Katrina - Page 51

strandinthewind · #**751** 09-02-2005, 04:47 PM

How is it I and every other person I know knew the looting would happen - and the FU**ING HEAD OF MF'ING FEMA did not have a FU**ING CLUE

FEMA 'Surprised' by Lawlessness

Friday, September 02, 2005

WASHINGTON — The head of the federal disaster relief agency said Friday it's "heartbreaking and very, very frustrating" to witness the virtual anarchy in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans (search ) and defended the Bush administration's response.

Interviewed on several network morning news shows, Michael Brown (search), director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (search ), blamed emergency assistance delivery problems on "the total lack of communications, the inability to hear and have good intelligence on the ground about what was actually occurring there."

Brown appeared the morning after the mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin (search ), charged that administration officials "don't have a clue" about what's going on in the devastated city that long has been among the nation's premier tourist attractions.

"People are getting the help they need," Brown asserted on NBC's "Today" show. "This is an ongoing disaster. This disaster didn't just end when Katrina left."

But Brown also acknowledged that little in the government's preparedness plan took into account the likelihood of lawlessness in such dire straits.

"Before the hurricane struck I came down here personally and rode the storm out in Baton Rouge," he said. "We had all of our rescue teams, the medical teams, pre-deployed, ready to go. ... The lawlessness, the crime that is occurring, did surprise us."
Appearing on ABC's "Good Morning America," the FEMA director said he "never thought I'd see" the lawlessness that has overtaken the city and interrupted emergency relief efforts. "It's heartbreaking and very, very frustrating to me from a broad operational perspective," he said.

"What we have right now is a situation where, with my having access to the military, bringing in the National Guard troops, securing the area, we'll be able to continue the relief efforts that we have been doing over the last several days," Brown added. "We'll be able to ramp those up and continue the evacuation."

Asked about the difficulty in getting sufficient supplies of food, water and medicine for the victims who need it, Brown conceded on NBC: "That's a frustrating issue for me ... You know, I could sit here and read off all the stats [of supplies furnished] ... We've provided food to people ... It's just a massive process ... to take care of every single one of those individuals."

Brown refused to be drawn into a debate about whether the administration and the White House should be faulted for a lack of work to upgrade flood levees there in recent years. "I'm focused on lifesaving efforts," he said.

Brown also said that he had talked daily with President Bush about the federal response and said "I have every thing I need to ramp this up and do what I have to do to secure New Orleans — get people out of here and start that recovery process."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,168296,00.html

strandinthewind · #**752** 09-02-2005, 04:48 PM

a bus carrying evacuated people just overturned outside of Lafayette

Mad4stevie · #**753** 09-02-2005, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

a bus carrying evacuated people just overturned outside of Lafayette

And one person is reported dead in this accident.

How much more can these people take?

strandinthewind · #**754** 09-02-2005, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad4stevie

And one person is reported dead in this accident.

I have to wonder if it is due to driver fatigue. It is about a six or so hour drive door to door from NOLA to Houston. So, a driver can drive one way and then not back.

Mad4stevie · #**755** 09-02-2005, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I have to wonder if it is due to driver fatigue. It is about a six or so hour drive door to door from NOLA to Houston. So, a driver can drive one way and then not back.

I would not be surprised at all.

Aren't they sending people to Dallas now?

strandinthewind · #**756** 09-02-2005, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Lt. Gen. Russel Honore

apparently is da bomb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This person is the kind of results person that should have been in charge from the get go

Desperate residents starting to get medical attention
Troops help an injured woman at the convention center in New Orleans.
I am seeing moments of utter heartbreak and desperation here. There is no other word for it than unbelievable.

We were walking with U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore and his military team from the convention center and there are still hundreds of people on the street. They are just sitting there in terrible circumstances.

We came across one young African American mother. She had twin young infants in her arms. She was trying to walk in this terrible heat and she apparently was so exhausted that the babies were half falling out of her arms.

It was at that point that Gen. Honore just stopped cold in the middle of the street. He went up to this woman and said, "We're going to get you help." He took both of those babies and handed them to his soldiers. They also evacuated another mother and her baby. (See the convoy slog through floodwaters 3:33)

Then we all got on a Coast Guard ship. These three infants and two mothers, who are terribly dehydrated and exhausted, are now getting instant medical care on this ship. And the mothers tell us that there simply has been no help. They tell us they escaped their homes by swimming to safety during the flood. They have been waiting ever since with their babies on the street for someone to pick them up.

It's a story we are seeing again and again in all of these places.

www.cnn.com

Rickypt · #**757** 09-02-2005, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

He did? I love him even more!

Yeah, it was before he had his 360 show, when he was more or less a guest anchor. I don't remember all the details, but he described Stevie in a way that showed he wasn't just a casual fan. If I recall correctly, in was in the context of a segment about rabid Madonna fans and he was saying that he could relate because of his love for Stevie.

Rickypt · #**758** 09-02-2005, 05:04 PM

By the way, dissention mentioned way back in this thread that people should call and write their representatives about the disgraceful response to this disaster.

Here's the toll-free number for the Congressional switchboard: 1-877-762-8762.

You just have to ask to be connected to your Senators' and Rep's office...you'll have to know their names. If you don't know who represents you, go to www.vote-smart.org and type in your zip code.

The White House comment line is 202-456-1111, and email is comments@whitehouse.gov.

dissention · #**759** 09-02-2005, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickypt

Me too, since the day I first laid on eyes him.

Anderson kicks ass. My admiration was sealed last night when he went after that wench on his show last night.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickypt

He's also a big Stevie fan, but you all probably already knew that. He talked about it during one of his shows.

Well, so is Bill O'Reilly.

dissention · #**760** 09-02-2005, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Just like Campbells soup. Mmmmmm good.

I like that. He should incorporate that into his theme music on 360.

Rickypt · #**761** 09-02-2005, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

Well, so is Bill O'Reilly.

Didn't know that

I wonder if she has sent him a copy of TISL with a handwritten note.

dissention · #**762** 09-02-2005, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickypt

Didn't know that

Yup, he went to one of the first SYW shows and hung out backstage. Went on his **** program the next day to talk about how sexy she was. Gave me the heebie jeebies thinking about that goon with his filthy mitts on her.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickypt

I wonder if she has sent him a copy of TISL with a handwritten note.

Crikey.

To Bill...~

As much as I love your show ~
You could never get this songbird to stop spinning...~

GypsySorcerer · #**763** 09-02-2005, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

To Bill...~

As much as I love your show ~
You could never get this songbird to stop spinning...~

That was needed.

amber · #**764** 09-02-2005, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

Yup, he went to one of the first SYW shows and hung out backstage. Went on his **** program the next day to talk about how sexy she was. Gave me the heebie jeebies thinking about that goon with his filthy mitts on her.

Crikey.

To Bill...~

As much as I love your show ~
You could never get this songbird to stop spinning...~

Rickypt · #**765** 09-02-2005, 05:35 PM

This is what Landrieu had to say after Bush's helicopter tour of New Orleans today:

"The president is starting to grasp the magnitude of the situation," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La.

STARTING TO GRASP????