FEMA's Hurricane Response Was Privatized Out of Existence

[MrBenchley]

Yup, FEMA turned the reins over to an outfit called IEM, which boasted this spring that they were ready for: "'ustaining winds of 120mph... destroyed over 75% of the structures in its path, and left the majority of New Orleans under 15-20 feet of water'. That's impressively accurate. 'heltering, temporary housing, and temporary medical care' were chosen as areas to focus on, 'functional plans' were put in place, that can be 'implemented immediately'. Result? 'Louisiana is much better prepared for a catastrophic hurricane'."

You can check out the links at this blog.

http://leninology.blogspot.com/2005/09/politics-of-weather-3-shyness-of.html

Incidentally, the company has scrubbed all its press releases about hurricane planning from its website...but there are still copies.

[In Truth We Trust]

1. Now let's privatize Social Security- NOT

[fasttense]

2. Your post is hard to read because of the line outs.

But I did some research, you are correct looks like IEM got $500 million to develop a plan. But was the plan ever implemented? Did FEMA do the follow up necessary?? Here's another link: http://uspolitics.about.com/b/a/199284.htm

[pnorman]

7. Thanks for that very important link!

I just saved it away for future use. I had that IEM website noted down and checked it frequently. But I NEVER saw any mention of anything related to Katrina. No big surprise there.

pnorman

[OneGrassRoot]

3. What are the implications of privitizing?

I saw this as a RW talking point yesterday.

[underpants]

4. Ex-FEMA type worker told me about this last week (not just the budget)

FEMA got overhauled during the Clinton administration after harsh criticism (Sen. Holligns on SC floods). FEMA had always been headed by ex-military (logistics officers not combat arms) at least at the site leadership level.

When Homeland Security was established the POLITICAL APPOINTEES both threw the baby out with the bath water and tried to reinvent the wheel. They were just sure they could run it better than any government ever had and basically disbanded all the working relationships between govt. agencies, volunteer organizations, and contractors (and any combination there of).

--

The implications of privatizing include:
-YOU paying more for the same response
-Lack of recourse (you vs. the corporation)
-Trying to do it on the cheap (even though they had gouge anyway)

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Yep. That's about the size of it

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Save the Gulf, then save the nation!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm

[OneGrassRoot]

6. thank you both VERY much........n/t

[zann725]

11. People wondered where Cheney was last week. My guess IS he was behind

the scenes helping arrange the "privatization" (and INTENTIONAL delay) of the rescue, and therefore rebuild plans. Since Haliburton has the "rebuild" contract", all the delays we witnessed multiplied the "damage," ultimately thereby reaping more profits for Dickco. How ironically fortunate for the chosen few.

[donsu]

8. I posted this yesterday to not much response

someone should investigate IEM and get the juice

[Wordie]

9. If someone could find those links, and if this all is true, this is BIG!

and should be kicked...anyone know more?

Even with the missing information, this seems quite important. Privatizing of SS would work just about as well, seems to me.

[sandnsea]

10. Corporatization of Katrina

I agree and the corporations just see it as one big PR campaign.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/?view=plink&id=1346

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

12. That's why they turned down volunteers. It cut into the private trof.