FEMA condemned for slow response to ice storm crisis

[Gill]

MARION, Ky. - A crippling winter storm has plunged about a million customers into the dark from the Midwest to the East Coast, and thousands of people in ice-caked Kentucky have sought refuge in motels and shelters.

Dozens of deaths have been reported and many people are pleading for a faster response to the power outages. Some in rural Kentucky ran short of food and bottled water, and resorted to dipping buckets in a creek.

Thousands fled frigid, powerless homes for hotels and even a heated auditorium at Murray State University that was converted into a shelter following Monday's storm that left some areas in up to 1 inch ice.

Utility workers hoped to speed up efforts Saturday to turn the lights back on. Still, rural communities feared it could be days or even weeks before workers got to areas littered with downed power lines….

Local officials grew angrier at what they said was a lack of help from the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In Kentucky's Grayson County, about 80 miles southwest of Louisville, Emergency Management Director Randell Smith said the 25 National Guardsmen who have responded have no chain saws to clear fallen trees. He said roads are littered with fallen trees and people shivering in bone-chilling cold are in need.

"We've got people out in some areas we haven't even visited yet," Smith said. "We don't even know that they're alive."

Smith said FEMA was still a no-show days after the storm.

"I'm not saying we can't handle it," Smith said. "We're handling it. But it sure would have made life a lot easier."

FEMA condemned for slow response to ice storm crisis (OneNewsNow.com)

It's interesting that FEMA hasn't improved any, even with the ONE as President now. It was bad enough last September when Hurricane Ike caused hundreds of thousands to lose power here, but at least it was warm then. The poor folks without power now are using anything they can to stay warm. There was one family on tv over the weekend that was burning their wood fence to stay warm. The shelters, if you can get to them, are mostly full of people, so there's not much that people can do.

Come on Obama, get FEMA into high gear. Just because Kentucky voted for Bush is no reason to abandon the people here.

 

[American]

Where are the state national guards?

 

[Gill]

Where are the state national guards?

All members of the National Guard have been activated to help out.

 

[Black Dog]

With a large part of the guard serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, I am certain they are stretched thin right now.

 

[RedAkston]

It's all Bush's, err I mean Obama's fault!!!

 

[Cold Highway]

Did people not learn from Katrina? After Katrina, people shouldve gotten a nice wake up call that the Federal Government is nothing but a bunch of Keystone Cops when it comes to natural disasters.

 

[American]

Did people not learn from Katrina? After Katrina, people shouldve gotten a nice wake up call that the Federal Government is nothing but a bunch of Keystone Cops when it comes to natural disasters.

Well time to pull those trailers out of Louisianna, and send them to the new disaster zone. I hope Nagin has got a plan to handle this.

 

[Gibberish]

FEMA definitely needs some re-structuring. How they are currently working is insufficient.

Damn you Obama for not being able to completely re-build the Federal Emergency Management Agency within the first 10 days of office! What a lazy ass! :roll:

 

[Gill]

FEMA definitely needs some re-structuring. How they are currently working is insufficient.

Damn you Obama for not being able to completely re-build the Federal Emergency Management Agency within the first 10 days of office! What a lazy ass! :roll:

Well, he immediately issued an executive order and got rid of those pesky lobbyist in his administration didn't he?

Ooops, I forgot. Never mind.

 

[Gibberish]

Well, he immediately issued an executive order and got rid of those pesky lobbyist in his administration didn't he?

Ooops, I forgot. Never mind.

So he should have issued an executive order disbanding FEMA or telling FEMA to get their **** together and that would have led to a positive response from FEMA 10 days later?

 

[StandUpChuck]

So he should have issued an executive order disbanding FEMA or telling FEMA to get their **** together and that would have led to a positive response from FEMA 10 days later?

No, but a statement from him earlier would have gone a long way. The suffering in those effected areas has had very little press. Very few outside the areas knew what was going on. It was the same last December when Northern New England suffered a devastating ice storm.

Having said that, I do want to make my position clear that I think people need to prepare and take care of their families as though the gov't wasn't there to help. I just think that whenever something appeared to have failed under the Bush Administration, fingers middle ones) pointed his way all over the media, rock concerts ... etc. Now we hear nary a peep of critique. What's good for the Bush is good for the Obama.

 

[cherokee]

Having worked hand in hand with FEMA I MUST point out a few things that gets lost in the confusion of the blame game.

FEMA can not just roll in until the president declares a major disaster and this WONT happen until local or state officials have declare a state of emergency.


