FEMA knew Katrina's potential - Max Mayfield, National Hurricane Center

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_09.html#076926

FEMA knew storm's potential, Mayfield says
Sunday, 4:44 p.m.

By Mark Schleifstein
Staff writer

Dr. Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center, said Sunday that officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, including FEMA Director Mike Brown and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, listened in on electronic briefings given by his staff in advance of Hurricane Katrina slamming Louisiana and Mississippi and were advised of the storm’s potential deadly effects.

Mayfield said the strength of the storm and the potential disaster it could bring were made clear during both the briefings and in formal advisories, which warned of a storm surge capable of overtopping levees in New Orleans and winds strong enough to blow out windows of high-rise buildings. He said the briefings included information on expected wind speed, storm surge, rainfall and the potential for tornados to accompany the storm as it came ashore.

“We were briefing them way before landfall,” Mayfield said. “It’s not like this was a surprise. We had in the advisories that the levee could be topped. “I keep looking back to see if there was anything else we could have done, and I just don’t know what it would be,” he said.

Chertoff told reporters Saturday that government officials had not expected the damaging combination of a powerful hurricane levee breaches that flooded New Orleans.

Brown, Mayfield said, is a dedicated public servant. “The question is why he couldn’t shake loose the resources that were needed,’’ he said.

______________________

How about FEMA funding is not a priority for Bush--only tax cuts and more tax cuts are a priority for this criminally incompetent administration and their rubber stamp Republican Congress.

[underpants]

1. Okay okay so SOMEONE knew that doesn't mean anything

Geesh!

See Chertoff and Brown's Emergency services backgrounds here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2062701

[underpants]

3. I mean really that is just a historical document

:eyes:

[gemlake]

2. Important addition to the timeline n/t

[msongs]

4. why does Max Mayfiedl hate America? - it does put the lie in the

mouths of govt officials that they were unaware.

Msongs

[shraby]

5. Even more damning evidence that they are

criminally incompetent. Tar and feather them and run them out of town.

[Talismom]

6. It's so clear folks! With this crowd it's always making $$ for themselves!

They didn't help, they're blocking assistance, they're pressuring the governor to turn over control of LA and they have already handed out no-bid contracts to Haliburton! The Bush Mafia is running the show and has arranged another profitable hit on this country. When do we manage to stop it?!

[Usrename]

7. Monday morning quarterback.

[flpoljunkie]

8. What you talkin' about, white man? Chertoff, Brownie given clear warning.

Dr. Max Mayfield knows his sh*t--something you cannot say about "Brownie" and Chertoff.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Mayfield said all of those briefings were logged in the NHC's records.

Brown and Chertoff could not be reached for comment on Sunday afternoon.

In the days before Katrina hit, Mayfield said, his staff also briefed FEMA, which under the Department of Homeland Security, at FEMA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., its Region 6 office in Dallas and the Region 4 office in Atlanta about the potential effects of the storm.

He said all of those briefings were logged in the hurricane center’s records.

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlo...

[flpoljunkie]

10. Why would Dr. Mayfield make point there were meeting of these records?

I think we all know the answer to that.

[flpoljunkie]

11. Neither Chertoff and Brownie could be reached for comment.

[opihimoimoi]

12. Silence of the Lambs time....they aew guilty of Malfeasance and they know

it...especailly since they had an existing battle plan for this specific city established 2003 DEC. only a year and 9 months ago...

No one bothered to look for it or they forgot?? what we paying those fools for anyway??