Does anyone know exactly what was the state, city, and federal

[Seedersandleechers]

responsibilities of the NO disaster? I have been trying to find an answer-but, maybe there isn't one.

[jasmeel]

1. Maybe FEMA authorities would give a clue. I think there was something

about that on the greatest page

[Seedersandleechers]

2. Is it that no one knows for sure and that could have played a small

part. In the future IMO, shouldn't the roles be more defined?

[kenny blankenship]

3. If only...

we had some sort of Federal Agency that was supposed to take charge and coordinate relief during a major natural disaster, or during other kinds of catastropes that affect whole regions of the country.

...it could manage emergencies when local and state authorities are overwhelmed, it would bring help, and if need be, have the power to restore civil order...

It could have a mandate "to prepare for the worst" and a budget that reflects this grave responsibility. It could be run by an executive with cabinet level status in the government (after all, in an real emergency you can't have the guy in charge of relief needing to run to the Secretary of the Interior, or Governors --or godknows county fucking commissioners-- for their signatures on every little thing--he needs author-i-tah!)

That would be GREAT. I think we SHOULD have an agency like that to take on the big threats, from panic-causing terrorist incidents to the largest, most devastating disasters that arise from the awful forces of the natural world.

But...what would we call this new agency?

[FightinNewDem]

4. I'm not sure ANYONE knows

One of the problems here is that there are so many levels and elements of government involved in the process that it will be a hellacious task trying to sort things out.

Just within the greater New Orleans, consider the agencies involved:

City of New Orleans
Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff
Orleans Parish Civil Sheriff
Jefferson Parish Sheriff
Port Authority of New Orleans ("Dock Board")
New Orleans Levee Board
Jefferson Parish
City of Kenner
City of Gretna
City of Westwego
City of Harahan
City of Slidell
St. Tammany Parish
St. Bernard Parish
Harbor Police
Levee Police (yes, there is such a thing)
State of Louisiana
Louisiana National Guard

Now, add to the mix

Army Corps of Engineers
Environmental Protection Agency
Department of Defense (two naval installations in NOLA area)
DHS
FEMA

You can see why this is going to be difficult

[Seedersandleechers]

6. There should be a solution to the problem if we ever hope to be

prepared. At the time of Katrina, supplies of ready funds would not have made a difference. IMO.

[Peter Frank]

5. No Local Government...

...has even remotely enough resources to deal with a catastrophy of this magnitude.

Bush put FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) under the umbrella of Homeland Security, so the buck stops with the president.

I have no doubt that if South Beach (in Jeb country) got hit -- FEMA and all other related federal resources would have been in Miami without haste, regardless of local decisions.

[Seedersandleechers]

7. So it ultimately comes down to WHERE the disaster is?

[Peter Frank]

8. Precisely...

Who in their "right" mind would think that Bush would have allowed this to happen in Florida?

[Justitia]

12. Would Provo, Utah get the same response? I think not.

Not picking on Provo, just trying to think of the whitest, most repub corner of the US I could come up with. Advance apologies to Provo if I'm wrong.

[DerBeppo]

11. no

but it is the local government and the state government's job to plan for these events and come up with evacuation and temporary shelter plans well before the feds show up to execute those plans. this wasn't just bush's failure, this was a systemic failure. the mayor and the governor and every member of the Louisiana congressional delegation share in this horror and should share the outrage and anger that's being handed out.

every bit of leadership that those residents had failed them, not just one branch.

[Spazito]

13. Nope, they did what was demanded of them

bush signed a document declaring Louisiana a disaster area on Aug. 28th, before the hurricane hit, at the request of the Louisiana Governor. Once that signing took place, federal agencies were to go into action, it did NOT happen. Nothing will change that.

[Emit]

9. LA State is here

http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/plans/plansindex.htm

[bananas]

10. Has anyone heard anything from Rumsfeld?

According to this, FEMA was taking orders from the DOD.
Has anyone heard anything from Rumsfeld?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4610127
"When the storm hit and everyone knew the worst had happened, I contacted the Red Cross, (someone there hung up on me) and then FEMA where someone told me it was all up to the DOD -- and I wondered why the Pentagon was in charge of FEMA? I was also told that FEMA was being privatized and a number of the experienced staff trained in hurricane relief had been told they had to resign from FEMA and then be rehired by the private company."

[bribri16]

14. So let me get this straight: If a terrorist attack takes place in a city

ALL the responsibility is on the mayor and governor? If they don't ask for help, and ask the right way, the federal government has no resonsibility under Homeland Security setup? If "terrorists" are not the cause of a major disaster, the feds have little or no responsibility except to leave the mayors and governors hanging?

[lynne]

15. Link to New Orleans Hurricane Guidelines

from city website tells what they were training for which makes it appear that is what they were responsible for.

http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=46&tabid=26