Simply put, FEMA sucks!!

[cpayne5]

Originally Posted by That Guy

except for things like this (which i already quoted):
FEMA became part of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate of DHS, and employs more than 2,600 full time employees.

and if you go to fema's website, they have a very large "plan ahead" section, with articles like "how to prepare for a hurricane", including evacutation info (http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/evacuation.shtm).


but apparently everyone missed that.

Show me where it says that the agency will take "preemtive action".

FEMA looks at what *might* happen, then reacts to it when it *does* happen. It does not act on what might happen. That is the local authorities job. It has been since day one.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by cpayne5

Show me where it says that the agency will take "preemtive action".

FEMA looks at what *might* happen, then reacts to it when it *does* happen. It does not act on what might happen. That is the local authorities job. It has been since day one.

EXACTLY!

If FEMA's job was to babysit everyone and make sure they're ready for any possible disasters that might happen someday, they'd need a branch office in EVERY town in the nation. Could you imagine how much money that would waste?

Their job is to help after disasters occur. It's the responsibility of each local government to prepare for emergencies.

Think of FEMA as an ambulance. You can't blame an ambulance driver for not arriving in time for a heart attack victim when the person who died sat around drinking beer and eating cheese-in-a-can on everything. They're an emergency response agency, not a babysitter.

[warriorzpath]

Originally Posted by Buster

EXACTLY!

If FEMA's job was to babysit everyone and make sure they're ready for any possible disasters that might happen someday, they'd need a branch office in EVERY town in the nation. Could you imagine how much money that would waste?

Their job is to help after disasters occur. It's the responsibility of each local government to prepare for emergencies.

Think of FEMA as an ambulance. You can't blame an ambulance driver for not arriving in time for a heart attack victim when the person who died sat around drinking beer and eating cheese-in-a-can on everything. They're an emergency response agency, not a babysitter.

Wait a minute. Are you guys actually defending FEMA ? Did you read the article ? And are you actually asking how much money that it would waste to "babysit" ? How about not wasting or defrauding taxpayers' money ? to the count of 1.4 billion dollars. How about that for wasting a little money ?

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by Buster

EXACTLY!

If FEMA's job was to babysit everyone and make sure they're ready for any possible disasters that might happen someday, they'd need a branch office in EVERY town in the nation. Could you imagine how much money that would waste?

Their job is to help after disasters occur. It's the responsibility of each local government to prepare for emergencies.

Think of FEMA as an ambulance. You can't blame an ambulance driver for not arriving in time for a heart attack victim when the person who died sat around drinking beer and eating cheese-in-a-can on everything. They're an emergency response agency, not a babysitter.

yeah, except that analogy is about 99% wrong for the actual situation that occured :P

they do preparation and they did land people in NO before the storm hit, but the logistics were fscked, so the ground crews could only sit and wait when they should have been up and running.

Hurricanes usually come with some warning, and FEMA does try to land people beforehand. That would mean that your "heart attack" was pre-scheduled and the ambulance was already sitting in the driveway at the time, but the driver forget his first aid kit and lost his car keys.

And I don't see anyone mention babysitting outside of you just now.

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by cpayne5

Show me where it says that the agency will take "preemtive action".

FEMA looks at what *might* happen, then reacts to it when it *does* happen. It does not act on what might happen. That is the local authorities job. It has been since day one.

you said they don't do preparation and that it's not mentioned anywhere, even though it's been in their job description for 3 years. I didn't say anything about pre-emptive action in that post you were replying to. When its pointed out that they do do prepartory work, you decide to throw up some weird strawman instead.

and yes, I do think someone should have tried harder to convince the locals or the people that an evacuation was necessary instead of staring at an oncoming train and throwing their hands up. It would have been in everyone's best economic interests.