R. David Paulison named as new FEMA Head

[jezebel]

according to John Gibson (Faux news)
Head of emergency preparedness force since 2003. Bumped up.

[Nikki Stone 1]

1. Another frat buddy?

info pls.

[jezebel]

3. Don't know much, He just did a quick News Alert. They didn't even put the

name up on the screen, so I'm sure I spelled it wrong.

[SodoffBush]

2. Let's hope greyhounds are his thing

the ones you race to a disaster, not around a track.

[onecent]

7. LOL LOL LOL

[Bob3]

4. let me guess - he ran dog shows? Maybe beauty pageants?

N/T

[tjdee]

5. Bush didn't appoint this guy, he doesn't even know Brownie resigned!

What the fuck is going on? Seriously. What the fuck?

Chertoff has that kind of leverage?

[samdogmom]

17. You've expressed my outrage completely!

A few minutes ago he was on TV saying he didn't even know "Brownie" resigned. And now "HE" has appointed a new head of FEMA. Give me a break! How stupid does his administration think we are. Who is running this show? It sure isn't dubuya!

[MidwestTransplant]

33. Bush said he didn't know? Seriously?

[FreeStateDemocrat]

19. Some more proof that the idiot is out of touch with reality. Hopefully

they at least let him pick his nose. I wonder when they will let him know who his next SCOTUS nominee will be?

[northzax]

22. FEMA is part of DHS-

as such, undersecretaries serve at the pleasure of the Secretary (which is usually the pleasure of the President) It would be up to the Secretary to appoint an interim director, during an emergency situation.

[samdogmom]

31. Then why doesn't somebody tell the truth for once?

Sec. Chertoff has appointed a new FEMA director and NOT dubuya.

[Jeanette in FL]

37. At 2:43pm I posted that Bush didn't know

www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4746874

That Brown had resigned, now less than 2 hours later, he can name a new head. This proves for the final time he is not calling the shots at all. Very frightening.

[Walt Starr]

6. Does bush know about this? n/t

[libertypirate]

8. Before or after the president was told about it on MSNBC? /nt

[DancingBear]

9. Qualifications?

Drinking buddy?

Ex-coke dealer?

Director of dog shows?

Grand Wizard??

[DrDan]

15. buddies from AA

AWOLers Anonymous

[Sanity Claws]

10. A replacement named so fast --- Hhmmm

Someone pushed Brownie out. Bush didn't know about it so he wasn't the one. Also, since Bush didn't even known Brownie had resigned, someone else must have selected the replacement.
I guess we all knew *** was not in charge. Cheney, perhaps?

[bigbrother05]

11. Link to resume/bio

30 yrs fire service & rescue in Miami/Dade. How the hell did he get in.


http://www.fema.gov/about/bios/paulison.shtm

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. Well, that's a nice change of pace

------------------------------------------------------
URGENT yet easy! Hold the government accountable for Katrina's aftermath
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4736062

[Ioo]

23. From the inside - Some info...

The US Fire Administration has a high level of cronyism.

Here is what I know about the group he is/was a part of. Under the Clinton Administration it was headed up by an African-American women, and she fostered and promoted a lot of other African-Americans under her. She sometimes promoted people a little higher than they should have be, before her, this was a lily white group in FEMA.

After she left, most of the African-Americans what moved up in the ranks, regardless of qualifications (Keep in mind most were very qualified) were pushed out of the organization, it is now back to it's lily white old self.

This is just info I have, it means nothing about this man, it is just info....

[MsTryska]

26. holy crap!

soemone with experience?

that is a nice change of pace.

[salin]

35. pure embarassment and relentless bad PR - they knew they

had to go with experience over political donation track-record.

[confludemocrat]

36. If this is true this is yet another sad statement about Bush's gvt

This guy shoulda been the FEMA head. Wow, even I am shocked by what this tells us

[napi21]

12. CNN reported that Paulison was head of FEMA in Florida.

Supposed to have 30 years exp. in disaster related stuff.

[Nikki Stone 1]

14. Recommended by Jeb? At least the guy has experience

I guess they couldn't get away with a drinking buddy this time.

[samdogmom]

20. Except his fingerprints have to be on the big FEMA giveaway

in Florida last year. So how clean is this guy?

[blondeatlast]

13. Google News is our friend; links:

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&q=R.+David+Paulison

[CAcyclist]

16. bio

http://www.fema.gov/about/bios/paulison.shtm

R. David Paulison
Director, Preparedness Division/U.S. Fire Administrator

Photo of R. David PaulisonR. David Paulison was appointed director of the Preparedness Division of the Emergency Preparedness & Response Directorate/FEMA, in the newly created Department of Homeland Security in 2003. He will continue to serve as the administrator for the U.S. Fire Administration, a position to which he was appointed in December 2001.

