FEMA Is Not A First Responder

By Craig Martelle - Septermber 6, 2005 - Pittsburgh Post Gazette

The key to emergency management starts at the local level and expands to the state level. Emergency planning generally does not include any federal guarantees, as there can only be limited ones from the federal level for any local plan. FEMA provides free training, education, assistance and respond in case of an emergency, but the local and state officials run their own emergency management program.

A picture is worth a thousand words. The MSM is attacking Bush and the Republicans for "failing" New Orleans, and are covering up for the Mayor who blames everyone but himself and his administration. However this picture is the key to understanding what went wrong in New Orleans.

Phil Coale, Associated Press - Flooded school buses in a lot, New Orleans, Sept. 1.

These buses were totally under the control of the Mayor of New Orleans and would have moved nearly 35,000 people out of the city for each round trip. Baton Rouge is only an hour and half away. They could easily have made one trip on Sunday, and one trip on Tuesday, and the major frustration, lack of food at the Superdome, would have been a non existant problem. In reality they could have made two trips each day and by themselves have moved the entire 100,000 people who were left stuck in New Orleans.

The plan for the City of New Orleans says that the Mayor will "evacuate the city 72 hours before the hurricane." Why did he wait until 24 hours, and then not use these buses?