Where are the Zodiac boats?

[Catchawave]

Watching many live aerial shots, and I see no effort getting to those homes plucking out survivors, or at least dropping off food and water? I think inflatables would be much more efficient than Helios, except for the medivac'ing.

I expected to see many of those big orange boats in the water by now.

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. FEMA won't allow anyone into the area

with a contract from FEMA and of course you know how long that might take.

I've been asking the same thing. You would have thought there would be small boats all over the place.

It's amazing that the only thing FEMA has done well is cut off access to the area.

[Vincardog]

2. FEMA is actively turning down supplies and help. The National Guard

is not letting people in or out. The radical right is at war with the Poor of NO because they VOTE democrat. That is why they are being exterminated. The class war is on.

[Old and In the Way]

3. These are cheap and could have been dropped out of the helicopters

<http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/kayaks_otter.php>

[Hell Hath No Fury]

4. A group of 1000 or so privately owned boats...

has been sitting offshore since around Tuesday ready to go in. A call went out for help from one of the parishes -- Jefferson I think, and it was answered, but they were turned away.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Since when do Americans

need permission to help other Americans?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

7. That is one of teh really weird things about this...

whole mess -- folks were there -- local and foreign -- ready to help and they have been turned down or kept away. You would think that in an emergency like this every body possible on the job would be welcomes with open arms.

Why those boaters didn't say, "Fuck you, I'm going it -- shoot me!," I don't know.

[Catchawave]

10. Alot are trying and getting in trouble.

Who's in charge of the search and rescue phase of this, um, mission? Honore ?

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. FEMA Is running a military operation

which is under the control of the Pentagon, not a rescue operation. Big difference between the two.

[Catchawave]

8. I saw on another thread that Bush is turning down

international rescue help :wtf: Fish and Wildlife have offered their air boats too, and I hear they're just sitting somewhere...dry!

[ohio_liberal]

6. I saw one of those yesterday on TV

One in the streets of N.O. accompanied by 4-5 jet skis

[Catchawave]

9. I saw that too.....

and yes, jet ski's could rescue one at a time too! Haven't seen any of that today?

[applegrove]

12. There motors are too low in the water. Too much debris. The ones you see

"floating over rocks & rapid" have no motor. Just paddles.

[Sgent]

13. Depends on the model

they are all different. Soem zoadiac style boats are every bit as resiliant as a boston whaler of similar size.