The Buck Stops Here: NATIONAL RESPONSE PLAN

georgia10

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Tue Sep-06-05 06:04 PM
Original message

The Buck Stops Here: NATIONAL RESPONSE PLAN

Edited on Tue Sep-06-05 06:05 PM by georgia10

Hello DUers,

Haven't posted in quite a while, but I wanted to crosspost what I posted at DailyKos.

Having just watched Lou Dobbs & Co. absolve the President of responsibility, and having seen this meme repeated too much in the media, I feel it's critical we not only know the facts, but *alert the media to them.*

Here is a (revised) version of my research. PLEASE email the media about this. I don't think I can take another report about how the state and local officials are solely to blame. Thanks.

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Below, I've excerpted critical parts of the United States National Response Plan, as published in December 2004.

Reading through it, it becomes abundantly clear that we have witnessed what will become the second largest intelligence failure in American history. I say that because I have never, ever seen such STUPIDITY, such slothfulness and skirting of responsibility, as that exhibited by the Federal Government in response to Katrina.

Keep in mind, while listening to the President blame local and state officials, that those state and local officials have had a copy of this National Response Plan, and relied on it during this disaster.

This diary is long, but every part of it is indispensable in demonstrating that it was the FEDERAL government that failed its responsibility.

First and foremost, let me stress that this document is essentially a contract with American citizens. "By signing this letter of agreement, Federal departments and agencies" commit to implementing the plan. It is signed by Donald Rumsfeld, Tom Ridge, Tommy Thompson, Porter Gross, John Ashcroft, Colin Powell, Robert Mueller, Michael Powell, and several others. THIS is the real "Contract With America." It is the Federal Government's promise that it will execute the National Response Plan properly.

BACKGROUND
The National Response Plan (NRP) applies 'to all Federal agencies that are requested to provide assistance" or are delegated responsibilities under the plan. The plan itself "establishes a comprehensive national all-hazards approach to domestic incident management across the spectrum of action including prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery."

On August 26, 2005, President Bush declared a "State of Emergency" in Louisiana. A day later he did the same for Mississippi. The hurricane hit on August 29, 2005. THREE DAYS LATER.

His declarations made Hurricane Katrina an "Incident of National Significance." The NRP defines an Incident of National Significance as:

an actual or potential high-impact event that requires a coordinated and effective response by and appropriate combination of Federal, State, local, tribal, nongovernmental, and/or private-sector entities in order to save lives and minimize damage, and provide the basis for long-term community recovery and mitigation activities.

This categorization, as you will see, becomes CRITICAL as it imposes upon the President and his administration unique powers and responsibilities under the NRP. During that time, from the instant the Hurricane was labeled an "Incident of National Significance" until the second it made landfall, the President and his administration had THREE DAYS WORTH OF RESPONSIBILITY under the NRP. Their duty under the plan obviously still continues.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS

The "basic premise of the NRP is that incidents are generally handled at the state and local level." (NRP, 15). However, the plan specifically recognizes the possibility that the FEDERAL government bears primary responsibility:

When an incident or potential incident is of such severity, magnitude, and/or complexity that it is considered an Incident of National Significance, the Secretary of Homeland Security initiates actions to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the incident." (NHP, 15)

Additionally, the NRP explicitly gives the President a fiduciary duty in the handling of a disaster:

"The President leads the Nation in responding efficiently and ensuring the necessary resources are applied quickly and effectively to all Incidents of National Significance." (NHP, 15)

While the state and local officials then still have to try and implement their plans and coordinate with the feds, it is crystal clear that the NRP recognizes that when, say, a hurricane comes and wipes your city off the map, it is the President and his administration which MUST respond proactively.

BRINGING IN THE TROOPS
Much has been made of the fact that Governor Blanco refuses to hand over the state National Guard to the President. "Why didn't she request troops earlier" cry out the right wingers. But where does the NRP place the responsibility to request and/or deploy troops?

Deploying troops to a disaster scene, both pre and post incident, is called a "Defense Support of Civil Authorities" (DSCA). When and how is a DSCA authorized?

The cavalry is called up by the Secretary of Defense:

The Secretary of Defense authorizes Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) for domestic incidents as directed by the President or when consistent with military readiness operations and appropriate under the circumstances and the law.

Now, generally, the DSCA will be deployed when requested by a Governor. (NRP, 42). But the plan states that the Secretary of Defense can deploy the troops under his imminent response authority. (NRP, 42).

Imminently serious conditions resulting from any civil emergency may require immediate action to save lives, prevent human suffering, or to mitigate property damage.

When such conditions exist and time does not permit approval from higher headquarters, local military commands and responsible officers from the DOD are authorized by DOD directive and pre-approved by the Secretary of Defense to take necessary action to response to the request of civil authorities. (NPR, 42)

Again, for three days before the hurricane hit, President Bush had the authority to direct Rumsfeld to deploy troops. Under the NRP, a formal request by the Governor is not necessary in these conditions. For three days before Katrina hit, and for FIVE Days afterwards, the President always had the authority to send in thousands of troops. The sole question that remains is...why didn't he do it earlier?

"MR. PRESIDENT, LOUISIANA IS ON LINE 1..."
If there is one overarching theme of the NRP, it is that the federal response must be swift, efficient, and coordinated. Indeed, there is an ENTIRE SECTION of the NRP entitled "PROACTIVE FEDERAL RESPONSE TO CATASTROPHIC EVENTS." (NRP, 43).

