And now it’s time for the stupidity.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is blocking some 500 airboat pilots from entering New Orleans to assist in rescuing victims still trapped in floodwaters.
“We cannot get deployed to save our behinds,” said Robert Dummett, state coordinator of the Florida Airboat Association. He said the pilots, who range from commercial airboat operators to weekend pleasure boaters, “are physically sick, watching the New Orleans coverage and knowing that the resources to help these poor people is sitting right in our driveways.”
On standby since Monday, the pilots — many from Central Florida — have spent thousands of their own dollars stocking their boats and swamp buggies with food, water, medical supplies and fuel.
But the Federal Emergency Management Agency will not authorize the airboaters to enter New Orleans. Without that permission, they would be subject to arrest and would not receive security and support services. . . .
“To me, 500 airboats seems a perfect solution to the chaos and difficulty getting people out of their flooded homes,” said U.S. Rep Mark Foley, R-Palm Beach Gardens. “I’d love them to be able to go in and help, and that’s what I’ve conveyed to FEMA.”
A FEMA representative said citizen volunteers are not being allowed into New Orleans for one big reason: It’s just not safe.
“I think it’s understandable, particularly given the TV footage that the entire world is seeing, for folks who have a big heart to feel a little bit frustrated and want to help,” said Frances Marine, Orlando’s FEMA public-affairs director. “However, it’s so important to be coordinated. Those areas are dangerous right now. There are health hazards and limited ways of getting in and out. . . . Right now, private citizens trying to go into those impacted areas are more hindrance than help.” — South Florida Sun-Sentinel
This is idiotic political bullshit at its finest. There’s already no coordination among rescue efforts. And I trust a group of citizens with even CB radios to coordinate a whole lot better than rescue efforts have gone so far.
With a lack of functioning radio communications, the New Orleans Police Department has disintegrated. According to unconfirmed reports, fewer than 60 police officers remain on duty, the remainder having fled, or quit then fled. And all of them report they have virtually no communication with any kind of coordinator.
FEMA has faced a lot of criticism in past days for mishandling the response to Hurricane Katrina. Most of it I haven’t covered here because people are dying, and have died, and our primary focus should be on them. But a stunt like this shows where their true priorities lie.
They are not concerned so much with rescue volunteers’ safety as with covering their own asses. The National Guard was ordered into harm’s way. These brave Americans are volunteering to be put in harm’s way to help their fellow man, and have been ready since Katrina made landfall. They should be in there.
Washington Monthly claims the failure of FEMA is a result of Republican defunding and removing responsibility from the agency. Whether that’s true or not, it’s clear that FEMA has failed.
FEMA can hold great press conferences, and spin with the best of them. But when it comes down to actually getting stuff done…forget it. Send in the citizens on their airboats, and people might have a chance.
(Hat tip to Hammer of Truth.)
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Trevor
Sep 03, 2005
I agree 100%. Let them in. FEMA has f**ked this up instead of assisting. FEMA shouldn’t even exist. If citizens were empowered as citizens should be, and we ended our love affair with big government, this situation in New Orleans could never have happened.
Terri
Sep 03, 2005
I believe we need FEMA but is most definitly requires major restructuring. We need a Federal Emergency group to handle both possible terrorst attachs and natural disasters. I understand that we must spend money abroad as what happens in any portion of the world affects us. HOWEVER, there is no excuse for the delay and most definity no reason that FEMA should have hindered willing volunteers. Safety reasons are a poor excuse and if these people are willing to take a risk and help, God Bless them. The only time FEMA should prevent it is if it would cause more chaos or hardship. Such is NOT the case. I’m all for helping other countries as it helps us but how about helping AMERICANS first. Oh, and perhaps not wait a few days. I suppose Bush never considered dropping everything he was doing to address Katrina and those poor victims. That man definitly needs to learn how to “prioritize”. He didn’t mishandle Katrina…he didn’t handle it at all.
Vicky
Sep 03, 2005
During Bush’s Gulf Coast Disaster photo op tour, he was asked if he thinks we need to bring the troops back from Iraq to focus on rescue, relief and rebuilding. He replied, he thought we could do both; fight a war aboard and provide disaster relief.
I agree, we can work on multiple goals at the same time. We can now focus on rescue and relief as well as investigate the source of FEMA’s ineptitude in providing one and only one function. I think we can also hold those found responsible accountable. I think we have the capabilities to do both.
Oct 20, 2005
Chertoff: “We need to re-engineer FEMA” - IO ERROR
Dec 15, 2005
FEMA e-mails show disorder, chaos in Katrina response - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
Dec 15, 2005
Katrina rescue effort a tragedy of errors - Homeland Security or Homeland Stupidity
DCS
Dec 16, 2005
This site does great job of keeping the public updated on the Katrina situation. I am following the developments myself. I just wanted to say thanks.
Florida Airboat Association
Dec 17, 2005
The Florida Airboat Association was responsible for getting over 100 airboats into New Orleans despite the bureaucratic boondoggle.
It should be specifically understood by all that the whole New Orleans fiasco was not the fault of the federal government. Rather, the responsibility lies with the Louisiana state government and Governor Blanco. I personally made several calls to the Governor’s office attempting to get authorization for the airboaters to enter Louisiana and New Orleans without success. Later, attempts were made through Washington, D.C. to get through to Louisiana senators and congressmen to get their attention. I even got one senator’s aid out of bed at 5:30 am.
It should be understood that the U.S. Government, FEMA or other agencies, particularly the military cannot enter a state without a specific request of that state’s governor . . . in the case of New Orleans, Governor Blanco. The federal government MUST be invited.
The fact of the matter is that the Florida Airboat Association had upward to 300 airboats and operators prepared and willing to respond to New Orleans. Many were only a matter of 8 hours away and the Louisiana state government refused to recognize them.
In addition, those civilian airboaters who did travel to New Orleans and provide their services did so at the own uncompensated expense. Many of the volunteer airboaters sustained damage to their vessels that exceed $2,000 per boat. That, in addition to the uncompensated fuel and expenses, became quite costly to the good-ole-boy working man that sought no other reward then the helping of his fellow man in a time of need.
Each volunteer civilian airboater that responded to New Orleans knew that he/she had an valuable and unique resource that was inherently suited to perform the job and was unmatched by any other entity.
Those volunteers risked their health and safety and well being to help those in need.
Further, to date the State of Louisiana has yet to recognize the volunteer airboaters for their efforts, while the Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries continues to take credit for the rescues and evacuations.
Robert Dummett
Chairman, Safety Committee
Florida Airboat Association
Larry Maxwell
Jan 15, 2006
Twoo days after Katrinia missed New Orleans I and a friend made it to the 17th st. was out, just started to unload and was told to leave for they were shootin at the rescue tems, I can shoot back or 1st if need be. Asked to help witn Stupid some. refused. LA wildlif running show. People died waiting on Governor and fir the faillings of the Mayor, both of which are incompentent at best.
Jun 10, 2006
Chertoff: We need to keep FEMA - Homeland Stupidity