Grover's Bathtub: Lifeguards in Revolt

That was quick. FEMA employees are peeling off already, brave souls. The "all-hazards" platform described in the article means what it says, at least it's supposed to--agnostic on all threats, natural or man-made. "All-hazards" is THE buzzword of DHS and the National Response Plan. That, and words like cross-disciplinarian, and frydea.

ABC News via MsLibrarian at Kos

FEMA Was Unprepared for Katrina Relief Effort, Insiders Say

....the latest government figures show that 75 cents out of every $1 spent on emergency preparedness goes to anti-terrorism programs. Well before Katrina, FEMA insiders were sounding the alarm.

A timeline of events leading up to the hurricane illustrates what went wrong.

On Saturday at 8:30 p.m. — about 35 hours before Katrina hit the Gulf Coast — Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center, was so concerned about the storm, he personally called the governors of Mississippi and Louisiana as well as the mayor of New Orleans to make sure they understood the severity of the situation.

"The thing I remember telling all three of them," Mayfield said, "is that when I walked out of the hurricane center that night, I wanted to be able to, you know, sleep at night, knowing that I'd done everything I could do."

FEMA Warned About Storm Surge

The next day, President Bush listened in on a FEMA conference call during which Mayfield warned of a storm surge of more than 20 feet of water rolling over levees.

FEMA had 1,300 disaster assistance workers pre-positioned, and FEMA Director Michael Brown assured Bush they were ready for the storm.

[Some rah rah rice cake rubbish form Michael Brown snipped]

"All of us were just shaking our heads and saying, 'This isn't going to be enough, and the director has to know this isn't going to be enough.' But nothing more seemed to be happening," said Leo Bosner, president of the FEMA Headquarters Employees Union.

Bosner has been with FEMA since it began 26 years ago. He says the agency has been systematically dismantled since it became part of the massive Department of Homeland Security.

"One of the big differences I see," said Bosner, "besides taking away our staff and our budget and our training, is that Homeland Security now, in my view, slows down the process."

The union warned Congress in a detailed letter about FEMA's decline a year ago. State emergency managers also warned Capitol Hill and Homeland Security just weeks ago that DHS was too focused on one thing — terrorism.

"We've had almost zero support for a natural disaster and an all-hazards approach," said Eric Holdeman, director of the King County Office of Emergency Management in Washington State. "It's been terrorism only."

Don't listen to those FEMA guys--some of 'em are in.... UNIONS! A coupla decades choppin a few trees and handing out sodas and they think they know "emergencies." They just don't see the big picture. Commie Bastards.

While I go find my org chart to show you, here's a real man to tell it like it really is. Our good buddy Tom Ridge speaking to the National Emergency Management Association Conference last September. September, you know, National Preparedness Month

New York, NY
September 15, 2004:

...At the Department of Homeland Security, we are constantly working to improve our emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.

And we are doing so on two tracks: first, building and maintaining an operational capacity in emergency response and recovery, second, increasing the overall preparedness of the country. Each is a vital element of the work of our Department, each is critical to our nation, and each is making our country – and citizens – more secure than we have ever been.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is at the center of our operational emergency response efforts. Many of you have worked hand in hand with these fine men and women who now call the Department of Homeland Security home. So you know as well as I do, that FEMA represents the best of the federal government.

...Over the past year and a half since joining Homeland Security, FEMA has worked to adapt their traditional response and recovery expertise to include terrorism.

And in the process, they are building and improving our operational capacity, so that we are even better able to meet the dual threats of nature and man. I’m pleased to say that we are making great progress. The Federal Government has improved communication – and coordination – with our partners at the state and local level.

He didn't mention the new stress balls with the DHS logos on them. Wanna get me one of those.