Hurricane Katrina

[geo]

From what I'm hearing, big problem the people of New Orleans suffered is that the relief effort was driven from the bottom up.... in other words, the feds were waiting for the state to ask them for things and the state was waiting for the city to ask for things.... so the FEMA expertise was being held in reserve - they did not "drive" the response even though they were the best equipped to do so.

In New Orleans = New Baghdad ?
One thing that continues to bother me is that all international & local news reports from New Orleans shows troops going thru the city - M16s in hand.... Why????
I appreceate the fact that there might be some looters wandering the deserted streets/rivers of the City but, would imagine that simple visibility patrols would have the same effect. Let the local Constabulary look after the Looters.

With weapons in hand, the US is giving the world the image that they don't have a strong & stable government "of the people, by the people" at the helm. 
IMHO

 

[George Wallace]

From what I'm hearing, big problem the people of New Orleans suffered is that the relief effort was driven from the bottom up.... in other words, the feds were waiting for the state to ask them for things and the state was waiting for the city to ask for things.... so the FEMA expertise was being held in reserve - they did not "drive" the response even though they were the best equipped to do so.

If you had a plumbing problem at home, do you call the plumber or does he just barge into your home and start to work on your plumbing?  This is the same thing, but on a larger and higher level.  It is the way the system works.

One thing that continues to bother me is that all international & local news reports from New Orleans shows troops going thru the city - M16s in hand.... Why????
I appreceate the fact that there might be some looters wandering the deserted streets/rivers of the City but, would imagine that simple visibility patrols would have the same effect. Let the local Constabulary look after the Looters.

With weapons in hand, the US is giving the world the image that they don't have a strong & stable government "of the people, by the people" at the helm.  

If you watched the news at all, you would have seen that the situation in NO had deteriorated into a state of anarchy. You would have seen that the local authorities could not act to enforce the law, so the Federal Forces were called in, and that included the Military.  It is how the situation escalated and we have now seen how the problem was handled.

 

[geo]

If you say so.........

The US suddenly doesn't appear to be that great friendly democracy anymore.

 

[Fry]

Since Rita is upgraded to a category 4 hurricane, I think that the work in New Orleans isn't over yet. Hopefully, Rita will fizzle out before getting up to our neck of the woods.

 

[geo]

Rita is reportedly headed for Texas panhandle..............
hope those people evacuated from the Superdome to the Astrodome don't get a sudden feeling of Deja vu.

 

[Melizard]

And the fact remains.   We are canadians and we don't live below sea level so we would not not ever see this type of damage.

Exactly.

Starting in January, I begin my degree in "Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies" at BU, so hopefully in the future, I'll show 'em how it's done.

 

[the 48th regulator]

Interesting article I found,

Canada's military unprepared to handle major disaster, new report says



CALGARY (CP) - A new report says that four years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Canada still doesn't have a national plan to co-ordinate its soldiers and reservists in the event of war or natural disaster.

Military historian Jack Granatstein, who co-authored the report for the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute in Calgary, says there's no communication between the army, navy or air force reserves when it comes to crisis planning .

Granatstein says he's hopeful that the Forces will be made to co-operate following the creation of Canada Command in June, but he's seen no sign of it yet.

Granatstein says Canadians have to start asking tough questions, especially in light of the recent hurricane disasters in the U.S.

They need to know whether the Canadian Forces could get equipment and people and help in a disaster any faster than the Americans could in New Orleans.

Granatstein stresses that the military is aware of the shortfalls, but the federal government has not put enough money into the system to make any significant impact.

Copyright © 2005 Canadian Press


Copyright 2005 © Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.​

dileas

tess

 

[kimmie]

As bad at Katrina was, it was BAD, I think looking at the bigger picture...beyond the flooding and destruction, look at how long citizens and others waited for help. I think with early action of letting people know how bad it was(I hear some meteorologists made it clear and no one believed them) the overall loss of property(I mean priceless belongings within the home) and life could have been avoided. And the aftermath was a total chaotic mess, no help or skills employed at all. People just lost their minds and it continues still today. 

I mean come on, "Brownie" told the media he didn't know about what had happened until 3 days later...really was he hiding in a bunker somewhere with absolutely no contact with the outside world?? Really?!?!?! Thus why, he is now out of a job. :

So hindsight is 20/20, I think we all learned a valuable, yet expensive and very sad, lesson.  :'(

My thoughts and prayers are still with all the people involved in the tragedy.  :-\

 

[RangerRay]

I shudder to think about what will happen when the "Big One" hits the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island of British Columbia.  I think it will make Katrina look like a garden party at Buckingham Palace.

Unlike a hurricane, there is no warning of a large earthquake.  Everybody, rich and poor, white, Asian, Native, etc., is stuck there.

By all accounts most bridges and older buildings, including schools, are not earthquake proof, including Lions Gate Bridge.  Richmond, where the airport is located, will liquify. 

Add to that the areas organised crime gangs and Downtown Eastside junkies, there is a potential law enforcement problem ready to explode at the slightest sign that the civil authority has lost control.  One thing in our favour is that unlike NOPD, the municipal police agencies in the area don't have a history of corruption.

The closest regular army units are located in Edmonton.  From what I've heard, it would take them 3 days to arrive in the disaster area.

We won't be able to rely on our American cousins for assistance because they will be dealing with the aftermath in western Washington, and possibly Oregon.

That leaves the local rerserve units on Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, and possibly the Southern Interior.  They, with local emergency and law enforcement agencies, are well placed for dealing with the immediate aftermath.  However in my short time in the reserves, not once were we trained in aid to civil power procedures, nor were we ever briefed on what is to happen in such an event.  In a large earthquake, many of the communication systems will be down, so it will be extremely difficult to issue a call-out unless unit members are briefed before hand.  IMHO, procedures and training should be developed for all ranks in these units since they will be first on the scene until the Regular Force arrives.

If we sit back in judgement of the Yanks, and do little to learn their lessons, we do so at our own peril.

 

[geo]

Rangerray......
closest reg force are the boys in blue out in Victoria - not Edmonton.
so with Heicopters, Recce group should be on site within the hour.

The authorities were intending to beef up engineer services on the west coast "just in case of the big one" but their 1st idea was to station them right in the middle of the epicentre (figures). They have bought some realestate in Chilliwack (yeah, yeah - the stuff we sold off a few years ago) and the intent was to raise a Reserve Engineer Regiment for the west coast.... a tough go right now.

I can only talk from experience with the Oka Crisis and the Ice Storm... (missed the fires in BC and floods in Wpg) and I must say that all in all, things went remarkedly well - the local authorities have generated plans and they do work....

 

[kimmie]

You've also got the famous SAR techs in Comox. 

 

[geo]

yeah - them too - if they can get their chopprs up in the air on that day (JK)

 

[RangerRay]

Rangerray......
closest reg force are the boys in blue out in Victoria - not Edmonton.
so with Heicopters, Recce group should be on site within the hour.

Thanks for the info.   I was referring to reg force army units.  I wasn't sure how much the air force in Comox and navy in Esquimalt could do untill there were army units on the ground, except fly rescue and supply missions to cut-off areas

That would be great if they can establish a reserve engineer regiment in Chilliwack.  IIRC, the only reserve engineer unit in British Columbia is 44 Field Engineer Squadron in Trail, and it would probably take them as long to deploy to the affected area as any unit from Edomonton Garrison.