As director of the Preparedness Division, Mr. Paulison administers a broad range of programs designed to reduce injuries and death due to disasters, strengthen states and communities and prevent or reduce damage to public and personal property. He is also responsible for enhancing state and local emergency preparedness, training federal, state, and local emergency managers, and conducting a nationwide program of exercises. As head of the U.S. Fire Administration, Mr. Paulison also supports state and local fire service programs and oversees programs to reduce life and economic losses due to fire and related emergencies in partnership with fire protection and emergency service communities.

Before joining FEMA, Mr. Paulison, who has 30 years of fire rescue services experience, was chief of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department. In that position, he oversaw 1,900 personnel with a $200 million operating budget and a $70 million capital budget. He also oversaw the county's emergency management office.

He began his career as a rescue firefighter and rose through the ranks to rescue lieutenant, battalion commander, district chief of operations, division chief, assistant chief and then deputy director for administration before becoming chief. His emergency management experience includes Hurricane Andrew and the crash of ValuJet Flight 592.

A native of Miami, Fla., Mr. Paulison earned a bachelor of arts from Florida Atlantic University and completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He received the LeRoy Collins Distinguished Alumni Award and was inducted into the Miami-Dade Community College Hall of Fame. Mr. Paulison was selected as fire chief of the year by Florida in 1993 and holds positions in several professional associations. He is a certified paramedic and as fire chief, oversaw the Miami-Date Urban Search and Rescue Task Force. He is also past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

[Catrina]

28. At least he has qualifactions that

match the job description ~ now all we need to know is, is his allegiance to the people or to the administration?

Shutting the barn door after the horse is gone. This makes the appointment of Brown raise even more questions. Who, in their right mind, would have nominated someone like Brown for such a position?

Brown is gone, Chertoff needs to go next ~ They must not be allowed to make Brown the scapegoat.

Doesn't Chertoff have dual citizenship? Read that somewhere recently. Amazing how if he was a Clinton appointee they would trash him for being more loyal to his 'other' country....

[blondeatlast]

21. Here's a goodie--stay home until we tell you you can help...

and WE'LL make the decision, not YOUR mayors and governors. Smacks of a company man to me:

http://homelandresponse.org/full_story.php?WID=13945

[displacedtexan]

24. At least, he's a fireman.

http://www.fema.gov/about/bios/paulison.shtm

[underpants]

25. hold it-PAT PAULSEN?? I thought he wasnted to be President

and died?


http://www.paulsen.com/

[Buns_of_Fire]

40. I'll take Pat Paulsen over anybody in charge right now...

...dead or not. He surely couldn't be doing a worse job of it.

[geomon666]

27. Seems like a good guy

http://www.jems.com/firerescue/exclus03/e0211d.html

[bluedog]

29. 9-20-2001 Nominated Admin. US Fire Adminin.by bush

Office of the Press Secretary
September 20, 2001

Nomination
President Bush to Nominate Paulison to be Administrator of the United States Fire Administration at FEMA

President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate R. David Paulison to be Administrator of the United States Fire Administration at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Paulison has been Fire Chief of Miami-Dade County since 1992, after twenty-one years of service with the Miami-Dade County Fire Department.

He also directs the Miami-Dade County Office of Emergency Management. Chief Paulison was named by FEMA to participate in a joint Russian and American Committee charged with developing coordinated disaster preparedness and response plans.

In 1997, he was appointed to the Civil Integration Response Panel of the Defense Science Board, a Department of Defense group that is comprised of emergency response experts. Paulison is the Past President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and is currently on the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross. Paulison is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University and completed the Program for State Executives in State in Local Government at Harvard University.

###

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-3.html

[Divernan]

30. Has excellent, relevant credentials -but can he stand up to Chertoff?

Chertoff was the cause of the delay - either because Chertoff choose that course of action, or because Chertoff couldn't influence Bush.

Paulison had 30 years fire-rescue experience, including Hurricane Andrew, and ending with being fire chief for Miami/Dade County. That involved overseeing 1,900 personnel and controlling a $200 million operating budget, and a $70 million capital budget. He is a certified paramedic. He has a Bachelor's degree from Florida Atlantic University and completed the program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard for executives in state and local government. He is past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He joined FEMA asa Director of the Preparedness Division a couple of years ago.

He could be a good choice if Bush gives him the power to act in emergencies without waiting for Chertoff and Bush.
And I H O P E he demands to fill those 900 empty job slots at FEMA and do so with qualified people, not Bush's political donors' otherwise unemployable relatives.

[confludemocrat]

32. He's from the FEMA Preparedness Division, that sounds promising!(eyeroll)

[MidwestTransplant]

34. I heard Ken Lay was looking for a job. Too bad they already found someone

[texpatriot2004]

38. I thought he didn't know he had a vacancy n/t

[blondeatlast]

39. Sure makes me wonder--you too? Mr./Ms. Lurking Media Types--

yet another lead brought to you by the fine folks at the Democratic Underground.

No need to credit us; just reporting on this coincidence will be sufficient for me...