FEMA is not a first responder

[Tgace]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05249/566101.stm

As one who has received training by FEMA in emergency management and also training by the Department of Defense in consequence management, I believe that the federal response in New Orleans needs clarification.

The key to emergency management starts at the local level and expands to the state level. Emergency planning generally does not include any federal guarantees, as there can only be limited ones from the federal level for any local plan. FEMA provides free training, education, assistance and respond in case of an emergency, but the local and state officials run their own emergency management program. Prior development of an emergency plan, addressing all foreseeable contingencies, is the absolute requirement of the local government --and then they share that plan with the state emergency managers to ensure that the state authorities can provide necessary assets not available at the local level. Additionally, good planning will include applicable elements of the federal government (those located in the local area). These processes are well established, but are contingent upon the personal drive of both hired and elected officials at the local level.

Now. For all you FEMA/Federal Gvt. bashers. What did you think FEMA was going to accomplish? What did you think FEMA's assets were?

 

[Marginal]

So the fact that Brownie's grossly unqualified means nothing?

 

[Shorin Ryuu]

It would help if you answered his question, rather than attempting to divert (intentionally or otherwise) the debate.

Edit: *sigh* I told myself I wouldn't keep posting...

 

[Tgace]

Not at all. Once they got there and the co-ordination wasnt happening then by all means send him packing. Im just trying to shed some light on what FEMA really is. Its a federal oversight organization, not a search and rescue organization. Who was late? The city was late, the state was late. The feds may have been late too, but their lateness wasnt the most critical, the first response is the most critical.

 

[Tgace]

It would help if you answered his question, rather than attempting to divert (intentionally or otherwise) the debate.

Edit: *sigh* I told myself I wouldn't keep posting...

Dont worry about it. His screen name is appropriate.

 

[Marginal]

Why I chose it.

 

[TonyM.]

Brown's as qualified as any BIA chief has been.

 

[dearnis.com]

Deep breath...say nothing....

 

[hardheadjarhead]

Nice personal attack on Marginal there, TGace.

Now, for some substance to counter your robotic and ever present defense of the government:

"The Federal Emergency Management Agency - a former independent agency that became part of the new Department of Homeland Security in March 2003 - is tasked with responding to, planning for, recovering from and mitigating against disasters...


President Carter's 1979 executive order merged many of the separate disaster-related responsibilities into a new Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Among other agencies, FEMA absorbed: the Federal Insurance Administration, the National Fire Prevention and Control Administration, the National Weather Service Community Preparedness Program, the Federal Preparedness Agency of the General Services Administration and the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration activities from HUD. Civil defense responsibilities were also transferred to the new agency from the Defense Department's Defense Civil Preparedness Agency.

John Macy was named as FEMA's first director. Macy emphasized the similarities between natural hazards preparedness and the civil defense activities. FEMA began development of an Integrated Emergency Management System with an all-hazards approach that included "direction, control and warning systems which are common to the full range of emergencies from small isolated events to the ultimate emergency - war..."

...As it has for more than 20 years, FEMA's mission remains: to lead America to prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from disasters with a vision of "A Nation Prepared." At no time in its history has this vision been more important to the country than in the aftermath of Sept. 11th.


This was from their web site. Not a first responder? What then? A third responder? A "we'll get to it when our vacation is over" responder?


As for Brown's qualifications, he was director of the National Arabian Horse Association for eleven years, before he was asked to resign from that job. He has never really done anything in his life to qualify him for his current position...and has gotten by on favors from friends in high places...just like the man who appointed him.

If you want to believe the Rovian spin on this that attempts to reduce the goverment's sheer incompetence in this debacle, do so. But please, don't insult our intelligence by trying to defend their inaction. The weight of evidence is against you, and your strident posturing on behalf of Bush, et al, is starting to make you look a little silly.


Regards,


Steve

 

[Tgace]

"The key to emergency management starts at the local level and expands to the state level. Emergency planning generally does not include any federal guarantees, as there can only be limited ones from the federal level for any local plan."

 

[hardheadjarhead]

"The key to emergency management starts at the local level and expands to the state level. Emergency planning generally does not include any federal guarantees, as there can only be limited ones from the federal level for any local plan."

