What Up With The Rescue Mission?

[DJ V Lawrence]

This isn't a smart comment. I truly don't understand this.

Why is it too dangerous for rescue dudes to go into the city of New Orleans or other areas, but it's not too dangerous for news reporters to go there and tape the victims crying, dying, and waving at their news helicopters for help? Didn't we send troops to harms way in Iraq, Somalia, and Croatia, or send volunteers and National Guards dudes to the tsunami relief efforts earlier this year?

Why is New Orleans considered more dangerous than all of those prior locations? How does taping the victims help them more than by giving them food or water? Are we supposed to be entertained by this? Can't we give the reporters supplies to give our fellow American citizens as WELL as inform and entertain the rest of us with their "Hurricane Headquarters" reports and frightening theme music, or taping people long enough to say "help me", then drive off?

I'm not venting anger. I just don't understand this concept, and I want to understand how this is helping the situation.

[YakuzaIce]

Aren't there around 11,000 national guard personnel there with more on the way. Not to mention other rescue forces. Also just look at the looters, I have seen many videos of them fighting with cops, plus a cop who got shot. SOmeone else can proabably add more info though.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Aren't there around 11,000 national guard personnel there with more on the way.  Not to mention other rescue forces.  Also just look at the looters, I have seen many videos of them fighting with cops, plus a cop who got shot.  SOmeone else can proabably add more info though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Last I heard, most of them are still on standby. There's still an initiation plan underway. They're trying to decide at this point where they need to be posted first.

Which once again leads me to the question: Why is it too dangerous for rescue dudes to go into the city of New Orleans or other areas, but it's not too dangerous for news reporters to go there and tape the victims crying, dying, and waving at their news helicopters for help?

[RedScare]

The federal response to this disaster will be recorded in history as a national disgrace. FEMA has been watching this storm brew for two weeks. They've known since Thursday that a direct hit on New Orleans was likely. They've known for YEARS that if a Cat 4 or 5 hurricane hit New Orleans it would be a disaster of epic proportions.

Yet, they STILL haven't done anything, 4 days after the storm hit. Governor Blanco had to call Governor Perry yesterday to beg for shelters for the tens of thousands starving to death in New Orleans. Perry, to his credit, in less than 24 hours, offered 75,000 beds in Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. NO FEMA INVOLVEMENT! Two governors and several mayors and county judges have produced more help, with the Red Cross, in 24 hours, than the entire f*cking government of the world's wealthiest country.

Why the big surprise? Did the feds just find out that New Orleans sits on the Gulf below sea level? Did they just find out that Category 5 hurricanes can f*ck stuff up pretty bad? Is it news that when you shut down a metro area of 1.3 MILLION people, they might get hungry or thirsty? Did they learn nothing from Hurricanes Camille, Betsy, Andrew, Charley, Carla, Hugo or Georges? And where the hell are the troops? My buddy, who barely escaped downtown on Tuesday night, recalled that during Hurricane Betsy in 1965, the National Guard was on every corner before the winds even died down. That was 40 years ago! We've gone backwards!

Who the hell is in charge up there!

[editor]

This isn't a smart comment. I truly don't understand this.

Why is it too dangerous for rescue dudes to go into the city of New Orleans or other areas, but it's not too dangerous for news reporters to go there and tape the victims crying, dying, and waving at their news helicopters for help?

Because if a member of the National Guard gets killed on a rescue mission the family will probably sue the government for it. The military is responsible for the lives of the people in its command. Even though these people are paid to go into dangerous situations, every reasonable precaution is taken to ensure their safety.

If a reporter gets himself killed, it's his own fault. They almost always beg to go. If they get shot and survive, they see it as a good career move.

[RedScare]

Because if a member of the National Guard gets killed on a rescue mission the family will probably sue the government for it.  The military is responsible for the lives of the people in its command.  Even though these people are paid to go into dangerous situations, every reasonable precaution is taken to ensure their safety.

