'This is an example of what not to do'

[IdaBriggs]

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/090305/loc_200509030028.shtml

'This is an example of what not to do'

By CAROL HOPKINS
Of The Oakland Press

The caller came across loud and clear. "I find this totally ridiculous," said Marie of Pontiac. "We have the means and the ability. Not one person should be without water or food!" Another caller, a Waterford Township resident and a volunteer worker for a decade, almost spit out her words. "Why does the Red Cross have so few people working?" Reports of agonizingly slow response for aid in the wake of Hurricane Katrina have generated a sense of frustration in many Oakland County residents. Marie, who did not want to give her last name, worked in the early 1990s as a transportation coordinator at an Army base in Germany. "When I was there, we had a 24-hour turnaround time (during disasters). Even now, we airdrop food everywhere else." Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson also cut disaster officials no slack. "They were caught flat-footed by this emergency," he said. "It doesn't seem as though anybody is in charge." Patterson speculated there were plans in place, "but what happens if those fail? What if you lose power? How do you communicate? What you're left with is the chaos and anarchy we were seeing."

(more at link)
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/090305/loc_200509030028.shtml

[soda]

1. red cross not cross?

Hurricane Katrina: Why is the Red Cross not in New Orleans?


Acess to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders.

The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city. http://www.redcross.org/faq/0,1096,0_682_4524,00.html#4524

[progressivebydesign]

5. I did see photos of red cross people IN NO.

I saw volunteers, but are we talking about food and supplies that are not getting thru?

[JoFerret]

2. There is a vacuum at the top

... and that vacuum appointed political cronies to the top positions of FEMa and other agencies, replacing those who actually knew how to get the job done. (That's one of MANY factors of bushCo incompetence.
Miserable failure.
Worst pResident ever.
Impeach.
Run them out of town on a rail.

[krkaufman]

3. "What if you lose power? How do you communicate?"

More myopic bullshit. If it wasn't obvious before, 9/11 demonstrated that you can't rely on the high-tech infrastructure in event of a major catastrophe. Loss of standard communication lines should be assumed.

This isn't the result of a disaster plan failing. This demonstrates failure to plan. (And an unbelieveable failure to act.)

[MichiganVote]

4. Patterson has a Ph.D in being an asshole and has been one for years

[krkaufman]

6. Yeah, I used to live/work over there (Roch. Hills, Troy, Ryl Oak)...

... and recall Brooks Patterson's name. Basically the Republican party boss out in wealthy Oakland County, right?

[susanna]

8. You got it.

The man has a virtual lock when running in Oakland County.

[MichiganVote]

9. Patterson tried to bar running flags at half mast for Mi. deceased soldier

At the time when the repub's did not want attention toward soldiers killed in Iraq.

[struggle4progress]

7. Perhaps this is the first major power outage he's aware of. eom

[UpInArms]

10. Or is it possible there was a plan for the poor people of NO

to fail?