FEMA is pulling long term recovery personnel from Louisiana

[finecraft]

We have had a team of FEMA contractors, (urban planners, civil engineers, economic development people, health care administrators) working in our town for the past month and a half. They were all using LRA (Louisiana Recovery Authority) business cards, but they were actually contractors working for FEMA. They have been meeting with the public, elected officials, citizens groups and just about anyone who wanted to talk to them, about our Parish's long term recovery from the hurricanes. They were working on a community action plan for recovery, and creating the tools our community needs to implement the plan (engineering plans, reorganization plans, zoning guidelines, etc). One of the engineers called me today to say that FEMA in Washington sent then an email this morning that said to go home. They were no longer employed as of next Friday. FEMA is pulling all the professional personnel from their community recovery offices, leaving a staff consisting of two National Guardsmen and a secretary. One of the National Guard guys called me and wanted to reassure me that he was not a total idiot, because he has an associate degree in Criminal Justice. He said the other Guardsman has a high school education and is really smart, and the secretary is going to trade school to learn office systems. They will be there to answer any questions we may have. I asked what they were going to do with the plan they are working on, and the guy told me that Washington told them just to box it up and put it in storage. The continued screwing of Louisiana by Bush and FEMA continues.

[jus_the_facts]

1. That's one HELL of a note....

:grr:

...I'm not surprised but :wtf:

[finecraft]

2. I guess long term recovery means "for the next 5 minutes"

this so totally sucks.

[jus_the_facts]

7. I hope this doesn't have anything to do with it....

.....did you know about this? :tinfoilhat:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x4724815




I can't even begin to imagine how bad it's sucks to have to deal with FEMA at all. :hug:

[finecraft]

8. Oh just great, now I have to worry about earthquakes too

I guess I'll be waiting for the tsunami from the quake to finish off what Rita and Katrina started.

[Auntie Bush]

3. Ethnic Cleansing is alive and well and kicking wildly.

This whole thing is a money scam and land grab opportunity when the poor and blacks can't afford to come back. They won't even promise to protect them with good safe levies...until the rich grab the land.. Then they will build Cat 5 levies to protect all those expensive homes. I could:puke: in this administrations face.

[finecraft]

5. I think this is in response to Gov. Blanco's threat to play hardball

and hold up the drilling leases. Who gets screwed the most in this deal? The citizens of Louisiana. Why on earth there are still people in Louisiana who consider themselves republicans is beyond me.

[Ilsa]

4. I was listening to NPR this morning. Some investment banker has

arranged for $100,000,000 in loans to buy up NOLA real estate at depressed prices so he can flip it as more start returning. Made me ill to hear it.

[Horse with no Name]

6. and the longer they don't clean it up or start rebuilding

then the higher the chances that the poor won't return, but instead, set roots elsewhere.

[usedtobesick]

9. well they are still here on the MS coast

given their lack of help I think we could lend you some of the ones I met today, I know they a needed evil from a "blessing Oversight" but we see them as much as in the way then part of the solution... read the front page of the local Gulfport paper today, they are now stooping the reconstruction based on houses being older then 1960 since they have historical value, what about the people who lived in them and need their lives back?

[finecraft]

10. I feel for ya' and understand your beef with them

but I figured that, at least in Louisiana, we could make a little headway with the reconstruction over here. The rural parish I live in has no zoning, no master plan, no nothing. You can put a toxic waste pit next to a kindergarten and it would be legal. At least they would be giving us something to start with. The group we have here is really great. They all came over today after work and offered to continue to help us for free, as independent consultants. I hope someone takes them up on their offer.

[usedtobesick]

11. No I hear you... I think most of the people I meet are caring good people

who want to make a difference, not all of them but most, the issue is the process that stops real official help and a lack of leadership. I really do like them individually but as a group very ineffectual. I think there-in lies the frustration. Lead or follow, but get the hell out of the way...

[sandnsea]

14. Interesting differences

NOLA wants FEMA to do its job. Mississippi wants FEMA to get the hell out of the way. I suspect there's a lesson in there someplace.

[usedtobesick]

18. I hope that lesson is learned soon..

We're at 4 months and counting before this could start all over again... It would be good to know that someone learned something that will make a difference. The work camp we are in is run by Hands on Network/America and it's working as hard and fast as it can but no one is listening yet even locally it seems on some days. I guess it is still just too close to home for a lot of the Local and Federal people to get past but... I hope we all get smarter faster. The politics still get in the way but people are starting to see some light and are realizing no one has all the answers and it has to be coordinated soon and better. There has to be a change in the process on everyones part to work together with Local/State/Federal/Relief groups to use what people have smarter and without "turf wars" I know it involves people so they will keep turf wars live but we've got to get past that and get the people help who are still living in tents and trailers and destroyed homes that they need from the people who owe them that help.

