In speaking with several different people over the past few days it seems there is a very distinct line drawn as to how people feel about the New Orleans ordeal. Last Saturday I even had a very heated discussion mainly focusing on the response time by the federal government. My drinking pal for the evening kept reiterating that the local government was at fault for most of what went wrong with the rescue efforts or lack thereof. I mentioned there was not much of a local government after Katrina but still he says that FEMA, Homeland Security, Bush administration et al were not at fault that he could see. He has since read several articles and papers but points out that repairing the levees wouldn’t have made much difference and quoting a source in the Washington Post that Louisiana received the most funds in the country from the Corp of Engineers’ $22.9 billion budget. But then I imagine that Louisiana has the most levees in serious need of repair/update. But that is all beside the point right now, fact is the levees did not get repaired before the hurricane and here we are. My main point of contention on Saturday was the inexplicably late response to it all. Then this last Thursday a girl at the coffee shop mentioned that her friend that works for a relief/rescue organization was amazed at the fact that the news had up ‘till then mostly ignored the fact that the Red Cross and other rescue agencies were on the ground ready to go into the affected areas shortly after the hurricane and that the Feds denied them entry citing “legal repercussions.” What? That has since made it out on to the news but it’s beyond ridiculous to have had probably the most experienced people in disaster relief response right at the door and to not let them in citing non-existent legal ramifications and such. I’ve yet to hear of any Red Cross volunteer suing anyone in relation to any rescue/disaster mission.
He hasn’t read the “dry runs” there had been, namely hurricane Pam, citing the expected damages if a category 3 storm ever hit Louisiana. I can’t wait to hear what he has to say after he reads up on that- given that said reports are dated 2004.
He hasn’t read the “dry runs” there had been, namely hurricane Pam, citing the expected damages if a category 3 storm ever hit Louisiana. I can’t wait to hear what he has to say after he reads up on that- given that said reports are dated 2004.
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