"Before Rudy Giuliani There Was James Lee Witt"
That's a quote from a Slate article about the former head of FEMA by Bruce Reed. Bush should fire the inexperienced, unqualified head of FEMA and bring back Witt. This is no time for patronage.
"Before Rudy Giuliani There Was James Lee Witt"
That's a quote from a Slate article about the former head of FEMA by Bruce Reed. Bush should fire the inexperienced, unqualified head of FEMA and bring back Witt. This is no time for patronage.
I dunno, Amy. Does the head of FEMA need Senate approval? If they thought he was qualified, probably for his past organizational and leadership experience, then it sounds like your just trying to score cheap political points again.
James Lee Witt was a judge before being appointed to the Arkansas Office of Emergency Services in 1988. What makes a judge more qualified than a lawyer? According to Mike Brown's biography, "his background in state and local government also includes serving as an assistant city manager with emergency services oversight and as a city councilman."
nash at September 3, 2005 11:50 AM
Well, if I were running FEMA, those people would have had helicopter drops of water and meals ready to eat from the start. Brown is doing a lot of TV time, yes, but why is this disaster looking like it happened in some backward, out-of-the-way nation?
Amy Alkon at September 3, 2005 2:51 PM
Most people can go several days without food and water, by the way. Rescuing those in immediate danger due to flood waters is more of a priority. Besides, you can't just drop in food and water from the air. You need a secure location on the ground and people to distribute it properly. Otherwise it gets damaged, lost, or looted by thugs. Those people who need the help most--the sick and the eldery--end up getting nothing.
This totally ignores the fact that each state is responsible for having a disaster plan that doesn't rely on the Federal Government. Why aren't you asking what the hell was wrong with the Democratic governor and mayor of Louisiana? Ultimately, they are responsible for emergency services in their state.
nash at September 3, 2005 6:56 PM
It goes to show that Senate approval does not guarantee in any way competence to perform a job.
As anyone from a Third World country, I am completely appalled by the delay on federal response to the emergency. In the poorest areas of the world, as soon as weather allows, water, first aid kits and food start to drop from helicopters to keep minimum life conditions until rescue can be provided. In the richest country on Earth, though, it seems that the authorities in charge needed some days to figure out what needs to be done to save lives after a disaster (hint: potable water helps).
Brazilian in US at September 3, 2005 7:07 PM
Regarding the claim that most people can go without food and water for several days, feel free to live outdoors in New Orleans during the summer for several days without food and water. And if you actually survive those conditions without dropping dead of dehydration, I'll eat shit.
Patrick at September 3, 2005 7:24 PM
To Nash:
Yes, most healthy people can go several days without food, but you are wrong about water. According to medical sources the average human can survive for only three to four days without water. And if you consider that many people will be wounded as a result of a hurricane, water and food may be essencial to keep them alive until rescue comes.
Many underdeveloped countries use the strategy of dropping supplies with parachutes to be able to reach a bigger area than would be possible if they had to land each time and secure location. Even if the distribution isn't perfect because there aren't people on ground to "distribute it properly", it is still better than waiting until perfect conditions exist to start helping the victms.
Regarding local responsability, in any country I know federal government is the one with the resources and overall responsability to respond to this type of major disaster. It would be unreasonable to duplicate capacities in all cities or states, and that's exactly what organizations such as Federal Emergency Management Agency are fore.
Brazilian in US at September 3, 2005 7:43 PM
That's what I meant, too...helicoptering supplies in and dropping them by parachute from the helicopter. And really, when human lives are at stake, quibbling that it won't be distributed properly? Drop so much that there's no shortage, and there's less chance it will be Lord of the Flies.
Amy Alkon at September 3, 2005 9:42 PM
Hey Nash, Mr. Brown was fired from his prior job with the IAHA for raging incompetence. It made the Boston Globe today. Couple that w/ the fact that the gov. of Lousiana filed a formal request for federal emergency assistance, as she was required to do under the Stafford Act, on Aug 28, and that FEMA ignored it for 5 days, well, it tells you what this administration thinks of a Democratic governor, doesn't it?
moe at September 4, 2005 12:21 AM
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