U.S. government orders aid to Texas ahead of surging hurricane Rita

[applegrove]

U.S. government orders aid to Texas ahead of surging hurricane Rita
03:10 AM EDT Sep 23
LARA JAKES JORDAN



"WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Bush administration has declared hurricane Rita a national emergency days before its expected landfall in Texas as federal authorities brace the already-battered Gulf Coast with aid ahead of the surging Category 5 storm.

The U.S. Homeland Security Department declared Rita an "incident of national significance" late Wednesday, officially releasing a quick and massive federal response to the destruction now expected to exceed state and local capabilities. The storm was expected to strike the Texas coast by early Saturday.

Such a federal designation for Katrina was not triggered until a day after that storm hit three weeks ago.

The emergency declaration for Rita came as House Republicans were to open an inquiry Thursday into the government's sluggish response to Katrina. Democrats, who are seeking an independent panel to investigate, have refused to participate in the inquiry.

...SNIP"

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/050922/w092202.html

[jobycom]

1. Yay, Bush. It only took two hurricanes for him to do what every other

president knew how to do from the beginning. I read an article today that Bush was applying what "we had learned from Katrina." We didn't learn anything from Katrina that we hadn't learned from every makor storm since 1820. Bush just didn't bother studying what we already knew before Katrina.

And he's bungling Rita, too. All those supplies he's going to have down in Houston and Galveston where everyone has evacuated will be needed in shelters in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and states further abroad. What he needs most in Houston and Galveston now are National Guard troops on the streets to prevent looting and protect people's lives.

Meanwhile, they've pulled up tents in Mississippi and Louisiana, leaving these regions in need to do Bush's PR response in Texas. The headline of the Sun Herald today was "FORGOTTEN." Places in the rural areas of Mississippi and Louisiana still have no power, and now they will have fewer supplies and assistance, because Bush can't manage more than one catastrophe at a time.

[applegrove]

2. (Bush) Note to self: "Hurricanes important things. Ignore my special

scientific hurricane committee from here on in. Turns out they were wrong - hurricanes exist!"

[jobycom]

3. hehe I can imagine him calling

Pat Robertson and screaming "That prayer thing didn't work!"

To which Pat would reply "But we were praying FOR New Orleans to flood. Was that wrong?"

Pat's objection to New Orleans isn't the sin, it's the Catholicism. Not enough Pat Robertson donors there.

[applegrove]

5. Very sad. Unfortunately a sign of what is to come if you are vulnerable.

[shockingelk]

4. how can they defend the Katrina timeline after this?

Answer: they can't

[applegrove]

7. I'm just happy that people will not have to worry once the hurricane is

past. At least they know there will be law & order & food.

[shockingelk]

10. knock on wood n/t

[jobycom]

12. Probably not

The people are all out of the hurricane areas, and after the storm will have trouble getting back. There won't be gas, electricity, natural gas, water, and in many cases, the roads will be blocked by debris for days. When people begin to return to Houston and Galveston, they will still cause overloads and problems. So far I've read that Perry has called up 5,000 National Gaurd troops. That won't be enough if Rita stays a Cat 4, or, as Max Mayfield has said is possible, it strengthens to a 5 again.

There is more than the two cities to think about. There will be dozens of small to midsize towns and a lot of rural areas that will be shut down. A lot of Mississippi and Louisiana is still weeks or months away from power and normal supply lines. They are only seeing the cities right now, and may not get this one right, either.

As Nagin said, these are people who think small. They aren't used to handling emergencies. The same people are still in charge of FEMA, Homeland Security, and unfortunately, America.

So it will better than after Katrina, but this so far smacks of a political PR response, not a genuine emergency management response.

[jobycom]

11. They will argue it proves Blanco and Nagin are at fault

Blanco and Nagin should have asked for assistance the way Perry did. That will be their arguement, though it is of course a lie.

[ladylibertee]

6. Well, either they learned their lesson, or....the people are different

this time.I cannot tell.I really cannot tell.:sarcasm: :eyes:

[applegrove]

8. I think they learned something. About Americans. They underestimated

their public.

[ladylibertee]

9. Underestimate indeed.We are not stuck on stupid "over" LOL