1. Local or state officials declare a state of emergency. Local emergency crews and first responders work to deal with the disaster as best they can.

2. State agencies respond. This can include National Guard troops.

3. Officials assess the damage.

4. The governor of the state involved makes an official request for a disaster declaration, based on the damage assessment.

5. FEMA makes a recommendation to the president, who either approves or denies the request.

6. Once a presidential disaster declaration is made, FEMA can start providing assistance.


People must become more self reliant and STOP assuming the government will ride in and save the day.

 

[Gibberish]

No, but a statement from him earlier would have gone a long way. The suffering in those effected areas has had very little press. Very few outside the areas knew what was going on. It was the same last December when Northern New England suffered a devastating ice storm.

The press not covering the storm as diligently as you think they should is hardly the President's fault. Obama did sign federal emergency declarations for Kentucky last week.

Having said that, I do want to make my position clear that I think people need to prepare and take care of their families as though the gov't wasn't there to help. I just think that whenever something appeared to have failed under the Bush Administration, fingers middle ones) pointed his way all over the media, rock concerts ... etc. Now we hear nary a peep of critique. What's good for the Bush is good for the Obama.

Personally I didn't blame Bush for the Katrina response. I blamed the local governments for the failed preparations and FEMA for their delayed response. Where Bush was at fault was his appointment of a insufficient FEMA director.

I would have no problem giving Obama some fault for FEMA if this occurred in a few months when he had time to actually review FEMA.

 

[Gibberish]

Having worked hand in hand with FEMA I MUST point out a few things that gets lost in the confusion of the blame game.

FEMA can not just roll in until the president declares a major disaster and this WONT happen until local or state officials have declare a state of emergency.


1. Local or state officials declare a state of emergency. Local emergency crews and first responders work to deal with the disaster as best they can.

2. State agencies respond. This can include National Guard troops.

3. Officials assess the damage.

4. The governor of the state involved makes an official request for a disaster declaration, based on the damage assessment.

5. FEMA makes a recommendation to the president, who either approves or denies the request.

6. Once a presidential disaster declaration is made, FEMA can start providing assistance.


People must become more self reliant and STOP assuming the government will ride in and save the day.

This occurred late last week.

Obama approves disaster declaration for Kentucky - Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009 - Kentucky.com

 

[Gill]

The press not covering the storm as diligently as you think they should is hardly the President's fault. Obama did sign federal emergency declarations for Kentucky last week.


Personally I didn't blame Bush for the Katrina response. I blamed the local governments for the failed preparations and FEMA for their delayed response. Where Bush was at fault was his appointment of a insufficient FEMA director.

I would have no problem giving Obama some fault for FEMA if this occurred in a few months when he had time to actually review FEMA.

If Obama was talking about it, the news stations would be talking about it.

It doesn't take a few months to get on the phone to FEMA and tell them to get moving.

 

[cherokee]

Strong Partnerships Speed FEMA Response To Kentucky's Winter Storm

Release Date: February 1, 2009
Release Number: 3302-003

» More Information on Kentucky Severe Winter Storm

ATLANTA, Ga. -- After last week's severe winter storm knocked out power, radio and phone service in many areas of Kentucky, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) went into action providing direct response and relief, and coordinating efforts of federal partner agencies to help where Kentucky needs it.

The declared emergency made immediate federal assistance available. FEMA dispatched portable radio towers and satellite uplink trucks to Kentucky to bridge the storm-produced communications gap. Since Thursday, FEMA has coordinated deliveries of commodities, equipment and provided technical assistance requested by Kentucky Division of Emergency Management.

Emergency management professionals say the key to effective disaster response is those close partnerships.

"It's our job to respond directly with our own resources and to facilitate the aid from our federal partners," said FEMA Regional Administrator Phil May.

In Kentucky, FEMA's coordination has extended to agencies handling transportation issues, public works, medical services, sheltering, logistics support, food supplies and others at federal, state and non-governmental levels.

Federal agencies helping in the emergency response to Kentucky include:

* U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, conducting site assessment and directing installation of emergency generators; conducting debris clearing;
* U.S. Department of Transportation, through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, monitoring road conditions, airports, rail lines and transit systems;
* The American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Southern Baptist Convention, providing shelters and meals;
* U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, the Kentucky Hospital Association and agencies in other southeastern states to determine the status of medical facilities and the need for specialized medical care in shelters and elsewhere.

"FEMA will continue working hard to meet the emergency needs of the people of Kentucky," May said.