If a reporter gets himself killed, it's his own fault.  They almost always beg to go.  If they get shot and survive, they see it as a good career move.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Untrue. A big part of the mission of the National Guard is responding to natural disasters. The government cannot be sued for deaths by soldiers in the performance of their sworn duties.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Did they just find out that Category 5 hurricanes can f*ck stuff up pretty bad?

Is it news that when you shut down a metro area of 1.3 MILLION people, they might get hungry or thirsty?

Who the hell is in charge up there!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't worry, man. The mayor of New Orleans is on top of it.

[RedScare]

I feel truly sorry for that man. He has been utterly failed by his nation's government.

[DJ V Lawrence]

If a reporter gets himself killed, it's his own fault.  They almost always beg to go.  If they get shot and survive, they see it as a good career move.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To the Editor, That does sound logical.

Let me make this point, though. How would anyone here on HAIF feel if you were a person in New Orleans looking for aide, got a hungry kid in your arms, your home and car's flooded, and you occassionally see dead bodies on the side of the road, or floating in the water, maybe even got a few in the downtown convention center, and the only response your "help me" plea is a damn cameraman taping you to show the nation at 5 o' clock?

[DJ V Lawrence]

I feel truly sorry for that man.  He has been utterly failed by his nation's government.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think the current Mayor, and every Mayor of New Orleans before him, ALL failed by not planning out a senario where the levees could have broke. It was a very realistic possibility. I'm disturbed in the fact that I feel that New Orleans may have lost more than they had to lose. No one deserves to lose their home, much less their city. Where was their plan for this?

[RaC]

The federal response to this disaster will be recorded in history as a national disgrace.  FEMA has been watching this storm brew for two weeks.  They've known since Thursday that a direct hit on New Orleans was likely.  They've known for YEARS that if a Cat 4 or 5 hurricane hit New Orleans it would be a disaster of epic proportions.

Yet, they STILL haven't done anything, 4 days after the storm hit.  Governor Blanco had to call Governor Perry yesterday to beg for shelters for the tens of thousands starving to death in New Orleans.  Perry, to his credit, in less than 24 hours, offered 75,000 beds in Houston, San Antonio and Dallas.  NO FEMA INVOLVEMENT!  Two governors and several mayors and county judges have produced more help, with the Red Cross, in 24 hours, than the entire f*cking government of the world's wealthiest country.

Why the big surprise?  Did the feds just find out that New Orleans sits on the Gulf below sea level?  Did they just find out that Category 5 hurricanes can f*ck stuff up pretty bad?  Is it news that when you shut down a metro area of 1.3 MILLION people, they might get hungry or thirsty?  Did they learn nothing from Hurricanes Camille, Betsy, Andrew, Charley, Carla, Hugo or Georges?  And where the hell are the troops?  My buddy, who barely escaped downtown on Tuesday night, recalled that during Hurricane Betsy in 1965, the National Guard was on every corner before the winds even died down.  That was 40 years ago!  We've gone backwards!

Who the hell is in charge up there!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you kidding me? Do any of you watch the news? The evacuations to texas have been done with the input of FEMA. In fact FEMA is coordinating all the buses it takes to get those people to Houston. This is of course being done in conjunction the leadership of state and local government. It is the city of New Orleans that failed it's people by not bussing those without vehicles out of the city. At the same time many decided to ride it out knowing full well what the ramifications may be. The government is doing a good job considering they are dealing with the loss of an entire U.S. city currently underwater, the displacement of more than a million citizens, and an area 90,000 square miles in size with all sorts of infrastrucure issues. Why dont you Bush haters get a life and quit trying to blame him for everything you think you could handle better. The president once again has to deal with a national crisis as do we. Quit the blame game.

[RedScare]

I never mentioned your president in my post, but since you brought him up, here's a quote from him this morning.

"I don't think anyone anticipated a breach of the levees."

I guess he doesn't watch the news.

[DJ V Lawrence]

I never mentioned your president in my post, but since you brought him up, here's a quote from him this morning.

"I don't think anyone anticipated a breach of the levees."

I guess he doesn't watch the news.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No he did NOT say that!! Tell me he did NOT say that!!!