And here you go...the local plan as stated by the Governor of Louisiana in her request to the President:


BATON ROUGE—Today Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco forwarded a letter to President Bush requesting that he declare an emergency for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina. The full text of the letter follows:

August 27, 2005


The President
The White House
Washington, D. C.

Through:
Regional Director
FEMA Region VI
800 North Loop 288
Denton, Texas 76209

Dear Mr. President:

Under the provisions of Section 501 (a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5206 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR § 206.35, I request that you declare an emergency for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina for the time period beginning August 26, 2005, and continuing. The affected areas are all the southeastern parishes including the New Orleans Metropolitan area and the mid state Interstate I-49 corridor and northern parishes along the I-20 corridor that are accepting the thousands of citizens evacuating from the areas expecting to be flooded as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

In response to the situation I have taken appropriate action under State law and directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on August 26, 2005 in accordance with Section 501 (a) of the Stafford Act. A State of Emergency has been issued for the State in order to support the evacuations of the coastal areas in accordance with our State Evacuation Plan and the remainder of the state to support the State Special Needs and Sheltering Plan.

Pursuant to 44 CFR § 206.35, I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster. I am specifically requesting emergency protective measures, direct Federal Assistance, Individual and Household Program (IHP) assistance, Special Needs Program assistance, and debris removal.

Preliminary estimates of the types and amount of emergency assistance needed under the Stafford Act, and emergency assistance from certain Federal agencies under other statutory authorities are tabulated in Enclosure A.

The following information is furnished on the nature and amount of State and local resources that have been or will be used to alleviate the conditions of this emergency:
• Department of Social Services (DSS): Opening (3) Special Need Shelters (SNS) and establishing (3) on Standby.
• Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH): Opening (3) Shelters and establishing (3) on Standby.
• Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP): Providing generators and support staff for SNS and Public Shelters.
• Louisiana State Police (LSP): Providing support for the phased evacuation of the coastal areas.
• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (WLF): Supporting the evacuation of the affected population and preparing for Search and Rescue Missions.


Mr. President
Page Two
August 27, 2005


• Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD): Coordinating traffic flow and management of the evacuations routes with local officials and the State of Mississippi.



The following information is furnished on efforts and resources of other Federal agencies, which have been or will be used in responding to this incident:
• FEMA ERT-A Team en-route.

I certify that for this emergency, the State and local governments will assume all applicable non-Federal share of costs required by the Stafford Act.

I request Direct Federal assistance for work and services to save lives and protect property.

(a) List any reasons State and local government cannot perform or contract for performance, (if applicable).

(b) Specify the type of assistance requested.

In accordance with 44 CFR § 206.208, the State of Louisiana agrees that it will, with respect to Direct Federal assistance:

1. Provide without cost to the United States all lands, easement, and rights-of-ways necessary to accomplish the approved work.

2. Hold and save the United States free from damages due to the requested work, and shall indemnify the Federal Government against any claims arising from such work;

3. Provide reimbursement to FEMA for the non-Federal share of the cost of such work in accordance with the provisions of the FEMA-State Agreement; and

4. Assist the performing Federal agency in all support and local jurisdictional matters.

In addition, I anticipate the need for debris removal, which poses an immediate threat to lives, public health, and safety.

Pursuant to Sections 502 and 407 of the Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5192 & 5173, the State agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the United States of America for any claims arising from the removal of debris or wreckage for this disaster. The State agrees that debris removal from public and private property will not occur until the landowner signs an unconditional authorization for the removal of debris.


I have designated Mr. Art Jones as the State Coordinating Officer for this request. He will work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in damage assessments and may provide further information or justification on my behalf.

Sincerely,




Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
Governor
Enclosure


Regards,


Steve

 

[Tgace]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05249/566101.stm

Prior development of an emergency plan, addressing all foreseeable contingencies, is the absolute requirement of the local government --and then they share that plan with the state emergency managers to ensure that the state authorities can provide necessary assets not available at the local level. Additionally, good planning will include applicable elements of the federal government (those located in the local area). These processes are well established, but are contingent upon the personal drive of both hired and elected officials at the local level.

