Dean says N.H. floods to test FEMA

[Khephra]

Dean says N.H. floods to test FEMA
By STEPHEN SEITZ
Union Leader Correspondent

Flooding in southwestern New Hampshire could be the first real test of the Federal Emergency Management Administration since the Homeland Security Act took effect, according to Democratic Presidential hopeful Howard Dean.

“The most important thing is to have a FEMA that responds quickly,” Dean said in a press conference call from Oklahoma yesterday morning. “Homeland security has taken some of their functions. We’re going to find out if some of the bureaucratic in-fighting over the homeland security agency will effect the recovery effort in New Hampshire.”

Dean, former governor of Vermont, had to call FEMA for assistance several times during his 11-year tenure. He had nothing but praise for FEMA’s response to Vermont’s floods.

Recalling a flood in the town of Grafton, Vt., in 1996, Dean said, “FEMA was very good, very helpful. James Lee Witt in the Clinton administration was great. FEMA under Clinton was the best that you could ask for. The only problem we had with Grafton was that it was an isolated flood. Generally, you have to have a million dollars worth of damage before FEMA will come in.”

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http://www.theunionleader.com/prez_show.html?article=24941

[bicentennial_baby]

1. It's bad

I live just over the NH/MA line, and I saw it on the local news...the roads look like they've been through a major earthquake, pavement buckled and destroyed everywhere. The problem is, there are'nt a lot of route choices up there, and some pretty major roads are closed because of it.

[w4rma]

2. pre-emptive strike at what may be a bunch of mismanagement? (n/t)