Wasn't there a great flood along the Mississippi River in the late '90s (near St. Louis), where at one point, um, levees broke?

[RedScare]

It was just reported on Keith Olberman's show about 10 minutes ago.

[DJ V Lawrence]

It was just reported on Keith Olberman's show about 10 minutes ago.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cocaine's a hell of a drug

[rps324]

Are you kidding me? Do any of you watch the news? The evacuations to texas have been done with the input of FEMA. In fact FEMA is coordinating all the buses it takes to get those people to Houston. This is of course being done in conjunction the leadership of state and local government. It is the city of New Orleans that failed it's people by not bussing those without vehicles out of the city. At the same time many decided to ride it out knowing full well what the ramifications may be. The government is doing a good job considering they are dealing with the loss of an entire U.S. city currently underwater, the displacement of more than a million citizens, and an area 90,000 square miles in size with all sorts of infrastrucure issues. Why dont you Bush haters get a life and quit trying to blame him for everything you think you could handle better. The president once again has to deal with a national crisis as do we. Quit the blame game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh please, regardless of whether you love or hate W, the Federal Government has totally dropped the ball on this one. There is no two ways around it. There should have been way more National Guard in there on Monday, among other things.

[RaC]

Oh please, regardless of whether you love or hate W, the Federal Government has totally dropped the ball on this one.  There is no two ways around it.  There should have been way more National Guard in there on Monday, among other things.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How exactly did they drop the ball. They are working hard. There were national guard in there on monday, we did not have the flooding crisis till tuesday. It takes time to move that quantity of people in and out of a flooded city as well as sustain them when they are brought to a destination. I mean we're talking about moving people without vehicles to centers more than 300 miles away. Shelters are being put up as quickly as possible. There is most definitely security issues, but that is understandible. Hopefuly these issues will be resolved very soon. I think what is most obvious is the need to set up clear communication channels among all of the various organizations involved. How you do that I dont know. I just cant take all of the blaming that is going on now. the day after the hurricane there were politicians in america and overseas already blaming the government for it's environmental policies and the "resulting" storm. It just aggrivates me to hear these things so soon.

[editor]

Untrue.  A big part of the mission of the National Guard is responding to natural disasters.  The government cannot be sued for deaths by soldiers in the performance of their sworn duties.

Sorry. I didn't mean to imply they could be held legally responsible. They'll get sued, but the cases will be thrown out. There are certain types of people who hold the government responsible for the deaths of their relatives (like that lady who camped out at Bush's ranch because her 24-year-old "baby" was killed in Iraq.) I think the rest of the comment stands, though, about the military doing everything it reasonably can to protect its members.

[editor]

To the Editor, That does sound logical.

Let me make this point, though. How would anyone here on HAIF feel if you were a person in New Orleans looking for aide,  got a hungry kid in your arms, your home and car's flooded, and you occassionally see dead bodies on the side of the road, or floating in the water, maybe even got a few in the downtown convention center, and the only response your "help me" plea is a damn cameraman taping you to show the nation at 5 o' clock?

I think a lot of people would be mad.

But in many cases these reporters have been the only source for bottled water for those whom they encounter.

In at least one case -- the convention center -- the people specifically went looking for TV cameras to get the message out that they need help. Hours later food and water was being dropped at their location.

[editor]

One very good point I heard a military commander make about the "delay" in getting National Guardsmen to the area is the fact that it takes a couple of days to pull people out of their civilian jobs, assemble them at a staging area, and then transport them to the scene. I think part of the problem is that the news moves at light speed these days, while people still can't.

[pineda]

The federal response to this disaster will be recorded in history as a national disgrace. FEMA has been watching this storm brew for two weeks. They've known since Thursday that a direct hit on New Orleans was likely. They've known for YEARS that if a Cat 4 or 5 hurricane hit New Orleans it would be a disaster of epic proportions.

