civil defense

[Gary_Yngve]

I was talking with my parents today, and I was explaining my thoughts of how there should be at least two locations far apart in the country that basically have warehouses, C-130s, and manpower on call with capabilities of feeding and housing tens of thousands and having operational field hospitals within 24 hours.

 

My dad replied that that was civil defense, and that's what the response to Hurricane Camille was. He then responded too how companies, e.g. buses/trains, had war plans, and now because of deregulation, they need to be chartered.

 

So do we need such a system set up now? Or are lower taxes more important?

[murraysovereign]

I was talking with my parents today, and I was explaining my thoughts of how there should be at least two locations far apart in the country that basically have warehouses, C-130s, and manpower on call with capabilities of feeding and housing tens of thousands and having operational field hospitals within 24 hours.

 

This was briefly in the news the other day. Apparently there are a number of these depots scattered across the US with various emergency supplies in shipping containers, ready to go. The ones I read about contained search & rescue equipment, portable fire fighting apparatus, and emergency generators. Twenty million dollars worth. They hadn't moved an inch as of Thursday or Friday, because none of the governors of the affected states had specifically requested them, and under FEMA's rules it seems nothing can be sent that hasn't been specifically requested. So calling the President and saying "send us everything you can - we need it all, and we need it, like, yesterday" isn't sufficient. You have to play Go Fish:

 

"Do you have water you can send?"

"Yes, we have water. What size containers would you like?"

"I don't care - send whatever you've got"

"Sorry, you have to request specific sizes"

"Well, what sizes are available then?"

"You have to tell us what sizes you want, and if we have them we'll send them"

"That's ridiculous - people are dying here, for want of clean water to drink - why can't you just send whatever damned water you've got?"

"Sorry, I don't write the rules, I just apply them. And the rules are very clear - we can send nothing that hasn't been specifically requested"

"OK, screw the water - we'll get it from someone else. How about generators? We've got an entire city without power - can you send us generators?"

"Sure - what kind of generators would you like?"

"You know - generators for making electricity. They run on diesel or gasoline, and they generate electricity. That kind of generator."

"Yes, but what model, specifically, would you like?"

"Christ, I don't know, can't you just send the generators you've got and we'll figure out which ones work best once they're here?"

"Sorry, but no - you must request the specific generators you need before I can release them"

 

And so on...

 

It seems to me a good part of the problem with the initial relief effort has had less to do with racism, or incompetence, or indifference, than it had to do with an overly rule-bound, bureaucratized emergency response system. Since FEMA is now part of DHS, it seems everything has become a matter of national security and has to be protected behind multiple layers of secrecy and access codes and rule books and requisition forms in quadruplicate filled out in blue ink only, unless it's a man-made disaster as opposed to a natural disaster, in which case you have to fill out the pink form in triplicate using black ink only.

 

It's apparent that, once things got rolling, the response has been pretty effective, but the process of getting it rolling seems to have taken far too long because there are too many hoops that must be jumped through along the way, and you have to jump through all the correct hoops, in the correct sequence, or the whole thing grinds to a halt.

[Gary_Yngve]

You'd think there'd be some way the mayor/governor could just say to the Feds, "You da Man," and the Feds open up to Chapter 37 of "When Bad Shit Happens," which prescribes a previously thought-out ready-to-go response.

[Doug]

If it was up to the governers of Mississippi and Louisiana to go through a complicated acuisition/procurement process to get the proper relief, all I've got to say is when you're up to your ass in alligators, sometimes it's hard to remember you need to drain the swamp.

[Dave_Schuldt]

Fuck it, make everyone feel good, cheap gas, low taxes, ect.....

[catbirdseat]

If we'd just have major disasters more often we'd be so much better at responding to them.

[Dave_Schuldt]

While major advances in health care have been made since the 50s spending on public heath has gone down. This disaster will put a huge strain on the public hospitals. When they try to raise taxes to cover thier costs the tax will be voted down.

[Kitergal]

Where I work, all staff donations are being met, and the money is being sent directly to the Community Health Centers and hospitals that need it. Because we're a member of the National Association of Community Health Centers...we're also in contact with the area hospitals and clinics. We know exactly what the need...and how to send it to them. Why? because we're side stepping the gov. We're also accepting patients from the affected states at our local affilate clinics and hospitals, arranging transportation for them etc. PRETTY FREAK'IN SAD this work isn't already being done by emergancy response teams, etc. but glad that we can help in our small way.