Under that section, the plan provides that:

"Standard procedures regarding requests for assistance may be expedited, or under extreme circumstances, suspended in the immediate aftermath of an event of catastrophic magnitude." (NRP, 44)

Yes, you read that right. This theory that the Federal Government has to sit on its ass and WAIT for Governors and Mayors to tearfully beg for assistance and issue S.O.S is pure fiction. The government has signed off on a promise to be PROACTIVE.

And what does the plan include under the federal proactive response to a catastrophic event? The "pre-identification of Federal assets and capabilities" and the "strategic location of pre-identified assets for rapid deployment" (NRP, 44).

This is what the plan requires from our federal government:

Federal departments and agencies are EXPECTED to provide:

initial and/or ongoing response, when warranted, under their own authority and funding;
alert, notification, pre-positioning and timely delivery of resources;
proactive support for catastrophic or potentially catastrophic incidents using protocols for expedited delivery of resources. (NRP, 6)

In the media and online, there is some confusion as to when Katrina became an "Incident of National Significance." Simplify links us to an article which says Chertoff waited until Tuesday to declare the incident one of National Significance.

This is *extremely* important, so I'll highlight it:

"ALL PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED DISASTERS AND EMERGENCIES UNDER THE STAFFORD ACT ARE CONSIDERED INCIDENTS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE." (NRP, 7)

When President Bush declared Katrina a disaster (link), he EXPLICITY invokes Title V of the Stafford Act.
Thus, Katrina became an Incident of National Significance on August 26, THREE DAYS before landfall, and FIVE DAYS before Chertoff mistakenly thought he had to declare it as such.

VOLUNTEERS UNDER THE NATIONAL RESPONSE PLAN
The NRP has an intricate network of teams which organize volunteer efforts by recognized volunteer organizations. (NRP, 11).

There are countless reported instances of FEMA turning away 500 volunteer boats, Walmart trucks filled with water, buses, etc.

Under Title 21, Section 1342 of the United States Code, the government cannot accept volunteer services. However, the statute provides and exception:

"An officer or employee of the United States Government or of the District of Columbia government may not accept voluntary services for either government or employ personal services exceeding that authorized by law except for emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property."

The NRP itself addresses "unaffiliated volunteers," which are also called "emergent" or "spontaneous" volunteers. (NRP, 73).

There are statutory exceptions
to the general statutory prohibition against accepting voluntary serices under 31 U.S.C. § 1342 (2002) that can be used to accept the assistance of volunteer workers. Such services may be accepted in “emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property.” Additionally, provisions of the Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5152(a), 5170a(2) (2002), authorize the President to, with their consent, use the personnel of private disaster relief organizations and to coordinate their activities.

In Incidents of National Significance, as in this case, the NRP calls on the Secretary of Homeland Security to "Attract a sizeable influx of independent, spontaneous volunteers and supplies." (NRP, 6).

"Atrract" spontaneous volunteers and supplies. Not turn them away.

WORST. ADMINISTRATION. EVER.
There is a lot more in the National Response Plan, page after page describing how the Federal government should have acted. Michael Brown and FEMA failed America. But the criminal incompetence goes much, much higher. Michael Chertoff failed. Donald Rumsfeld failed. George W. Bush failed. It's all there in black and white. Page after page explicitly stating what they SHOULD have done.

They should be fired. ALL OF THEM. George W. Bush has been called the Worst President Ever. But the sickness of gross incompetence rots out from his core, and spreads to almost EVERY branch of his administration, to every political appointee reaping his rewards, to every underqualified imbecile given a fancy title and lemmings to boss around. WORST. ADMINISTRATION. EVER.

What good is a 114-page plan (sans appendices)if the administration doesn't even READ it? It would had better served the victims of Katrina if someone threw it into the water as a lifesaver. At least then, one victim could cling to the useless tome and stay afloat as the waves surged around him.

The government's response to Katrina is worse than its negligence pre-9/11. Back then, they were just stupid. They were lazy and complacent and still fascinated by the shiny objects on the Oval Office desk.

But now.

The federal government's own Hurricane Center was issuing advisory after advisory like it had a fucking crystal ball, forecasting exactly the mass loss of life, property, forecasting exactly the levee breaks, forecasting exactly that the city would be uninhabitable, forecasting exactly that there would be "human suffering incredible by modern standards."

And with EVERY single advisory, the federal government was supposed to turn to this National Response Plan, goddamn it. When the government advisory tells you that there will be water shortages which will case "incredible" human suffering, you do your duty under the NRP and have semi-trucks filled with fucking Evian for your citizens to drink.

Read the National Response Plan. THERE IS NO EXCUSE.

Passing the buck to the Mayor and the Governor is unacceptable. Laying all the blame at Brown's and FEMAs feet is unacceptable. Because the plan, that security blanket given to every state in this Nation, says the PRESIDENT will lead in Incidents of National Significance. It says THE PRESIDENT will order the Secretary of Defense to deploy troops, without a request from the local officials. It says THE PRESIDENT directs the Secretary of Homeland Security and leads him in responding "effectively" to disasters.

Fire Chertoff. Fire Brown. Fire Rumsfeld. Fire all of them, because apparently, they're too stupid to even read. Any literate person reading the NRP would realize that the document enshrines a promise made by the Federal Government to its citizens: that it will use EVERY resource, swiftly and effectively, to save our lives. They signed off on that promise. And they broke it.

So, after reading all 114 pages of our National Response Plan, I WILL play the blame game. I WILL point fingers.

One specifically.

Right at this administration. The Worst Administration Ever.

Fuck you, Mr. President.