Yet, they STILL haven't done anything, 4 days after the storm hit. Governor Blanco had to call Governor Perry yesterday to beg for shelters for the tens of thousands starving to death in New Orleans. Perry, to his credit, in less than 24 hours, offered 75,000 beds in Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. NO FEMA INVOLVEMENT! Two governors and several mayors and county judges have produced more help, with the Red Cross, in 24 hours, than the entire f*cking government of the world's wealthiest country.

Why the big surprise? Did the feds just find out that New Orleans sits on the Gulf below sea level? Did they just find out that Category 5 hurricanes can f*ck stuff up pretty bad? Is it news that when you shut down a metro area of 1.3 MILLION people, they might get hungry or thirsty? Did they learn nothing from Hurricanes Camille, Betsy, Andrew, Charley, Carla, Hugo or Georges? And where the hell are the troops? My buddy, who barely escaped downtown on Tuesday night, recalled that during Hurricane Betsy in 1965, the National Guard was on every corner before the winds even died down. That was 40 years ago! We've gone backwards!

Who the hell is in charge up there!

Listening to Charlie and Diane this morning on GMA in the background, it seems that the court of public opinion has swung around to laying all the blame for the slow response at President Bush's feet. Now, the Mayor of NOLA has come out and said he's pissed! Governor Blanco has already registered her frustration with the Feds. But, I keep thinking about the fact that the officials from that area, who actually live there, should be shouldering some of the blame themselves and stop the finger pointing at the Feds. Why weren't more of these poor people put on busses and mandatorily evacuated out of the city in the first place? Did no one there know what a Cat. 5 storm would mean to NOLA? Did the people just refuse to leave the city? Where there no busses available? Was there no money/manpower available at the city/county level? And a side note, the reporters, who seem to be able to find these people in the most remote of areas, are they offering aid/assistance or just sticking a mic in someone's face for a soundbite and moving on? Please tell me that these reporters came in with food/water/information or some kind of humanitarian efforts to help these people...

[Sunstar]

I heard someone suggesting on NPR this morning that previous requests for federal assistance to expand levee building projects were considered pork by many in Washington. This would suggest that a large part of the blame lies on the federal government (and not just this administration, but several democratic and republican administrations dating back to the 60s). But even then, there's no guarantee that these projects would have prevented this. It seems what was really lacking was a decent evacuation plan for the city other than "hey everyone, get in your car and get the hell out of here."

And though it sounds ridiculous now, another big concern is over-reaction. Early Monday when New Orleans appeared to have dodged a bullet, there was a great deal of ink (and bytes) being devoted to calling the evacuation unnecessary and a giant waste of time and resources. It seems as though public opinion is as capricious as the path of a hurricane.

[Heights2Bastrop]

One very good point I heard a military commander make about the "delay" in getting National Guardsmen to the area is the fact that it takes a couple of days to pull people out of their civilian jobs, assemble them at a staging area, and then transport them to the scene. I think part of the problem is that the news moves at light speed these days, while people still can't.

Great point!

[N8TIV]

The mayor is quick to put blame on federal assistance to rescue people in New Orleans after the hurricane came though, when he should be at fault for not getting his people out to begin with. He issued a mandatory evacuation days before. He knows many of those people are very poor and have limited access to transportation. His city should have had a plan for something like this. Obviously HE FAILED to prevent such a tragedy. Now FEMA has been given the task of evacuating the unevacuated/uninformed and the people who chose to ride it out.

[editor]

And a side note, the reporters, who seem to be able to find these people in the most remote of areas, are they offering aid/assistance or just sticking a mic in someone's face for a soundbite and moving on? Please tell me that these reporters came in with food/water/information or some kind of humanitarian efforts to help these people...

They usually bring water to give away, but not food. I know a couple of reporters in the outskirts of New Orleans who gave away all the water they brought with them.

[RedScare]

There seems to be some confusion as to who does what, here. While state and local governments are ultimately responsible for their own citizens, it has long been an accepted belief that natural disasters can quickly overwhelm them, since they destroy so much infrastructure so quickly, that small local budgets and staffs cannot handle it.