 

[Tgace]

New Orleans (City) Emergency Response Plan

V. TASKS



A. Mayor

* Initiate the evacuation.

* Retain overall control of all evacuation procedures via EOC operations.

* Authorize return to evacuated areas.

B. Office of Emergency Preparedness

* Activate EOC and notify all support agencies to this plan.

* Coordinate with State OEP on elements of evacuation.

* Assist in directing the transportation of evacuees to staging areas.

* Assist ESF-8, Health and Medical, in the evacuation of persons with special needs, nursing home, and hospital patients in accordance with established procedures.

* Coordinate the release of all public information through ESF-14, Public Information.

* Use EAS, television, cable and other public broadcast means as needed and in accordance with established procedure.

* Request additional law enforcement/traffic control (State Police, La. National Guard) from State OEP.

C. New Orleans Police Department

* Ensure orderly traffic flow.

* Assist in removing disabled vehicles from roadways as needed.

* Direct the management of transportation of seriously injured persons to hospitals as needed.

* Direct evacuees to proper shelters and/or staging areas once they have departed the threatened area.

* Release all public information through the ESF-14, Public Information.

D. Regional Transit Authority

* Supply transportation as needed in accordance with the current Standard Operating Procedures.

* Place special vehicles on alert to be utilized if needed.

* Position supervisors and dispatch evacuation buses.

* If warranted by scope of evacuation, implement additional service.

E. Louisiana National Guard

* Provide assistance as needed in accordance with current State guidelines.

F. Animal Care and Control

* Coordinate animal rescue operations with the New Orleans SPCA.

G. Public Works

* Make emergency road repairs as needed.

H. Office of Communications

* Release all public information relating to the evacuation.

:idunno:

 

[hardheadjarhead]

i think its just awful how those damned wimpy Republicans are bashing FEMA, don't you? They must be falling prey to that liberal siren song of Bush bashing:


"The federal government didn't come to grips with it until the disaster was clearly in its third or fourth day," said Sen. Jim Talent, R-Mo. "It's really hard to explain why they seemed paralyzed for several days after the levees broke."

"There was more than enough warning over time about the dangers to New Orleans," said Colin Powell. "Not enough was done. I don't think advantage was taken of the time that was available to us and I just don't know why."

"If we can't respond faster than this to an event we saw coming across the Gulf for days, then why do we think we're prepared to respond to a nuclear or biological attack?" asked former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Republican.

Republican Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts called the government's response "an embarrassment."

Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., said she could not bring herself to address Bush's actions when he arrived on the Gulf Coast.

"I don't think I better comment on that one," she said. As far as FEMA, its performance indicates that military officials who are accustomed to doing advance work and handling crises should perhaps be put in charge to run it effectively, Emerson said.

Emerson, who serves on committees that oversee energy and water issues as well as homeland security, said it was "so shocking and so outrageous" that emergency management officials lacked basic tools such as two-way radios to deal with the crisis, and instead vainly tried to use cell phones.

Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., said the lack of communications and of chain-of-command authority to cope with an approaching storm with predictable consequences made him worry whether the country was prepared to respond to a major terrorist attack.

Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, R-Mo., said: "The whole thing was a disaster. What should have happened, obviously didn't happen."

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...C30EAE33DD37D242862570750016314E?OpenDocument

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050903/ap_on_go_pr_wh/katrina_bush

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200509/s1457260.htm


Regards,


Steve

 

[hardheadjarhead]

I'm surprised you don't think the historically strategic port of New Orleans-so vital to our economy for two hundred years-doesn't warrant fast action from the Federal government when a level five hurricane threatens. You're clearly attempting to lay the sole responsibility of this farce on the mayor of NO and the state governor, thus steering attention away from the Federal government--who most agree lagged badly in their response.

