Privatized rescue/relief : When did FEMA contract for the 650 buses ?

[EVDebs]

by FEMA in order to bus out the Superdome/ConventionCenter sites.

Privatization plays a major role in explaining the 'hot potato' rescue and food/water delays.

Who at DU dares to delve into this ?

""Convoys of food, water and ice which are arriving hourly in impacted areas.

The evacuation of thousands from New Orleans to Texas. FEMA has contracted for more than 650 buses to expedite the state-ordered evacuation."" from FEMA's website

FEMA Urges Patience While Search Continues for Stranded Victims and Supplies Stream In

Release Date: September 2, 2005
Release Number: HQ-05-190

www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18540

A FIVE DAY DELAY because of a privatized rescue/relief operation ? Heads WILL ROLL !!!!!!

There's a reason why government should NOT privatize certain things to the free market. BushCo has learned, at the public's expense, one reason why. Maybe 'faith-based' groups do the job well after the emergency has passed, but the trained first responders, the National Guard, military and state/local groups should expect heroic efforts to save lives, not four or five day delays so that contracts for buses can be let...

[sam sarrha]

1. Head of Fema never had ANY emergancy experience, an old drinking buddy.??

[madeline_con]

2. Heads WILL ROLL !!!!!!

I disagree here.

DUH-bya has gotten away with everything else his cronies have done. Why should this be any different?

The only result will be a lot of talk and hurt feelings. Then back to business as usual. :(

[GettysbergII]

3. Great find!

[EVDebs]

7. Thanks and look at Jane Eyre's post on who got the contract....eom

[Misskittycat]

4. Privatizing = Profiteering.

As I recall from past Republican bullshit, the concept of privatizing certain government functions was to be able to do the job more cheaply.

Obviously, this was never the truth -- now more so, since the Bush Robber Barons' plan was to make huge profits out of these private contracts.

The fact that FEMA is refusing volunteer aid because "we have to contract it out" is one of the most sickening aspects of this entire debacle. It's not just incompetence - it's pure evil greed.

[Jane Eyre]

5. Local news report said that Burke Christian Tour Buses went to LA

I'm trying to remember which day I saw this, I think it was either Wednesday or Thursday morning. They showed employees getting buses ready for the trip to Louisiana. I thought at the time that it seemed really inappropriate to send in buses all the way from the NC foothills especially since this is a company that specifically only transports Christians. Were there no buses available in the area?

Here's an article I just found. They were called about 10 am Wednesday by another bus company who had been contracted to go to LA. They left by 2 PM Wednesday and were taking people to Texas from New Orleans on Thursday.

http://www.hickoryrecord.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=HDR/MGArticle/HDR_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784847098&path=

Here's the company's website:

http://www.burkechristiantours.com/

[EVDebs]

6. So Jane, why not gather all local buses etc ? Insane, huh ?

Unless you knew there were contracts to be 'let' and $ to be made. Privatization/profiteering should be a centerpiece of DU research and you've gone a long way in providing that, Jane. Thanks !