If Louisiana Was Florida

[rodeodance]

I got this an an email today. Keith Olberman covered much of this on this Countdown show last night.

----- Original Message -----
From: American Progress Action Fund
To: xxxx
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 10:10 AM
Subject: Progress Report: If Louisiana Was Florida
http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter2.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=917053

KATRINA
If Louisiana Was Florida

Between August and September of 2004, four hurricanes -- Jeanne, Charley, Frances, and Ivan -- belted the Florida coast. At the time, President Bush was engaged in a close campaign, with Florida shaping up to be a key battleground state that would swing the election. The Bush administration's response to the four hurricanes was quick and generous; it requested over $12 billion in emergency aid for the state (the outpouring of aid was so generous that the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security later found millions of dollars in unjustified disbursements, including $8 million given out to people for temporary housing even though they hadn't asked for it). By comparison, prior to yesterday's supplemental request for additional hurricane relief due to Katrina, Bush initially asked for $10.5 billion for the most damaging hurricane in history, four days after Katrina made landfall. Across the board, the comparisons between the administration's actions in the aftermath of the 2004 Florida hurricanes and the recent Katrina catastrophe indicate an uneven response.

BUSH ADMINISTRATION RESPONDED WITH FINANCIAL AID QUICKLY AFTER FLORIDA HURRICANES: Almost immediately after the four Florida hurricanes made landfall, the Bush administration was quick to call on Congress to provide massive resources to the state. The total amount of aid, the New York Times noted, was "more than three times as much as the administration channeling into an urgent effort to provide more security and create more public works jobs in Iraq before the elections scheduled for January there." White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan tried to tamp down allegations that political motivations may have been at play in the quick disbursement of financial aid by citing the enormity of the disaster. "Florida is the first state in 120 years to be hit by four hurricanes," McClellan said. "The people of Florida have been hit hard by these hurricanes, and it's important that the federal government do everything it can to assist and recover in those efforts." Four days after Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, the White House, according to McClellan, was still "making an assessment of what additional funding may be needed," and he could not even offer a ballpark estimate for its initial request.

ADMINISTRATION PREPARED FOR DISASTER IN FLORIDA: While the administration demonstrated through Katrina how not to prepare for a hurricane, Florida offered the opposite lesson. The St. Petersburg Times noted in August 2004 that Bush approved federal assistance for Hurricane Charley "about an hour after the hurricane made landfall." Rescue teams and National Guard troops were on the move to the hardest-hit counties; 11 truckloads of water and 14 truckloads of ice were immediately available. Federal and state officials applauded their increased coordination in responding. One former Florida director of emergency services remarked, "It amazed me how they got over 4,000 National Guard troops in there that quick." As Hurricane Frances followed, FEMA sent out a press release noting that it had pre-positioned disaster response personnel, equipment and supplies "to help those who are displaced or suffer losses." And FEMA made the same preparations for Hurricane Ivan after that. The response to Katrina, however, has left the American public, the media, and members of Congress questioning why those same actions weren't taken in the Gulf Coast as quickly as they should have been.

BUSH ADMINISTRATION PATTED ITSELF ON THE BACK FOR A JOB WELL DONE IN FLORIDA: The White House sought to take credit for the federal response to the Florida hurricanes. McClellan said at the time, "he President has a responsibility to make sure that the federal government is assisting in every way possible. And that's what he's here to do." Bush made five storm-related visits to the state. The White House put out a fact sheet extolling presidential action in response to the Florida hurricanes. In response to Katrina, White House officials have tried to shift blame to state and local officials. Now-embattled FEMA Director Mike Brown gave a commencement address at the Florida Institute of Technology in December, in which he dedicated a large opening section to applauding the work of FEMA in meeting the needs of Floridians. By contrast, Brown "waited a mind-boggling five hours" after Katrina hit to contact Secretary Chertoff, despite identifying the storm as a "near-catastrophic event."

