor and locally elected officials are in
> charge of the "first response."
>
> I am not attempting to excuse some of the delays in FEMA's response.
> Congress and the president need to take corrective action there, also.
> However, if citizens expect FEMA to be a first responder to ---------
> attacks or other local emergencies (earthquakes, forest fires, volcanoes),
> they will be disappointed. The federal government's role is to offer aid
> upon request.
>
> The Louisiana Legislature should conduct an immediate investigation into
> the failures of state and local officials to implement the written
> emergency plans. The tragedy is not over, and real leadership in the state
> and local government are essential in the months to come. More
> importantly, the hurricane season is still upon us, and local and state
> officials must stay focused on the jobs for which they were elected--and
> not on the deadly game of passing the emergency buck.
>
> Mr. Williams is president of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a free
> market public policy research organization in Olympia, Wash.
>
>
>
> "Dave Milne" <jeep@_nospam_milne.info> wrote in message
> news:KtAUe.106041$G8.65843@text.news.blueyonder.co .uk...
>> So what's the crack on New Orleans ? Is it an administration screwup in
>> not
>> rescuing the people more efficiently or just an inevitable catastrophe as
>> a
>> result of building below the water table ?
>>
>> Dave Milne, Scotland
>> '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
>>
>>
>
>

Dave Milne

Its all over our news, but focusing on the immediate sensationalism as is
the norm for news channels. It seems the head of FEMA has been sacked, but
with the pics I'm seeing, it looks like a really hard job to evac that many
people and keep back that amount of water. But, I'm 6K miles away and have
never been there, hence the questions ! You guys know me well enough to know
I'm not trolling.

Dave Milne, Scotland
'91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ

> I will now duck and run for cover as things might get ugly around here!

> "Dave Milne" <jeep@_nospam_milne.info> wrote in message
> news:KtAUe.106041$G8.65843@text.news.blueyonder.co .uk...
> > So what's the crack on New Orleans ? Is it an administration screwup in
> > not
> > rescuing the people more efficiently or just an inevitable catastrophe
as
> > a
> > result of building below the water table ?
> >
> > Dave Milne, Scotland
> > '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
> >
> >
>
>

Dave Milne

Its all over our news, but focusing on the immediate sensationalism as is
the norm for news channels. It seems the head of FEMA has been sacked, but
with the pics I'm seeing, it looks like a really hard job to evac that many
people and keep back that amount of water. But, I'm 6K miles away and have
never been there, hence the questions ! You guys know me well enough to know
I'm not trolling.

Dave Milne, Scotland
'91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ

> I will now duck and run for cover as things might get ugly around here!

> "Dave Milne" <jeep@_nospam_milne.info> wrote in message
> news:KtAUe.106041$G8.65843@text.news.blueyonder.co .uk...
> > So what's the crack on New Orleans ? Is it an administration screwup in
> > not
> > rescuing the people more efficiently or just an inevitable catastrophe
as
> > a
> > result of building below the water table ?
> >
> > Dave Milne, Scotland
> > '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
> >
> >
>
>

Dave Milne

Its all over our news, but focusing on the immediate sensationalism as is
the norm for news channels. It seems the head of FEMA has been sacked, but
with the pics I'm seeing, it looks like a really hard job to evac that many
people and keep back that amount of water. But, I'm 6K miles away and have
never been there, hence the questions ! You guys know me well enough to know
I'm not trolling.

Dave Milne, Scotland
'91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ

> I will now duck and run for cover as things might get ugly around here!

> "Dave Milne" <jeep@_nospam_milne.info> wrote in message
> news:KtAUe.106041$G8.65843@text.news.blueyonder.co .uk...
> > So what's the crack on New Orleans ? Is it an administration screwup in
> > not
> > rescuing the people more efficiently or just an inevitable catastrophe
as
> > a
> > result of building below the water table ?
> >
> > Dave Milne, Scotland
> > '91 Grand Wagoneer, '99 TJ
> >
> >
>
>