LAT: U.S. Officials Beseech Floridians to Be Patient

[DeepModem Mom]

U.S. Officials Beseech Floridians to Be Patient
'Demand outstripped supply,' Chertoff says in explaining long lines and short supplies. Hurricane Wilma death toll in state is put at 10.

By John-Thor Dahlburg, Times Staff Writer


PLANTATION, Fla. — As residents spent hours in line waiting to get food, ice and water in areas hard hit by Hurricane Wilma, federal officials said Wednesday that they responded to the disaster with unprecedented speed and scope, but underestimated the need.

"Of course, demand was very high, and demand outstripped supply," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in Opa-locka, northwest of Miami, after touring areas by helicopter to view damage caused by the hurricane, which swept across the state Monday.

The number of Florida deaths linked to the hurricane rose to 10, and 2.65 million customers were still without electric power, said Phil Kiracofe, a spokesman at the state emergency operations center in Tallahassee.

To increase the relief supplies on hand, Chertoff said C-130 and C-17 transport planes would airlift stockpiles overnight to southern Florida from other parts of the United States. He said Gov. Jeb Bush vowed that more than 500 trucks would be fanning out to carry supplies to 78 distribution points today.

R. David Paulison, acting director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency whose successor resigned after criticism of how the agency aided the victims of Hurricane Katrina, promised Floridians they would be getting aid....


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-wilma27oct27,0,3603686.story?coll=la-tot-promo&track=morenews

[rodeodance]

1. Promises are no good when the electicity is out for days.

........promised Floridians they would be getting aid....

[rodeodance]

2. planes would airlift ---this is future tense by Chertoff. They were not -

as prepared as they bragged they would be. Simple as that.


....To increase the relief supplies on hand, Chertoff said C-130 and C-17 transport planes would airlift stockpiles overnight to southern Florida from other parts of the United States. He said Gov. Jeb Bush vowed that more than 500 trucks would be fanning out to carry supplies to 78 distribution points today.

[BOSSHOG]

3. This is what happens when a Hurricane hits

And I think FEMA and the state are doing the best they can, however, bush and the feds politicized this nonsense when they assured all "THEY" would do a better job because bush, a republican, would be a better man for the job. The next logical step would be for Floridians to vote bush out because he lied.

[elehhhhna]

4. GW; "It's all about supply and demand-he he.They need gooder services"

[rodeodance]

5. and in the meantime--Browie has another 30 day extension to stay on

at Fema. heard this yesterday on msnbc news TV. No explanation was given.

[rodeodance]

6. Fema has not fixed its long standing 'communications" problem.

[fasttense]

7. Isn't that what they told the folks in the New Orleans dome? n/t

[sweepster]

8. Florida people are also responsible for their mess

I don't get these Floridians. 2 days after the storm they are crying out for food and water and waiting in lines. People were told last week to get extra water and food. How hard is it to fill up empty containers with drinking water and get some bulk food supplies? If I knew a hurricane was coming I would be taking some steps.

You would think after the amount of hurricanes they had this year(and years past) they would take some sensible steps for their own survival.

[Missy Vixen]

10. Uh, there may be extenuating circumstances

>People were told last week to get extra water and food. How hard is it to fill up empty containers with drinking water and get some bulk food supplies?<

People were told last week to get food for 72 hours. It's been more than 72 hours since the hurricane. There are no grocery stores open, ATM's are most likely inaccessible as well. Also, I know this may come as quite a shock, but ice doesn't keep in tropical conditions. :sarcasm: Perhaps some of those lining up for ice may need it to cool such items as necessary medications.

You might also ask yourself if those who are looking for food and water either were flooded out of their homes, or the home is uninhabitable due to collapse and the food and water they were told to gather is IN THE HOME that they now can't access.

Tell me, have you ever survived a Cat 3 hurricane? How about a Richter scale earthquake above 5?

Julie

[madrchsod]

9. am i missing something here

i thought wilma was a class 2 storm and they still haven`t got their act together? i really do feel alot safer under the bush family...and i`m in illinois