POLITICS PLAYED A PART IN FLORIDA RESPONSE: The Chicago Tribune noted yesterday that top-level FEMA officials have "little or no experience in disaster management," but they do have "strong political connections" to Bush. That experience seemed to help Florida out in 2004, and it may explain why Louisiana was not treated similarly over the past few weeks. The Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel revealed official records in March that suggested Bush's re-election concerns played a part in FEMA aid. FEMA consultant Glenn Garcelon wrote a three-page memo on Hurricane Frances, against the backdrop of the president's reelection, that said the administration should "develop a communication strategy" to minimize any political liability Bush would face."Two weeks later, a Florida official summarizing the hurricane response wrote that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was handing out housing assistance 'to everyone who needs it without asking for much information of any kind.'"

[snippy]

1. What FEMA did to prepare for huricanes in 2004 vs. 2005

What FEMA did prior to Katrina making landfall should be compared to what FEMA did prior to three of last year's huricanes. Of course 2004 was an election year and FEMA had hired a political consultant. So according to republican values such a comparison probably is unfair.

Hurricane Charley hit Florida on August 13 last year. The following is from a DHS press release that day.

Department of Homeland Security Prepares Response to Hurricane Charley

FEMA Public Affairs
Contact: 202-646-4600
August 13, 2004

With Hurricane Charley's 145 mile-per-hour winds impacting the Florida coast, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has pre-positioned personnel and supplies for rapid response to areas that will need emergency assistance from this Category 4 strength storm.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is coordinating activities along with other federal departments and respective state agencies. FEMA met its goal to have necessary emergency response teams and disaster relief supplies positioned throughout the southeast region earlier today in preparation for the anticipated response operations. More equipment and resources are being deployed from stockpiles nationwide.

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and FEMA Director Michael Brown are maximizing readiness and response efforts for Hurricane Charley and have been in contact with Florida Governor Jeb Bush and other governors in southeast states that could be impacted by this dangerous storm.

FEMA's Mobile Emergency Response Services’ communication units from as far away as FEMA’s Denver, CO, regional office were mobilized to be in place prior to Hurricane Charley's landfall. These units are able to provide telephone, radio and video links in support of response and recovery efforts.

FEMA has activated and deployed Medical Management Support Teams such as MASH-type Disaster Medical Assistance Teams and Veterinary Medical Teams and has mobilized and pre-positioned first-responder urban search and rescue teams for possible service. Disaster medical teams have also brought extra supplies to ensure that the region's large elderly population’s needs are met.

Twenty semi-trailers containing cots and blankets, emergency meals, portable toilets, personal wash kits, sleeping bags, 6-8 person tents, plastic sheeting and roofing, bottled water and mid-range generators are being staged in Georgia for rapid deployment to Florida. FEMA has also deployed large sea containers with building materials for immediate home repairs.

. . .

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, at FEMA's request, has coordinated the deployment of ten truckloads of water and seven truckloads of ice to the Tampa area and has deployed sandbag teams and portable flood control levees to central and northern Florida.

. . .

The Department of Defense (DoD) is supporting FEMA's response effort with four military bases being used for mobilization and staging sites for response teams and supplies. DoD is also analyzing national aircraft assets from military and civilian agencies if additional aircraft are needed to transport response and recovery supplies.

. . .

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=3942

Most if not all of this was done prior to the hurricane making landfall. But 2004 was an election year. And FEMA had hired a political consultant.


And hurricane Frances hit Florida on Sunday, September 5 last year. This is from a September 6, 2004 White House press release:

. . .

As of noon Monday, in response to Hurricane Frances, FEMA and other Federal response agencies have taken the following actions:

About one hundred trucks of water and 280 trucks of ice are present or will arrive in the Jacksonville staging area today.

900,000 Meals-Ready-to-Eat are on site in Jacksonville, ready to be distributed.

Over 7,000 cases of food (e.g., vegetables, fruits, cheese, ham, and turkey) are scheduled to arrive in Winter Haven today.

Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) are on the ground and setting up comfort stations. FEMA community relations personnel will coordinate with DMATs to assist victims.

