FEMA Flood Response...Clinton vs. Bush

[huskerlaw]

Ashley Shelby: Another Flood, Another FEMA

--snip--
Due to a complex mistake in the National Weather Service's hydrological model, amplified by freakish behavior of the river itself, the city of Grand Forks was nearly destroyed. It was, at the time, classified as the eigth-worst natural disaster in U.S. history. By failing to correctly predict the flood crest, the federal government, many outraged and heartbroken Grand Forks citizens said then, had failed them -- and had ruined their lives.

--snip--

The National Guard had been mobilized months earlier -- its ranks full and available to the people it served -- and was responsible for a huge percentage of preparedness activities before the flood. It was responsible for executing the remarkable evacuation of Grand Forks (until New Orleans, the largest evacuation of an American city since Atlanta in the Civil War) and provided immediate search and rescue support as the floodwaters deluged the city.

--snip--

Witt's FEMA began canvassing Grand Forks almost immediately after the city was evacuated. Trailers were brought in for displaced residents. The famous FEMA trailer christened "Red October" arrived soon after -- one of FEMA's mobile emergency-response units, outfitted with more than a dozen computers wired with Internet access, a satellite communications system, a radio system and 48 phone lines, including dedicated lines to the White House and the Pentagon. The US Department of Energy immediately announced an action plan to restore power systems in North Dakota, and deployed personnel to help cities get their systems back online.

Much, much more here: http://www.startribune.com/stories/562/5610904.html

[Lasher]

1. So Dubya guts FEMA and the National Guard

What else would you expect in NOLA?

[huskerlaw]

3. I would say that

we got pretty much what we expected from Bush. I do, however, think it's interesting to be able to compare the Clinton-run FEMA response to the current one. It's good to be reminded that FEMA wasn't always run by former heads of the Arabian Horse Association. That, in fact, it's yet another governmental program/organization that Bush has royally fucked up.

[ComerPerro]

6. Well, true. Conservatives always say they want to "cripple" big government

I guess they did so to the point that it can no longer respond effectively to emergencies.

[huskerlaw]

10. Except traditional Conservatives

"crippled" government by cutting funding. BushCo added a new dimension by placing completely incompetent people in charge of everything. Unless the Arabian Horse Association dealt with some natural disasters that I'm entirely unaware of.

[quiet.american]

2. Excellent. n/t

[huskerlaw]

13. Thanks! n/t

[madokie]

4. I sure miss having an articulate and intelligent President

I truly miss the Big Dawg and all the good that came with him

[huskerlaw]

7. Me too

:cry:

[Roland99]

5. Good find!

[KittyWampus]

8. DU'ers hate Clinton too much to realize his success then indicts Bush now

and proves the Fed. Govt. does NOT need more power.

[huskerlaw]

9. DUers HATE Clinton?

What? :shrug:

[KittyWampus]

15. haven't you noticed the bile heaped upon him?

[Lasher]

17. I don't hate Clinton.

One of the best presidents we've ever had.

[newswolf56]

11. Superb post: damning indictment of the Bush Administration...

in the telling contrast between Clinton's immediate response and Bush's haughty indifference.

Thanks for posting; it should be a Must Read -- especially for those idiots who denounce as "tinfoil-hat thinking" the ever-more-obvious fact that the murderous treatment of Katrina's victims was a predictable, deliberate expression of methodically crafted Bush policies.

[huskerlaw]

12. You're welcome

and I completely agree.

[huskerlaw]

14. ...

:kick: for the evening crowd

[KittyWampus]

16. FEMA... Clinton vs. Bush.... Democrat vs. GOP