Grade the job

[coolwater]

Everyone grade the job the federal gov. has done in regards to the Katrina aftermath.

[Terry]

May be turn that into 2 polls - one grading the timeliness of adequate response and the second one grading the response now. Two different animals in my book.

[ObsessedMiami]

I don't see how this can avoid being turned into a politcal thread....

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

Feds where doing what they should do. Blame the Gov/Mayor for this...No one else is to blame.

[CharleySurvivor]

My vote is 'terrible' untill today. NOW it's a different ball game, they are doing something and it's about time!

[soonertwister]

I hate stupid polls, which is why I never participate in them.

[wxman57]

It wasn't the Federal Government's position to come in immediately after the hurricane. The responsibility was that of the state and local officials. Not until they "federalized it" yesterday, was the federal government involved. And we can see that once the federal government was empowered to act, that action took place nearly immediately.

[Rainband]

It wasn't the Federal Government's position to come in immediately after the hurricane. The responsibility was that of the state and local officials. Not until they "federalized it" yesterday, was the federal government involved. And we can see that once the federal government was empowered to act, that action took place nearly immediately.

[southerngale]

It wasn't the Federal Government's position to come in immediately after the hurricane. The responsibility was that of the state and local officials. Not until they "federalized it" yesterday, was the federal government involved. And we can see that once the federal government was empowered to act, that action took place nearly immediately.

Exactly. Yet people voted F. Do they not like the tremendous progress since the feds took over or what?

[kometes]

What exactly does the federal designation of "disaster area" mean?

[NateFLA]

It wasn't the Federal Government's position to come in immediately after the hurricane. The responsibility was that of the state and local officials. Not until they "federalized it" yesterday, was the federal government involved. And we can see that once the federal government was empowered to act, that action took place nearly immediately.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Roxy]

I said B for federal goverment, as for state and local...F!

[soonertwister]

I hate stupid polls, which is why I never participate in them.

Then stay off this thread.

I'm entitled to my opinion, even if I don't vote in the poll. What is the purpose of your poll: to gain understanding, or to undermine trust?

I think I know which one it is.

[Windy]

I would say F on ALL levels of government. Local for not taking the warnings seriously enough, state for not asking for help soon enough, and federal for not having a comprehensive continuity-of-governement national emergency plan in the case of a destroyed American city. Everyone fails. When this is done, we will need to do a LOT of learning from this, because the next time the disaster or the attack may not be this limited.

FWIW, it seems that the federal government is finally providing the kind of response required.

[JQ Public]

What if the US was attacked again by terrorists? Would this be the same sort of reaction they would give? D!

[mahicks]

where is the "piss poor" option????

[Cookiely]

F for city
F for state
C for federal

[TampaFl]

It wasn't the Federal Government's position to come in immediately after the hurricane. The responsibility was that of the state and local officials. Not until they "federalized it" yesterday, was the federal government involved. And we can see that once the federal government was empowered to act, that action took place nearly immediately.

Agree 200% wxman57. It all starts at the locale level, then the state level and finally the federal level. If at the local level the scope of the disaster is such that the severity and magnitude is beyond there means to handle, then they put in a request to the stae for assisstance (the Governor). If it is also beyond the means of the state to handle the disaster, then the Governor puts in the request to the President that they need Federal assisstance. Then and only then will the Federal Government come in and take control of the response & recovery. This was a big lesson that was learned after hurricane Andrew in 1992. We here in Florida have been told to be self sufficent and do not expect help to arrive for the first 72 to 96 hours after a disaster strikes. Have plenty of food, water & medication for 3 - 5 days just in case. Many, many lessons will be learned from this and this disaster will be studied for years to come on how to improve response/recovery.

Robert

[mf_dolphin]

What if the US was attacked again by terrorists? Would this be the same sort of reaction they would give? D!

You fail to acknowledge that this wasn't an attack by terrorists. Unfortunately in this case there are laws that govern what the Federal Government can do in a natural disaster. The state failed to provide the security and first response plain and simple.

Quite frankly I'm ashamed that more people on this board don't understand how a disaster response to a hurricane works. This group should be one of the most informed groups on the subject. Obviously we need to do a better job of education in the coming months.

[LSU2001]

What if the US was attacked again by terrorists? Would this be the same sort of reaction they would give? D!

You fail to acknowledge that this wasn't an attack by terrorists. Unfortunately in this case there are laws that govern what the Federal Government can do in a natural disaster. The state failed to provide the security and first response plain and simple.

Quite frankly I'm ashamed that more people on this board don't understand how a disaster response to a hurricane works. This group should be one of the most informed groups on the subject. Obviously we need to do a better job of education in the coming months.

Yep we need education at all levels because many on this board are refusing to accept the idea that it may be more than a week for supplies/assistance to come. I grew up on the Mississippi coast and It was always been drilled into my head to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. My wife has always thought I was crazy for preparing like I do so far inland. Now she is very grateful for my preps. We not only have plenty of supplies we had enough to bring to my family in mississippi who were also well prepared. We plan to help each other and usually we are far enough apart that one or the other can help out. We do not wait for the govt. we make our own relief. The govt is great but they do move slow. However once they get moving they really bring enormous resources to bear.
TIm