What Happened in New Orleans?
Dan Darling has an excellent post here.
The Washington Post analyzes events here.
An article on the role of FEMA in emergencies is here.
Blanco balks at President's offer of help. On Friday.
Rich Lowry covers some of the basics here.
Information about the logistical challenge, and the swift federal response, look here. From a guy who does it as a career.
I think that about does it. The final score's still out, but it is becoming apparent that this was first and foremost a local and state failure.
The Washington Post analyzes events here.
An article on the role of FEMA in emergencies is here.
Blanco balks at President's offer of help. On Friday.
Rich Lowry covers some of the basics here.
Information about the logistical challenge, and the swift federal response, look here. From a guy who does it as a career.
I think that about does it. The final score's still out, but it is becoming apparent that this was first and foremost a local and state failure.
posted by John Aristides at 7:05 AM
3 Comments:
The danger will be in thinking that greater federal controls will help. In almost any other state, the state government would have been prepared. If we lose sight that this seems to rest on two people. The governor who refused to cooperate, and a mayor who refused to do what the plan called for. To use the busses to evacuate the poor and helpless. Their blood is on the hands of the governor and mayor.
I would not normally be as harsh, but they have already tried to tar the federal government and President to avoid their complicity. So this is committing a crime, then trying to blame an innocent.
That said, if there is anything that can be done to improve the process, I am open to learning. This is not the worst horror we face, I can easily think of 30 of the 60 largest American cities where 10,000 or more lives could be lost.
Little known examples include:
Salt Lake City. It sits right on a major fault that someday will push up the hills east of town 20 feet in a few seconds.
Seattle. When the Cascadia fault goes, it will be as bad as The Good Friday quake in Alaska. 200,000 square miles hit, including Portland and Vancouver B.C.
The cities on the plain, from Dallas to Omaha, are all subject to the danger of an F5 tornado that could level 10 square miles or more, leaving nothing behind. It is just a matter of time.
Every city along the Atlantic Coast from Mexico to Maine could be hit by a hurricane. It is just a matter of time.
We need to make sure we have as good a set of plans as possible. When it hits, it is too late, as we see in New Orleans.
Here is a series of questions that need to be answered.
Questions:
1. Did New Orleans have a disaster plan for a category 4 or 5 hurricane they knew would flood the city and kill anyone left? If they did, why was it so badly bungled?
2. Would the damage have been less if the marshes had been intact?
3. What more could Bush have done, and when?
4. Why were 200 school buses, left to flood, not used for evacuation? Who is responsible?
5. When did people know this Hurricane might hit New Orleans? When did they notify decision makers?
6. Is there evidence of racism in FEMA, and other Fed agencies?
7. Why were levees designed to take only a category 3?
8. What are the consequences of allowing the Mississippi to shift west to the Atchafalaya?
9. How much did corruption affect Louisiana's ability to respond?
10. Would a Republican Governor have helped more?
11. Why didn't the Louisiana governor call up the guard before the hurricane hit?
12. Did having half the guard in Iraq result in problems?
13. Was this hurricane just so big, and so fast moving that just about all that could have been done, was done?
14. What kind of plan for this certain disaster did/does FEMA have?
15. Should Bush have sent in the army without the Louisiana Governor asking?
16. Did lack of money for levees cause problems?
17. Did the lack of a single agency in Louisiana in charge of the levees cause problems?
18. Why are there canals running through New Orleans?
19. What would Clinton/Gore/Keri have done better?
20. Why did the mayor wait to order a mandatory evacuation?
21. Should the army have the right to move in even if a local government doesn't ask? When?
22. What lessons can other cities learn?
23. Do you know what disasters your community is subject to? Are they prepared?
24. Are you prepared?
The warnings that preceded Katrina will not come with the disasters you name, and I fear you are correct. How long can we ignore our vulnerabilities before they are rudely exposed?
I am afraid the argument for the Leviathon has already started, and its proponents are growing.
Yet in a sense we have just as much warning. In Seattle the Alaska Viaduct waits to kill. We know things that can be done, yet we choose not to do them. Today's paper (9-8-05) indicated that of the Army corps budget for the country, Louisiana had more than any other state (1.9 billion) California was second at 1.4, yet so much money was spent on works of non-crucial basis.
People like to keep their heads in the sand.
Here is a copy of a letter I sent to a local City Council, with all identifying names eliminated.
August 23, 2004
Mayor, and City Council
City of ==
=------ Ave
-------------- ----
Re: Need for nuclear preparedness
Dear Honorable Mayor and City Council,
Growing up in the 1950's I was aware of the threat of nuclear war. Living in a city certain to be a target helped develop such awareness. In 1962 we came to the edge of the abyss, and turned back. With the end of the Soviet Union, the threat of nuclear war receded. The Atomic Scientist Doomsday Clock turned back from midnight. We thought the threat had gone. Our preparedness as a nation, has severely eroded. Old fallout shelter signs are long faded and gone.
We face a new nuclear threat. A respected New York Times columnist this past week discussed this chilling idea. Copies of his columns are attached. He quotes a former secretary of defense who estimates a 50% chance of a nuclear attack in America. There are reports of missing Soviet nukes. There are reports Al-Qaeda speaks of possible nuclear attack. We face a threat in ----, not just on a far distant desert.
Honorable Mayor and Council: What is the City of ------doing? What places might provide shelter from fallout if a stolen bomb explodes in-------, and fallout heads
here? Evacuation is impossible, the road system would jam. The only chance to survive would be shelter. How can we educate ------ residents where they can go?
Provide supplies needed to stock structures that offer some protection, so in the event such a horrific event occurs, thousands might live. There are buildings and structures in ----- that can provide shielding. They are not perfect. Yet, to do nothing, would be like the Space Shuttle Challenger managers who deliberately did not check the wing for damage, and so condemned 7 brave souls to death. Please instruct staff to determine how we as a city can work together to save lives if Al-Qaeda strikes in the -----
I realize some feel this unthinkable possibility so unlikely, it can be safely ignored. We made that mistake September 11th 2001, when foreign terrorists seized four passenger jets to fly them into skyscrapers. We face an intelligent and determined foe. It would not be wise to underestimate their capacity for evil. Civil defense is an old idea we must remember now. It will be far too late to prepare, if our only warning is a second sun over -----------. There are simple things we can do. Will we do them?
The City Manager told the council to do nothing. They simply noted and filed. At least I tried. At least I didn't passively wait and hope someone did something, I tried. That is all we can do. Try.
Do you live downwind?
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