Question: I need help refuting a freeper.

[Tennessee Gal]

What action is required by a governor to secure troops for help in an emergency situation? Is it just a declaration of a state of emergency or is there something else required?

Two freepers are saying this: "By law, the Fed cannot send troops to any state until it is requested by that state. The Governer did not request it until Wednesday following the castrophy."

I have all the actions taken by Governor Blanco from her web site.

I know that she declared a state of emergency on Friday before the storm hit.

I know that on Wednesday she requested an ADDITIONAL 40,000 troops.

Am I missing something? Are those freepers aware of some action that is required that I have been unable to find?

[Zynx]

1. Eisenhower sent troops into Arkansas against the wishes of the Governor.

In any event, I'm sure that someone else is in the process of looking up this information.

[aikoaiko]

2. Her initial request only asked for money for cleanup and housing

But I don't know what she asked for between then (Sunday, August 28) and wednesday.

You can read it yourself: http://gov.louisiana.gov/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf

edit for date and stuff

[MissMarple]

22. Actually, she asked for a bit more than that. And FEMA has a mandate

to provide more. And remember, the people in the Superdome survived the hurricane, they did not fare so well in the aftermath. FEMA abandoned them, the capability of the state and the city were diminished.

http://www.gov.state.la.us/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=976

"• Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD): Coordinating traffic flow and management of the evacuations routes with local officials and the State of Mississippi.



The following information is furnished on efforts and resources of other Federal agencies, which have been or will be used in responding to this incident:
• FEMA ERT-A Team en-route.

I certify that for this emergency, the State and local governments will assume all applicable non-Federal share of costs required by the Stafford Act.

I request Direct Federal assistance for work and services to save lives and protect property."

[democrat_patriot]

3. I read here that the Governor asked for help on Saturday

before hurricane hit.

The Northern command stated that * had the order for 3 days didn't sign them. From the Press briefing today....reporter mentioned it.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050906-5.html

"Q But, Scott, more concretely, an officer of the Northern Command is quoted as saying that as early as the time Hurricane Katrina went through Florida and worked its way up to the Gulf, there was a massive military response ready to go, but that the President did not order it. It could have been ordered on Sunday, on Monday, on Tuesday -- the call didn't come. Why not?

MR. McCLELLAN: Bill, let's point out a couple of things. There were a lot of assets that were deployed and pre-positioned prior to the hurricane hitting. And you have to look back --

Q These assets were deployed, but the order to use them never came. The Bataan was sitting off behind the hurricane.

MR. McCLELLAN: I know these are all facts that you want to look at and want to determine what went wrong and what went right. I'm not prepared to agree with your assessment just there. There is a much larger picture here that we have to take a look at, and --

Q It's not mine, it's an officer in the Northern Command.

MR. McCLELLAN: -- in terms of the President, the President issued disaster declarations ahead of time so that we could make sure we're fully mobilizing resources and pre-positioning them. But this was a hurricane of unprecedented magnitude.

Q Right, but the military can't go into action without his order. "

[Maat]

9. I read that briefing you posted ... and laughed ..

even though I shouldn't have in the middle of a tragedy.

Scotty does a masterful job of NEVER directly answering a question.

Amazing!

[cynatnite]

4. She sent a letter to bush dated the 28th asking for help

It outlined what would happen and what she would need.

He ignored her.

Bush was on vacation.

I'll find the URL.

[cynatnite]

5. Here it is:

http://gov.louisiana.gov/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf

Send that to them. Gov. Blanco asked for help before the hurricane hit. She did her job...bush and his regime didn't.

[Tennessee Gal]

8. That says nothing about requesting troops.

Thanks for posting, but I don't know if that is accepted as requesting troops.

[Historic NY]

6. Gov. Blanco's letter.............

http://gov.louisiana.gov/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf

Gov Blanco's letter on Aug 28 applies to this:

http://www.fema.gov/library/stafact.shtm

"SUBCHAPTER IV-A--EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

§ 5191. PROCEDURE FOR DECLARATION {Sec. 501}

1. Request and declaration

All requests for a declaration by the President that an emergency exists shall be made by the Governor of the affected State. Such a request shall be based on a finding that the situation is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and the affected local governments and that Federal assistance is necessary. As a part of such request, and as a prerequisite to emergency assistance under this Act, the Governor shall take appropriate action under State law and direct execution of the State's emergency plan. The Governor shall furnish information describing the State and local efforts and resources which have been or will be used to alleviate the emergency, and will define the type and extent of Federal aid required. Based upon such Governor's request, the President may declare that an emergency exists.

2. Certain emergencies involving Federal primary responsibility

The President may exercise any authority vested in him by section 502 or section 503 <42 U.S.C. § 5192 or § 5193> with respect to an emergency when he determines that an emergency exists for which the primary responsibility for response rests with the United States because the emergency involves a subject area for which, under the Constitution or laws of the United States, the United States exercises exclusive or preeminent responsibility and authority. In determining whether or not such an emergency exists, the President shall consult the Governor of any affected State, if practicable. The President's determination may be made without regard to subsection (a).

(Pub. L. 93-288, title V, § 501, as added Pub. L. 100-707, title I, § 107(a), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4706.)