FEMA's responsibilities:

The FRP (Federal Response Plan), first published in 1992 and recently updated, has been used in the past several years to respond to numerous disasters and emergencies declared by the President, including the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, as well as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and earthquakes. The Plan brings together twenty-six Federal departments and agencies and the American Red Cross to organize Federal disaster response and recovery efforts and coordinate them with an affected State. Most importantly, it provides a known and flexible framework under which local, State and Federal officials can orchestrate their response to a disaster or emergency and make the most effective use of all available resources.

http://www.fema.gov/library/light609.shtm

Here's another little outline of FEMA's responsibilities in coordinating with USGS. It talks about mitigating damage from disasters:

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cach...pdf+FEMA+responsibilities&hl=en&client=safari


As for the evacuation:

Pre-disaster scenarios estimated that 100,000 or more residents would not have the transportation means to escape the city. In the interest of protecting these residents several "refuges of last resort" had been designated in advance, including the Superdome and the New Orleans Convention Center. Beginning at noon on August 28th and running for several hours, some City buses were redeployed to shuttle local residents to the refuges. Several hundred school buses were not deployed due to the City being unable to find drivers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effect_of_Hurricane_Katrina_on_New_Orleans

Complete evacuation was impossible. Tourists were stranded and there were thousands of poor people without the resources to leave.

Let's look at some other little factoids here, shall we?

As the extent of Hurricane Katrina's threat to New Orleans became evident, [National Guard troops in other states with] trucks with water and ice were not positioned as planned. And when they were finally told to move, they were sent hundreds of miles away from most of the people in need. Local officials, people who had been part of the original planning, waited days, instead of hours, for help to arrive.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4839943


News reporters were in the heart of the city for several days reporting the wretched conditions there, yet nothing was done. Doesn't the President watch the news? While he stayed vacationing in Texas, and Dick Cheney stayed on vacation in Wyoming, and Condi Rice took in a show and shopped for shoes in New York...children and the elderly died of thirst.

Did the government have any warning it would be this bad?

The level of potential damage was predicted well before the hurricane ever came into being, yet little was done at the Federal level...and Bush fiddled away in Texas and literally ate cake while a strategically vital city got hammered into the mud:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050909/ap_on_re_us/katrina_what_planners_feared


"The design of the original levees, which dates to the 1960s, was based on rudimentary storm modeling that, it is now realized, might underestimate the threat of a potential hurricane. Even if the modeling was adequate, however, the levees were designed to withstand only forces associated with a fast-moving hurricane that, according to the National Weather Service’s Saffir-Simpson scale, would be placed in category 3. If a lingering category 3 storm — or a stronger storm, say, category 4 or 5 — were to hit the city, much of New Orleans could find itself under more than 20 ft (6 m) of water."

J.J. Westerink, The Creeping Storm, Civil Engineering Magazine, June 2003.

Katrina was a level 5.

Michael Brown, the head of FEMA has been relieved of his command and replaced by a retired Admiral. This didn't happen because he was competent...and its the second job in a row from which he's been sacked.

Whether FEMA is a "first responder" or not, saying such things in the face of this administration's egregious culbability is little more than pathetic and quibbling semantics.



Regards,

Steve

 

[Tgace]

http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=46&tabid=26

Major population relocations resulting from an approaching hurricane or similar anticipated disaster, caused the City of New Orleans Office of Emergency Preparedness to develop a specific Hurricane Emergency Evacuation Standard Operating Procedures, which are appended to the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.

The SOP is developed to provide for an orderly and coordinated evacuation intended to minimize the hazardous effects of flooding, wind, and rain on the residents and visitors in New Orleans. The SOP provides for the evacuation of the public from danger areas and the designations of shelters for evacuees.

 

[Tgace]

http://www.fema.gov/library/fff02.shtm

What does FEMA do?

One way to look at what FEMA does is to think about the life cycle of disasters. Emergency managers prepare for emergencies and disasters, respond to them when they occur, help people and institutions recover from them, mitigate their effects, reduce the risk of loss, and prevent disasters such as fires from occurring.

Some specific things FEMA does:

Send in Preliminary Damage Assessment teams and Emergency Response Teams to work with state and local officials in determining the scope of the disaster and essential needs of the impacted area.

Create and staff federal/state Disaster Field Offices and help coordinate other federal agencies that are involved under the Federal Response Plan

Make disaster aid available and manage the process of loan and grant application, approval and disbursement. Disaster aid is provided to both individuals (called individual assistance) and to cities/states (called public assistance). See more about disaster assistance below.