FEMA: Strong Partnerships Speed FEMA Response To Kentucky's Winter Storm

 

[Gill]

Strong Partnerships Speed FEMA Response To Kentucky's Winter Storm

Imagine that... FEMA is doing a great job........according to FEMA.

The folks around here would disagree.

 

[Gibberish]

If Obama was talking about it, the news stations would be talking about it.

Speculation. The news stations report on what keeps ratings up. They aren't going to spend time releasing redundant storm reports. They don't care about the people or Obama, they are about their rating, and thus their sponsors.

I personally haven't experienced them not talking about it though. The Today show in the morning and my local news at night has reported on the storms atl east once each night. Of course it hasn't bee a news special report or interrupting any regular programming.

 

[Gill]

Speculation. The news stations report on what keeps ratings up. They aren't going to spend time releasing redundant storm reports. They don't care about the people or Obama, they are about their rating, and thus their sponsors.

I personally haven't experienced them not talking about it though. The Today show in the morning and my local news at night has reported on the storms atl east once each night. Of course it hasn't bee a news special report or interrupting any regular programming.

Your kidding right?? The MSM fall over themselves to breathlessly report every little thing Obama does and says.

 

[Gibberish]

Your kidding right?? The MSM fall over themselves to breathlessly report every little thing Obama does and says.

Now your taking partisan stereotypes and trying to apply them to reality. Yes overall MSN is more left-leaning but to suggest they are lacking to cover this storm because Obama doesn't hold more press releases on the matter is absurd.

MSN, CNN, and Fox are all reporting on the storm in the same way on their websites. Are they all failing to report because Obama doesn't speak about it? Why does the President need to speak about it? Obama isn't speaking about the Super Bowl and they seem to have no problem covering that as their top story.

 

[Gill]

Now your taking partisan stereotypes and trying to apply them to reality. Yes overall MSN is more left-leaning but to suggest they are lacking to cover this storm because Obama doesn't hold more press releases on the matter is absurd.

MSN, CNN, and Fox are all reporting on the storm in the same way on their websites. Are they all failing to report because Obama doesn't speak about it? Why does the President need to speak about it? Obama isn't speaking about the Super Bowl and they seem to have no problem covering that as their top story.

You need to read my post again. I said MSM, not MSN.

 

[Goobieman]

With a large part of the guard serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, I am certain they are stretched thin right now.

I seem to recall someone saying that regarding the CA guard and the fires out in LA. >90% of the CA guard was still at home. Egg on poster's face.

What % of the KYNG is in Iraq and Afghanistan?

 

[sazerac]

There were several articles like this yesterday about FEMA doing a bad job in Kentucky.

So I was surprised this morning when The Today Show told us that FEMA was getting glowing revues for its work in Kentucky after the ice storms. :roll:

FEMA is so much better under Obama I guess is the point.

 

[Gill]

I seem to recall someone saying that regarding the CA guard and the fires out in LA. >90% of the CA guard was still at home. Egg on poster's face.

What % of the KYNG is in Iraq and Afghanistan?

I don't know about the percentage, but 4,600 have been called in to help with the ice storm. That's the entire available KY Natl. Guard.

 

[Rodney]

FEMA condemned for slow response to ice storm crisis (OneNewsNow.com)

It's interesting that FEMA hasn't improved any, even with the ONE as President now. It was bad enough last September when Hurricane Ike caused hundreds of thousands to lose power here, but at least it was warm then. The poor folks without power now are using anything they can to stay warm. There was one family on tv over the weekend that was burning their wood fence to stay warm. The shelters, if you can get to them, are mostly full of people, so there's not much that people can do.

Come on Obama, get FEMA into high gear. Just because Kentucky voted for Bush is no reason to abandon the people here.

FEMA is NOT a rescue or help agency. These are the thugs of the federaly. They are strictly crowd control. In Tennessee and probably every other state in the US the fence around TEMA (tennessee emergency .....)has the razor sharp spikes pointed outward toward us. They are in a fortress,not hideing from the rain, or wind, or snow, or ice, nor dark of night ,but from us the terrible citizen. No chit,go check out your state emergency management digs,and I`m sure you will find.... The rescuers are ,church groups, community volunteer groups ,and eventualy the Red Cross. The day after Katrina came ashore ( early morning) with winds in New Orleans still at Huricane strength,CNN broadcast at sites where church groups had already set up to provide food and coffee to those who actully care. FEMA and the US Government have a whole different agenda where you and I are concerned. FEMA is part of the massive federal bureaucracy which will NEVER be expedient. "Bureauocracy is the death of all progress", / Albert Einstein