Some say FEMA improved; others charge it's sluggish

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http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-09-27-fema-rita_x.htm

Some say FEMA improved; others charge it's sluggish
By Patrick O'Driscoll and Mimi Hall, USA TODAY

BEAUMONT, Texas — The nation's embattled Federal Emergency Management Agency has received higher marks for its handling of Hurricane Rita than for Hurricane Katrina, but one local leader angrily said Monday that the agency remains sluggish and has failed to deliver needed supplies.

"Get us the fuel. Get us the water. Get us the food," said Port Arthur, Texas, Mayor Oscar Ortiz. "They (FEMA) promised they were going to bring me a truckload of fuel. They promised they were going to bring me a truckload of food. It hasn't happened yet."<snip>

There were still pockets of grumbling Monday. Speaking from an area littered with downed trees and power lines across major roads, Bill Goodrich, 59, a retired Marine from LaBelle, Texas, complained, "We haven't seen FEMA or nothing here."

Paulison said there will be plenty of bumps along the way. Rebuilding shattered lives and property "is not going to be easy, folks. This is not going to be fast," he said. But he said FEMA would do its best to help people as fast as possible.