The federal government, because of its size and access to people and assets outside the damaged area, has long taken the role of assisting in disasters. It has the ability, theoretically, to mass large humanitarian missions quickly.

In this particular case, the president stated in a new conference yesterday that no one anticipated the levees would break, and further, no one anticipated a large storm (yes, I listened to the quotes on the Neil Bork Show). This suggests a severe lack of planning by the government.

A previous post said it takes several days to activate the Guard. Why? One must ask, don't we know that from June 1 through November 30, EVERY year, there is a hurricane season? Don't we know that, wherever it hits, there are humanitarian needs? Don't we know that desparate people, as well as common thugs, resort to looting after disasters? Don't we know that after a storm, people need food, water and shelter? All of these contingencies could have been planned for.

To say that New Orleans residents in particular have an entitlement mentality, is disingenuous. Everyone in the United States believes, because we have been told so, that the US government is the greatest government in the world, and can take care of us in a disaster. If that is not the case, we should be told ahead of time, so we can fend for ourselves. In this day of increased hurricanes and increased intensity, FEMA should have plans in place to get food and water to people quickly. Communications should be installed quickly. Our military does it in wartime. We should have the same equipment at home. Communication is the biggest problem in New Orleans today.

The point is this. We are spending hundreds of billions of dollars restructuring the government's emergency agencies under Homeland Security. They did this so they could respond quicker and better to disasters. At least, that is what they told us. Four years later, it is worse. The administration tells us everything they do is to protect us from danger. If this had been a "terorist attack", would you still think the response had been adequate? Because, to the people in New Orleans, there is no difference.

[deepsouthtexas]

[RedScare]

Here's a pretty stunning collection of comments from federal officials, contrasted with comments from people who are actually in New Orleans.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/katrina.response/index.html

Some, like FEMA Director Brown's comment that security in New Orleans is "pretty darn good", are so out of touch with reality, it conjures up images of the Iraqi Information Officer declaring Iraq was winning the war.

[arche_757]

Id say its bad - because like RedScare pointed out we've had 40+ years of knowing that a hurricane like this would devistate New Orleans!

I think once agian our might and power is put to the test - sure we can deploy troops around the globe - but it takes weeks of preperation to do so. It really does. So its logical to think that it would take days to actually make a difference in New Orleans - that doesnt mean its acciptable. AT ALL!!!

My heart goes out to all in need - and to the government of New Orleans - one of Americas favorite cities but also one of the poorest. Shame on our country - shame on our government for allowing thousands of Americans to be trapped in that city. Possibly to die - what a damn shame.

[uncertaintraveler]

A previous post said it takes several days to activate the Guard.  Why?  One must ask, don't we know that from June 1 through November 30, EVERY year, there is a hurricane season?  Don't we know that, wherever it hits, there are humanitarian needs?  Don't we know that desparate people, as well as common thugs, resort to looting after disasters?  Don't we know that after a storm, people need food, water and shelter?  All of these contingencies could have been planned for.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

RedScare, I usually agree with just about everything you post, but this comment is, respectfully, absolutely absurd. Are you suggesting that we have all (or even a portion of) the National Guard on complete standby for 5 months every year, just in case a hurricane hits somewhere?

If so, exactly how exactly do you propose we do so? Tell Guard members that they can't take any vacations during this time? Tell them that they can't take any job assignments that involve them being away from their "home" for more than, say, 12 hours, lest a hurricane develop and hit somewhere? The logistics and sacrifices needed to do what (I think..) you are proposing would be staggering and totally unworkable....

And, if we are going to put them on standby for hurricanes, why not do the same for the snow season in the north? After all, some snowstorms can be quite disasterous. Heck, while we are it, why don't we just creat a whole new military unit that does nothing but wait around for disasters to hit? I'm sure doing so wouldn't cost us that much...

Oh...and not to be pendantic or anything, but I'm pretty sure the radio show you are referring to is the Neal Bortz show, not the Neal Bork show. Assuming, that is, you are listening to the guy who is always "for" something until everyone else is for it as well, and then he suddenly changes his mind to be "against" it.