Sorry I will step off my soap box now but damn... it is hard to watch some days.

[sandnsea]

19. I'll tell you what gets me

I know this country and I know all somebody has to do is ASK and every person who can possibly make it down there would be there for as long as is necessary. But nobody asks and nobody coordinates and we're all sitting around, pissed and helpless to do a damned thing about it. Except write another check and make another phone call and with the extraordinary catastrophe, it just isn't enough.

[usedtobesick]

20. There are probably a 1000+ of us and more arriving everyday,

Don't wait... just come. If you show up, there are dozens of places that will house, feed you, and keep you busy, there are church groups from all over the world here and secular groups like ours that will take you or anyone else tomorrow. If you know people waiting to be asked, please send me their names. There are homes and tasks for everyone. No skills needed but all skills used, just a willing heart and the ability to live and work with others. I worked today with teens, middle aged and older men and women and an 78 year old dude who is the strongest person I have every met. If you want a place to come let me know we can set you up with a group of your choise. Seriously!

[sandnsea]

22. I have plans to

Later this year. But I don't know many people who will just head off across the country without a known group to be attached to and an official program that has requested help so they will know they aren't using resources others need when they get there. It's one thing if you're in the area, it's another to come clear from the northwest where I'm at.

[usedtobesick]

27. glad to hear but I am not from here either

I came down after looking on line and talking to Merh in the Katrina Froum. I am from Denver and so is my SO. We called, found a camp to stay at and drove. There are a lot of people from Seattle/Portland areas here as well. We cooked breakfast with two of them this morning. I promise you won;t be the only person from the NW and if you have a specific faith group you are associated with all of the denominations have their own camp. If not try http://www.handsonnetwork.org/ which is the group we ended up staying with. It will take 5 to 10 years to complete this task so I think you will have time.

[sandnsea]

32. That's not what I said

I didn't say NOBODY has a group they are connected with who went or is going to the Gulf. I said there isn't a highly visible national rebuilding campaign, not everybody goes to church or would even think to go because they don't even know there's that kind of need. The only place I see updated info on the Gulf is when I go to Gulf newspaper web sites. The needs aren't getting out to the general public. This Fallen Heroes Fund is all over the news. What about the Katrina survivors, why don't we have a constant focus on them?? That's what I'm saying.

[finecraft]

21. That is the sad thing about this situation

We are a very rural community. We were blessed that the FEMA contractors assigned here are all from rural areas too (Small communities in South Dakota, Kansas, Vermont, Oklahoma and Florida). These people understood how small communities work, and were starting to have the local people open up to them. One group of homeowners (well, ex-homeowners since their homes were destroyed) are even setting up their own non-profit organization (with the help of the FEMA group)to address the need for affordable housing in their area. The Long Term Recovery group put them in contact with another non-profit in California, and the two groups are seriously thinking about doing a joint housing project to build affordable homes through a building/contractor cooperative. They were giving the people here hope....hope that at some point we will be able to put the pieces back together again. And now, just when people were starting to be able to get their heads around the recovery process, WHAM....FEMA blindsides us, yet again, because of politics.

[Nothing Without Hope]

12. K & R. Please send this story and any documentation to Keith Olbermann

K & R. FEMA was just a strawman for them - it was SUPPOSED to fail and it did. These people who were working with you were accomplishing something important, but it looks like the Bushies are putting away their FEMA toy since it's served their purpose.

I recommend you email this story to Keith Olbermann. He's one of the few voices of truth on TV and he is very, very concerned about the Katrina survivors and the criminal negligence of the Bush Administration. His email address:
[e-mail]

And check out the VIDEO of Keith re the Brown hearings today:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x384242
thread title (2-10-06 GD): VIDEO- Olbermann on the Brownie Hearings

and also his powerful show last September on the whole katrina story, "The City of Louisiana":
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=384242&mesg_id=384448

[finecraft]

13. Excellent idea!

I notice Anderson Cooper is back in New Orleans tonight. I think I will send it to him also.

[Nothing Without Hope]

15. Some of the newspapers might also be interested. And Lousiana TV:

Are any of the Louisiana TV stations picking up on this? They should. This station in Baton Rouge was active during the early stages of Katrina and reported things that were not Bush propaganda:

Its home page is here:
http://www.2theadvocate.com

I noticed that this station broke several of the stories on the plight of hurricane victims and those who were often blocked in their efforts to help them. For example, they carried the story of the doctor that the FEMA agents forbade to treat even desperately ill patients out on an airport tarmac, even though there were no other doctors. He saw some die from this neglect.