Urban Search and Rescue Teams are completing reconnaissance missions in coordination with state officials.

FEMA is coordinating with the Department of Energy and the state to ensure that necessary fuel supplies can be distributed throughout the state, with a special focus on hospitals and other emergency facilities that are running on generators.

The Army Corps of Engineers will soon begin its efforts to provide tarps to tens of thousands of owners of homes and buildings that have seen damage to their roofs.

The National Guard has called up 4,100 troops in Florida, as well as thousands in other nearby states to assist in the distribution of supplies and in preparation for any flooding.

The Departments of Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, and Defense together have organized 300 medical personnel to be on standby. Medical personnel will begin deployment to Florida tomorrow.

. . .

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/09/20040906-1.html


Most if not all of this was done prior to the hurricane making landfall. But 2004 was an election year. And FEMA had hired a political consultant.


And there also was this concerning Frances:

Michael Brown, director of FEMA, told CNN:

. . .

"We have poised right now to move into this state literally thousands of personnel, literally hundreds and hundreds of trucks, emergency rescue workers, urban search and rescue, medical teams."

FEMA spokesman James McIntyre said about 4,500 federal personnel are staged at various locations in Florida, Georgia and other states in Frances' path. More people are on call. FEMA deployed about 1,500 people in response to Charley, which hit southern and central Florida Aug. 13, McIntyre said.

. . .

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WEATHER/09/04/hurricane.frances /

In addition, last year Bush even had FEMA hire a political consultant to devise political public relations strategies concerning the response to hurricane Frances for FEMA and the Bush campaign.

. . .

But politics was foremost on the mind of FEMA consultant Glenn Garcelon, who wrote a three-page memo titled "Hurricane Frances -- Thoughts and Suggestions," on Sept. 2.

The Republican National Convention was winding down, and President Bush had only a slight lead in the polls against Democrat John Kerry. Winning Florida was key to the president's re-election. FEMA should pay careful attention to how it is portrayed by the public, Garcelon wrote in the memo, conveying "the team effort theme at every opportunity" alongside state and local officials, the insurance and construction industries, and relief agencies such as the Red Cross.

"What FEMA cannot afford to do is back itself into a corner by feeling it has to be the sole explainer and defender for everything that goes wrong," he wrote. "Further, this is not what the President would want. Plenty is going to go wrong, and his Department of Homeland Security does not want to assume responsibility for all of it."

Garcelon, a former FEMA employee, recommended that "top-level people from FEMA and the White House need to develop a communication strategy and an agreed-upon set of themes and communications objectives."

"Communication consultants from the President's re-election campaign should be brought in," he wrote. "Above all, everybody's got to understand that no amount of flogging DHS/ FEMA will insure that the recovery will go perfectly. This is going to be a huge mess. The public needs to be prepared for it."

. . .

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/sfl-fema23mar23,0,5144922.story?coll=sfla-news-utility



And hurricane Ivan hit the gulf coast on Sunday, September 16, 2004 . This is from a September 16, 2004 Department of Homeland Security press release:

. . .

The following activities are taking place to prepare for Hurricane Ivan:


Homeland Security officials are fully coordinating preparations and are in constant communication with our federal partners, governors, and other state and local officials in possible affected states.

Currently, more than 5,000 FEMA personnel are in Florida and additional emergency response personnel have been deployed from the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Defense. FEMA’s Hurricane Liaison Team remains activated at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, to assist with advisories, information coordination and emergency evacuation activities. FEMA personnel continue to work with the victims of Hurricanes Charley and Frances while others have been repositioned to respond to state requests for assistance as a result of Hurricane Ivan.

FEMA is positioned to send emergency management personnel, supplies and equipment to those areas impacted most to ensure a rapid and effective response as soon as Hurricane Ivan passes. Critical commodities such as ice, water, meals and tarps are staged and ready for immediate delivery to residents in affected areas. The Army Corps of Engineers is standing by with 100 refrigerator trucks of ice and 500 trucks of water to meet immediate needs as part of the Hurricane Ivan response.

