Comments on: Waste in FEMA trailer maintenace contracts http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/04/25/waste-in-fema-trailer-maintenace-contracts/ Protect yourself from government gaffes, bureaucratic blunders and incumbent incompetence Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:19:36 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Michael Hamptonhttp://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/04/25/waste-in-fema-trailer-maintenace-contracts/#comment-41669 Michael Hampton Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:02:08 +0000 http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/04/25/waste-in-fema-trailer-maintenace-contracts/#comment-41669 Getting government contracts absolutely is about who you know; I've written about it here before. It's the <a href="http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2005/12/09/getting-government-contracts-its-who-you-know/">standard way of doing business</a>, in fact. Getting government contracts absolutely is about who you know; I’ve written about it here before. It’s the standard way of doing business, in fact.

]]> By: Rayhttp://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/04/25/waste-in-fema-trailer-maintenace-contracts/#comment-41667 Ray Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:53:27 +0000 http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/04/25/waste-in-fema-trailer-maintenace-contracts/#comment-41667 I think that someone should note that there was nothing mechanical or other wise technically involved which says that the trailers could not be installed in the locations needed. it was a regulational issue. I think the solution would have been to come up with an evacuation plan which allowed people to each take two bags. Then have them sign that they understand this, and that anything they put in the trailer was at risk.This done we should have installed the trailers in the needed locations and hoped for the best. Even at the worst it would have been better than what we ended up with. Sure we might have had to evacuate them again. But at least something would have happened.On the other hand I have yet to figure out why we are working to rebuild New Orleans. It is soon (in a few decades) to become "ocean front property". Ocean front property which is below sea level has another name -- "sea floor." We should be moving these functions somewhere else while we still have the time. Heck if we love the French Quarter so much for the money we are putting into New Orleans we could move it to the North past the point where everything is below sea level. I think that someone should note that there was nothing mechanical or other wise technically involved which says that the trailers could not be installed in the locations needed. it was a regulational issue. I think the solution would have been to come up with an evacuation plan which allowed people to each take two bags. Then have them sign that they understand this, and that anything they put in the trailer was at risk.

This done we should have installed the trailers in the needed locations and hoped for the best. Even at the worst it would have been better than what we ended up with. Sure we might have had to evacuate them again. But at least something would have happened.

On the other hand I have yet to figure out why we are working to rebuild New Orleans. It is soon (in a few decades) to become “ocean front property”. Ocean front property which is below sea level has another name — “sea floor.” We should be moving these functions somewhere else while we still have the time. Heck if we love the French Quarter so much for the money we are putting into New Orleans we could move it to the North past the point where everything is below sea level.

]]> By: gerihttp://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/04/25/waste-in-fema-trailer-maintenace-contracts/#comment-41664 geri Wed, 25 Apr 2007 17:49:28 +0000 http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/04/25/waste-in-fema-trailer-maintenace-contracts/#comment-41664 I read that report as well. Another thing that stuck out in my mind was that FEMA issued contracts mainly to companies out of state instead of giving them to companies in state who, after Katrina, could not only have used the income but would probably have done it for less amount simply for the fact that they resided inside of the state. Not to mention that ties with the hurricane victims and knowledge of the area would probably have helped in choosing the trailers that were needed. Unfortunately the old addage 'It's not what you know but who you know' stands unchallenged in our governement. I read that report as well. Another thing that stuck out in my mind was that FEMA issued contracts mainly to companies out of state instead of giving them to companies in state who, after Katrina, could not only have used the income but would probably have done it for less amount simply for the fact that they resided inside of the state. Not to mention that ties with the hurricane victims and knowledge of the area would probably have helped in choosing the trailers that were needed.
Unfortunately the old addage ‘It’s not what you know but who you know’ stands unchallenged in our governement.

]]> By: Jerry A. Pipeshttp://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/04/25/waste-in-fema-trailer-maintenace-contracts/#comment-41657 Jerry A. Pipes Wed, 25 Apr 2007 12:33:47 +0000 http://www.homelandstupidity.us/2007/04/25/waste-in-fema-trailer-maintenace-contracts/#comment-41657 Unfortunately, FEMA will never learn that this money is <a href="http://snewpy.com/2005/10/13/">not theirs to give</a>. Unfortunately, FEMA will never learn that this money is not theirs to give.

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