JP's Maestri said FEMA didn't keep its word

[Greylyn58]

Friday, September 02, 2005

Mark Schleifstein
Staff writer

Jefferson Parish Emergency Preparedness Director Walter Maestri said Friday night that the Federal Emergency Management Agency reneged on a promise to begin relieving county emergency preparedness staffers 48 hours after Hurricane Katrina hit the New Orleans metropolitan area.

Maestri’s staff has been working almost around the clock since Katrina approached the Louisiana coastline on Sunday. Today, the staff is
expected to finally switch to a 12 hours on/12 hours off schedule, he said, adding that they’re both tired and demoralized by the lack of assistance from federal officials.

“We had been told we would be on our own for 48 hours,” Maestri said.
“Prepare to survive and in 48 hours the cavalry would arrive.

“Well, where are they?” he said.

...snip

FEMA Director Michael Brown also raised Maestri’s ire when he said in a television interview Friday that he waited so long to respond because he didn’t want to interfere with local aid attempts, and that local officials hadn’t asked FEMA to come in.

...snip...


This is just beyond criminal. This is a national emergency and FEMA should have come in immediately and taken comtrol of the situation. Michael Brown's response is just criminal.

AAAAARRRGGGGHHHH!!! I can't take much more of this.






http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_09.html#076438

[Moderator]

1. duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1748869