The link to that particular story is no longer active, though I might be able to pull it up from the archives tomorrow if you need to know which reporter(s) wrote it.

[Nothing Without Hope]

16. Jack Cafferty at CNN is also disgusted with some of the Bushie stunts.

What the heck. Here's his email:
[e-mail]

[Nothing Without Hope]

17. See if you can get a copy of the email that got from FEMA

Would be important to get the TEXT, if you can manage it.

[Dunvegan]

23. I'm dumbstruck considering an earthquake-generated tsunami in NOLA.

After all else that's happened.

[pitohui]

33. there's no earthquake generated tsunami in new orleans

that you don't have to worry abt, i don't know why people feel the need to spread such wild stories

we have real problems, this weekend the weather will be below freezing and there are people all over the gulf coast area still in tents

[BlueEyedSon]

24. FEMA will keep forces working on recovery plans in La. (nola.com)

2/10/2006, 6:23 p.m. CT
By CAIN BURDEAU
The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Gov. Kathleen Blanco on Friday stopped the Federal Emergency Management Agency from temporarily cutting back on a program to help hurricane-battered communities in Louisiana develop plans on how to rebuild.

On Thursday, FEMA said it was ending "phase one" of a program to help Louisiana's hurricane-battered parishes come up with long-term rebuilding plans.

That announcement prompted Gov. Kathleen Blanco to call FEMA acting director R. David Paulison, and he reversed course and pledged to keep FEMA involved in Louisiana's long-term planning process.

"He agreed to keep the long-term planning forces in place," said Nicol Andrews, FEMA's deputy strategic director.

FEMA hired about 300 experts and contractors — engineers, rural planners, grant writers — to work with communities on projects and ideas on how to rebuild after the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The program costs FEMA about $10,000 a day, Andrews said.

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-23/1139617751166220.xml&storylist=louisiana

[ClayZ]

26. My sister's neighbors (a couple) work for FEMA

The condo they stay in while in NOLA, is charging the government $150.00 per day for each of them. That is $9,000. per month for their lodging. Let's see now .... how many people are still in tents?

[finecraft]

28. Thank you so much for finding this!

This is a very important program, and I was devastated to learn that they were pulling these people. I called the Governor's office, my Congressional representatives, local councilmen and everyone else I could think of yesterday to try to get them to keep FEMA from pulling the program. My community has really gotten involved in planning our future with the group we have here, and pulling the program would have shattered our trust the local FEMA team has built with the community. It's sad to say, but a lot of people would have backed out of the process after that, and probably would not have ever participated in anything again.

[BlueEyedSon]

29. Actually, i was looking for a news item supporting your post.

I would be shocked that something so important did not make headlines.

[finecraft]

30. I tried looking for something also and couldn't find anything

I called all my friends in the media yesterday morning when I found out, and they knew nothing about it. FEMA had put out no press releases on this. They were all shocked, and promised me that they would make some calls and try to find something out. I think FEMA was purposely trying to keep this quiet, and that is why they were going to keep the local offices open with the reduced staff of National Guard personnel. The headline of "FEMA closing local long term planning offices" would not have looked good for them, but I think they figured that one that said "FEMA finishes phase one of community long-term planning" would not have made them look so bad. Here locally we would have known they had pulled the rug out from under us, but nationally it wouldn't have been perceived to be so bad. I swear, you have got to keep both eyes on these people, all the time, to keep from getting knifed in the back by them.

[finecraft]

31. Here's this morning's article in the Baton Rouge Advocate

So how can Louisiana really partner with FEMA when FEMA doesn't notify the Governor, or the Louisiana agency in charge of the program, that they are pulling the people working on the program?

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/2297486.html

(snip)

FEMA tries to pause La. role

Agency says state not engaged enough in long-term planning

By MIKE DUNNE
Advocate staff writer
Published: Feb 11, 2006

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has told Gov. Kathleen Blanco that state and local officials need to take on more leadership in planning Louisiana’s long-term recovery.

This week, FEMA put out a notice to workers that it would put on “pause” the long-term recovery planning process known as ESF-14. It is designed to spur not only recovery but to build in elements that would avert or mitigate damages from future disasters.

FEMA told workers the pause was for at least two weeks. However, officials at the Louisiana Recovery Authority, the advisory partner in the process, were stumped when they started getting calls about the “pause.”

Late Friday, LRA spokeswoman Pam Laborde said the “pause is on pause.” Apparently, when word reached Blanco on Friday, she called Acting FEMA Director R. David Paulison to find out what was happening (end snip)

[Road Scholar]

25. So, is anyone surprised???? nt