Distribute The Recovery Times to provide information to disaster victims; may also broadcast emergency information through the Recovery Channel and Recovery Radio network

Identify ways and fund grants so that communities can mitigate to reduce their risk of future disasters

Provide "buy out" funding to relocate homes and businesses away from high risk areas

Create risk assessment maps to help local planners

Fund emergency planning in all 50 states

Sponsor emergency preparedness exercises and coordinate emergency plans for nuclear power plants

Help states design and equip emergency operations centers

Bring in mobile communications systems that open emergency lines when commercial phone systems are down

Work to educate families about how to prepare for disasters

Train firefighters and sets firefighting standards through the U.S. Fire Administration

Administer the National Flood Insurance Program

Play a role in preparing for and planning against domestic terrorism activities

Maintain standards and credentialling and fund grants to create urban search and rescue team


Some things FEMA DOES NOT do:

Physically rescue people or serve as "first-responders" in a disaster – that is the responsibility of local and state police, fire and emergency personnel.

Building dams or levees or activating sand-bagging activities – generally the responsibility of local/state officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Taking "charge" of recovery effort -- FEMA works jointly with state and local officials.

Running temporary shelters or disaster feeding stations – generally the responsibility of such organizations at the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army.

Making weather predictions, fly into hurricanes or predict when rivers will surpass flood stage – generally the responsibility of the National Weather Service.

Ordering evacuations of communities due to natural disaster – generally the responsibility of state and local officials.

Setting building standards or setting zoning regulations – generally the responsibility of local and state official, with suggestions from FEMA.

Calling out the National Guard – generally a state responsibility.

 

[arnisador]

I always thought FEMA coordinated (only), but perhaps things have changed since the move to Homeland Security.

 

[hardheadjarhead]

Well, FEMA's director officially resigned. What for, TGace?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...AR2005091200935.html?nav=rss_email/components

As long as we're tossing stuff back and forth...this from their web site:

FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.

"...initiates proactive mitigation activities" means they take positive actions to reduce the damages caused by the disaster. They did not.

Tens of thousands of people were stranded at the Convention Center without adequate food and water and FEMA head "Brownie" (as our President calls him) wasn't even aware of it...inspite of it having been reported widely in the news...AND inspite of it having been one of the designated shelter sites. How many died because of his lack of proactive mitigation? They went five days without food and water. Please can the "first responder" red herring crap.

Their responsibility was to train first responders and insure an effective plan was in place. There wasn't. First responders lacked communication devices...Hell, FEMA people didn't have SAT phones. They had to borrow phones from New Orleans officials so they could make calls to headquarters.

In response to one call FEMA directed the agency to e-mail its requests in. The Parrish making the request was under three feet of water and had no electricity. E-mail?

Okay...let's take your "first responder" line and set it aside for just a moment to look at this from FEMA's 2003 Strategy Plan:

"Disasters cause suffering and disrupt people’s lives and the normal functioning of their communities. States, Territories, Tribal Nations, and local governments bear the primary responsibility for responding to and recovering from disasters. FEMA—at the direction of the President—takes action when State, Territorial, Tribal and local resources are overwhelmed and the Governor requests assistance.

In concert with its partners, FEMA will respond quickly and effectively, bringing the right people and resources to bear where and when they are needed most. FEMA will provide timely and appropriate disaster assistance to hasten the recovery of individuals and communities while ensuring that efforts to prevent, avoid, and reduce the impacts of future disasters are an integral part of every recovery. Throughout, FEMA will continue its work with States and Territories to ensure the most effective sharing of disaster management responsibilities, allowing FEMA to focus on preparing the Nation for truly catastrophic events, whether natural or man-made."

You're disingenuously suggesting that the "first responders" in this event were the ones truly responsible for the disasterous handling of the situation. Get real. Neither Mississippi nor Louisiana had near enough resources to get a grip on this.

A storm of this size could only be handled by swift and strong Federal response. FEMA...because of the lack of direction by the President and the sheer ineptitude of its director...was slow off the mark. Fatally slow.



Regards,


Steve

 

[michaeledward]

I love the part that the President was 1,000 miles away when Brownie resigned. And the President, apparently, had no knowledge that Brownie resigned, because he was to busy, get this, working.

Acted according to Mr. Rove's script. Look for the President to accept an Oscar for that performance.