< Back To Top >
black line

§ 5192. Federal emergency assistance {Sec. 502}

1. Specified

In any emergency, the President may--

1. direct any Federal agency, with or without reimbursement, to utilize its authorities and the resources granted to it under Federal law (including personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, and managerial, technical and advisory services) in support of State and local emergency assistance efforts to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, and lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe;

2. coordinate all disaster relief assistance (including voluntary assistance) provided by Federal agencies, private organizations, and State and local governments;

3. provide technical and advisory assistance to affected State and local governments for--

1. the performance of essential community services;
2. issuance of warnings of risks or hazards;
3. public health and safety information, including dissemination of such information;
4. provision of health and safety measures; and
5. management, control, and reduction of immediate threats to public health and safety;

4. provide emergency assistance through Federal agencies;

5. remove debris in accordance with the terms and conditions of section 407 <42 U.S.C. § 5173>;

6. provide assistance in accordance with section 408 <42 U.S.C. § 5174>; and <(Pub.L. 106-390, § 206(b), October 30, 2000)>

7. assist State and local governments in the distribution of medicine, food, and other consumable supplies, and emergency assistance.

2. General

Whenever the Federal assistance provided under subsection (a) with respect to an emergency is inadequate, the President may also provide assistance with respect to efforts to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, and lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.
"

[mzmolly]

7. This is why I posted this thread earlier:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4662675&mesg_id=4662675

Good luck, there's not much you can say to people who are brainwashed.

[Spazito]

10. Here is the proof she declared a state of emergency by

August 28th:

In response to the situation, I have taken appropriate action under State Law and directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on August 26th, 2005 in accordance with Section 401 of the Stafford Act. A State of Emergency has been issued for the State in order to support the evacuations of the coast areas and the remainder of the State to supporte the State Evacuation and Sheltering Plan.

Go to http://gov.louisiana.gov/

then scroll down to this:

Louisiana Request for Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance

You will find the link to the PDF

Edited to remove a posting error

[cynatnite]

13. When a state of emergency gets declared, aren't troops a part of it?

That's what I always thought.

[ClintonTyree]

11. "Help" refuting a freeper?

That's pretty much a no brainer. The truth always kicks them in the ass. I can understand asking for help though, they usually gang up on people. That's their one tried and true tactic, along with all of the lies, of course. Bombard one person from all sides with lies, it CAN BE a daunting task fighting off all of those liars at once. DUers are always ready to rise to the occasion though. We're all in this together.

[FloridaPat]

12. The govenor can call up the national guard. 60-75% of LA & MS

national guard are in Iraq with at least 50% of their equipment. So there wasn't too much she could call up. The governor can then ask for other states to send their national guard. Had there been no Iraq invasion, there might have been a faster response. Had FEMA allowed people and the REd Cross in to help with feeding and rescue, people wouldn't have starved to death.

This was the active national guard. There were also the inactive guard units who haven't been doing any training but are retired.

As for the looters I don't understand. There was food and clothing going to be ruined. Why the big fuss about looters. Now the nuts shooting are another group.

[wildeyed]

14. Personally, I think the idea that the President didn't know

that additional troops were needed is ridiculous. He is the President, fer chrissake. He doesn't have to do bureaucratic stuff. He can say, those people need help, get it to them.

I knew by Tuesday that additional troops were needed. I remember having a conversation with a friend about whether her husband would be called up to help. He is Reserve, not Guard, but we both agreed that the situation was dire enough to require active duty troops so it was a possibility that he would be going. So maybe I should run for president since I seem to have better judgment than the one we have. I was right about that WMD stuff, too.

[JHB]

15. Law, Schmaw! Since when has * been "reality based" and concerned with law?

Since when does the "we MAKE history, and you just study us afterward" administration let some bureaucratic legalism stand in their way when action is needed RIGHT NOW!?

[LSK]

20. ask them if Bush cared about laws when he violated the IWR n/t

[JimmyJazz]

16. All you have to do is ask the freeper what is the purpose of FEMA

and Homeland Security if disasters fall under the umbrella of state and local governments?

[Cerridwen]

17. * declared an emergency on the 26th

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050827-1.html


Statement on Federal Emergency Assistance for Louisiana

The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts in the parishes located in the path of Hurricane Katrina beginning on August 26, 2005, and continuing.

The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, Catahoula, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Helena, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, and Winn.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.

Representing FEMA, Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Department of Homeland Security, named William Lokey as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA [phone].

[Greyhound]

18. The details are on-line, but the "Homeland Security Act" of '02 gave

FEMA the ultimate power to conduct this operation.

[LSK]

19. shove this down their throat

The Governor of Louisiana did request help on August 28 (http://gov.louisiana.gov/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf)
in accordance with the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (http://www.fema.gov/library/stafact.shtm ). This act gives the President authority to act to save lives:

"§ 5192. Federal emergency assistance {Sec. 502}

1. Specified

In any emergency, the President may--

1. direct any Federal agency, with or without reimbursement,
to utilize its authorities and the resources granted to it
under Federal law (including

personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, and managerial,
technical and advisory services) in support of State and
local emergency assistance efforts to

save lives, protect property and public health and safety,
and lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe;

2. coordinate all disaster relief assistance (including
voluntary assistance) provided by Federal agencies, private
organizations, and State and local

governments;

3. provide technical and advisory assistance to affected
State and local governments for--

1. the performance of essential community services;
2. issuance of warnings of risks or hazards;
3. public health and safety information, including
dissemination of such information;
4. provision of health and safety measures; and
5. management, control, and reduction of immediate threats to
public health and safety;

4. provide emergency assistance through Federal agencies;

5. remove debris in accordance with the terms and conditions
of section 407

6. provide assistance in accordance with section 408

7. assist State and local governments in the distribution of
medicine, food, and other consumable supplies, and emergency
assistance. "

[Zen Democrat]

21. She called in the Guard. Bush held FEMA aid ...

to pressure her into federalizing the guard. Then the state asked for regular Army.

But that FEMA supplies, food, water, medicine, etc. was sitting around, guarded by FEMA, and not distributed until Friday is a fact. And the military was not deployed until Bush made his "triumphal" entrance into the city.

What a tale of negligent homicide.