Two Urban Search and Rescue Teams are deployed in Florida with four additional teams en route to Alabama and Mississippi for immediate deployment if needed. Mobile Emergency Response Service communication units are also available to provide telephone, radio and video links in support of response and recovery efforts.

Four Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) and Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams have been activated or deployed to sites in Florida, Georgia and Mississippi to support medical facilities and hospitals that are not fully operational following Hurricane Ivan. An additional seven teams have been placed on alert, assembling teams and loading equipment in case they are needed. The DMATs include doctors, nurses and medical technicians trained to handle trauma, pediatrics, surgery and mental health concerns. DMATs also bring truckloads of medical equipment and supplies with them.

Preparations are being made for Disaster Field Offices and Disaster Recovery Centers to be established in the hardest hit areas within 72 hours after a federal declaration. This will allow impacted residents to receive disaster assistance as soon as possible.

The U.S. Coast Guard has pre-positioned helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to support response activities, closed all ports from New Orleans to the Florida panhandle and has established a temporary safety zone extending the entire width of the lower Mississippi River from mile marker 88 to 106 to help protect people and vessels from the potential safety hazards associated with Hurricane Ivan. The U.S. Coast Guard is also broadcasting hurricane advisories and warnings to mariners along the hurricane’s projected path and coordinating area harbor safety committees to prepare ports and minimize potential damage. Following the storm, the Coast Guard will assist with post-hurricane response and recovery operations to aid navigation assessment and repair, marine pollution response, search and rescue operations, and support to other agencies and humanitarian aid.

Aircraft from Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement will help transport FEMA officials to and from sites and will fly over the storm's path following landfall to collect high-resolution images for damage assessment. The remotely sensed data will allow FEMA to better target areas needing immediate disaster damage assessment.

The Department's Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection unit is assessing the vulnerabilities and potential impact to critical infrastructure located in the storm's projected path. Based upon these assessments, Homeland Security will be prepared to work with private sector partners and state and local government officials during the recovery phase.

Homeland Security is working with the American Red Cross and other volunteer agencies to ensure sheltering and critical needs are met immediately.

Citizen Corps Councils and national Citizen Corps affiliate organizations mobilized more than 2,000 volunteers and representatives from 45 states to provide disaster support in Florida communities affected by Hurricanes Charley and Frances. In addition, Citizen Corps Councils and volunteer members already established within Florida are supporting state coordinated disaster relief efforts and preparing for response to Hurricane Ivan. Citizen Corps will also be recruiting an additional 500 people nationwide to support disaster recovery efforts following Hurricane Ivan.

FEMA is working to provide multiple trailers full of generators at the request of Gulf Coast and inland states that will be used to provide power to critical facilities affected by the hurricane.

All the National Processing Service Centers (NPSCs) are fully staffed and ready to register and process disaster assistance applications immediately, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

. . .

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=43&content=4007&print=true

Most if not all of this was done prior to the hurricane making landfall. But 2004 was an election year. And FEMA had hired a political consultant.


In contrast, before Katrina hit, Bush declared parts of the gulf coast a federal disaster area to streamline claims for financial assistance from the government after the hurricane passed. I have been unable to find any information on the White House, DHS, or FEMA web sites concerning any other actions taken in advance of Katrina except for a press release stating that:

"FEMA will mobilize equipment and resources necessary to protect public health and safety by assisting law enforcement with evacuations, establishing shelters, supporting emergency medical needs, meeting immediate lifesaving and life-sustaining human needs and protecting property, in addition to other emergency protective measures."

http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18447


Shortly before Katrina made landfall, Bush also attended a fund raiser, played a guitar, enjoyed some cake, and shortened one of his several annual vacations by a few hours.


That is a far cry from what FEMA and Bush did in 2004. But 2004 was an election year. And FEMA had hired a political consultant.

[AndreaCG]

2. And Bush's brother was not Governor of Louisiana

As if I need to mention that!