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

[WestHoustonDem]

This is so disgusting, I can't even verbalize my reaction.

From the Red Cross web site:
http://www.redcross.org/faq/0,1096,0_682_4524,00.html#4524



Disaster FAQs
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.

* The Red Cross has been meeting the needs of thousands of New Orleans residents in some 90 shelters throughout the state of Louisiana and elsewhere since before landfall. All told, the Red Cross is today operating 149 shelters for almost 93,000 residents.

* The Red Cross shares the nation’s anguish over the worsening situation inside the city. We will continue to work under the direction of the military, state and local authorities and to focus all our efforts on our lifesaving mission of feeding and sheltering.

* The Red Cross does not conduct search and rescue operations. We are an organization of civilian volunteers and cannot get relief aid into any location until the local authorities say it is safe and provide us with security and access.

* The original plan was to evacuate all the residents of New Orleans to safe places outside the city. With the hurricane bearing down, the city government decided to open a shelter of last resort in the Superdome downtown. We applaud this decision and believe it saved a significant number of lives.

* As the remaining people are evacuated from New Orleans, the most appropriate role for the Red Cross is to provide a safe place for people to stay and to see that their emergency needs are met. We are fully staffed and equipped to handle these individuals once they are evacuated.

[bushisanidiot]

1. AWOL Bush needs to explain why he's keeping the Red Cross out!!

all the fuck-ups lead to AWOL Bush!!! it's a friggin BOTTLENECK in washington with the paperwork for all of this to get "approved".. what BULLSHIT!!!!!

[MeatLoafZero]

7. You highlighted point 2

What about point 5?

The Red Cross does not conduct search and rescue operations. We are an organization of civilian volunteers and cannot get relief aid into any location until the local authorities say it is safe and provide us with security and access.


People have been shooting at rescue helicopters, the police, and attacking ambulances. Why would they respect the Red Cross volunteers?



(Sorry, meant to reply to original message)

[bushisanidiot]

9. Bullshit!!! nobody was firing at the rescue helicopters. those were

nothing but rumours and have STILL not been confirmed.

the red cross would have saved lives had AWOL Bush been a human being for 5 seconds and let them in.

[MeatLoafZero]

11. And yet

police were fired upon and ambulances were attacked. That has been confirmed.

While Bush is the Commander in Chief, somehow I doubt he is making every single decision about the efforts there. Don't ascribe to him more power than he already has.

[bushisanidiot]

12. AWOL Bush had the power to send in the troops on MONDAY

to rescue these people and get them out. but he sat on his hands and went off partying instead!!

if there is one ambulance per 20,000 you can bet that the desperate and suffering will do what it takes to get supplies to their dying loved ones... they needed MORE ambulances.. MORE supplies.. all of these things were withheld by AWOL Bush.. he is also keeping the Red Cross from going in to new orleans..

he's a fucking PUSSY and is only looking for photo-ops at this point... he yaps about "help is on the way" but he laughed his ass off playing that damned guitar as americans died on the gulf coast!

FUCK HIM AND HIS BLOWJOB BOY JEFF GANNON!!

[MeatLoafZero]

13. And Mayor Nagin

could have gotten them out on Saturday and Sunday (and probably Monday, as well), using the state school buses.

I thought it was the National Guard keeping the Red Cross out, not the federales. Doesn't the Governor make the decisions regarding their orders?

Please, we could debate this all day, and frankly, I'd rather not be subjected to more profanity. There is plenty of blame to be shared by all levels of government in this.

Peace.

[dogday]

2. No red cross allowed but reporters are ok?

There are enough people living right off I-10 overpass at New Orleans to get help, but the majority need it inside the city.....

[gizmo1979]

3. I know they do alot of good work

but I really have a distrust of the red cross.There are too many people making too much money for my taste.

[dogday]

4. My father-in-law who was in WWII

said they were the biggest rip off during the war.

[gizmo1979]

5. While I was in the

army I had a bad experience with them,as did several other GI'S that's where my distrust started.

[dogday]

10. In the age of computers, the Red Cross and other

large money handlers are getting the deserved scrutiny to assure us of who and what we give our money to.

Who was President/CEO at the time of WWII?

[cthrumatrix]

6. Red Cross --- where are they? Are they in the Astro Dome? Where are

they besides collecting $$$$$$$$$$

[Spazito]

8. They are NOT being allowed in, you need to READ the OP

Homeland Security will not allow them in. The Red Cross has some negatives but, geez, in this case, they are NOT to blame.