In her ePluribus Media article FEMA Decisions Have a Name, BarbinMD takes a hard look past the cold numbers of the Heritage Foundation-inspired FEMA downgrading of the once considered critical factors. As BarbinMD writes:
We’re all familiar with the grim realities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; over 1000 dead, more than 160,000 homes and businesses destroyed, major medical centers, schools and universities no longer operational, the majority of the population displaced…on and on. Now let’s put a human face on some of these once “critical” sectors that were suddenly, “not truly vital.”
In her piece, BarbinMD concentrates on a handful of true stories to remind us what happens when the foundations of our infrastructures are allowed to crumble and disintegrate:
This story is an attempt to put a human face on people affected by this decision, and while doing so, remembering that the 2006 hurricane season begins in just five months. Will FEMA’s mission be accomplished this year? As it has for more than 20 years, FEMA’s mission remains:
…to lead America to prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from disasters with a vision of “A Nation Prepared.”
ePluribus Media editors, fact-checkers, and contributors include: Kfred, WanderIndiana, Lilnubber, cho, HeyThereItsEric, Stoy, SawcieLackey, Susie Dow, JeninRI, Standingup, Nancelot, XicanoPwr, and NCYellowDog
Please read FEMA Decisions Have a Name and tell us: Is your town or city ready for an emergency? Could these human tragedies happen there?
Living in Louisiana, I’ve seen the face of needless suffering, wanton inhumanity to our fellow man and also, the indomitable spirit of our citizens who faced the ravages of Cindy, Katrina and Rita all in a single season.
I thank you for bringing a few of these voices to the rest of the public. With a better public consciousness of the true root causes underlying this tragedy and the impact that it has had across the board, we can rally for change both at FEMA and with our local leaderships.
A wonderful post.
But will the House and Senate listen?
We need a steady drumbeat on this. Those bills are aching to be taken up and a whole reorg of FEMA needs to take place. Get them away from Cherthoff!
Fortunately we have disaster preparedness in our area…but then we get some flooding and earthquakes.
CA stepped right in after the New Year’s flooding…don’t ask my neighboring towns what they think of FEMA and FEMA flood insurance…..
FEMA – F*$ked Emergency Management Agency
FEMA wouldn’t know an emergency if it hit them like a mudslide and please, please would someone show me where there is anything that closely resembles management going on.
Management – yep – it’s there as an example of everything the management textbooks tell us NOT to do!
FEMA uses a contrarian management style – whatever is the right thing to do – do the opposite.
These guys must have managed all of the businesses in the case studies where the companies went broke/bankrupt…etc.
I especially appreciated how Barb illustrates the role of key neoconservative think tanks in the purposeful deconstruction of our society.
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A US delegation is in the Netherlands to study the flood control systems protecting a country that lies further below sea level than New Orleans. The 50-member delegation includes the Governor of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco, US senators and business leaders.
Gov. Kathleen Blanco joined a delegation of about 50 national and state officials on visit to the Netherlands this week to learn more about that nation’s advanced flood protection systems.
Headed by U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., the group will tour various sites and meet with officials and engineers who helped design the massive structures and technology that protect the Netherlands after the Storm Surge Disaster of 1953.
● Chandeleur Islands Gone ¶ “Hazard Waste Areas :: Everyone Needs to Get Out!”
“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”
▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
Handle a disaster? Hell, there are some places in MI that can barely handle a snowstorm!
Today’s fabulous FEMA story brought to you by Frank Charles Tanner, and it’s a doozy. Yeah, this guy’s decision has a name, felony.