Paul ([info]implementor) wrote,
2005-09-05 22:19:00
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The real reason the emergency response took so long...

via [info]crasch:

emergency graph

Bureaucracy. The lifeblood of government. And the real reason it never does anything either well or quickly.

And it's not a question of whether it "should" do things better or more quickly. It won't. Period. So be able to take care of yourself and those you care about, or be prepared for your relatives to comment on how nice your FEMA-paid-for funerals were.

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  • 17 comments

[info]halaku

September 6 2005, 02:37:06 UTC 6 years ago

You should see if you can get an updated one, that includes DoHS.

[info]implementor

September 6 2005, 02:46:18 UTC 6 years ago

I don't know if one exists. I can tell you one thing, though. The extra layer of bureaucracy supplied by the DoHS doesn't make anything work better or quicker :).

[info]halaku

September 6 2005, 02:48:02 UTC 6 years ago

Full agreement. There's already talk of trying to remove FEMA from DoHS and make it an independent agency.

[info]implementor

September 6 2005, 03:00:00 UTC 6 years ago

From what I've seen of typical U.S. government bureaucracy, it won't make much difference. Between the administrators doing whatever they can to set up their own personal little kingdoms, the incompetents trying to cement themselves into unfireable positions while doing as little work as possible, while the people who actually do work and try to do their best are essentially beating their heads against a brick wall created by the first two groups and the immense inertia of any government bureaucracy.

[info]halaku

September 6 2005, 03:01:11 UTC 6 years ago

That sounds strangely familiar. :)

[info]imnotmrt

September 6 2005, 03:04:19 UTC 6 years ago

No.

Our response failed because there weren't enough anti-terrorism agencies in chain of command....why there could be terrorists hiding right now in hurricane Maria...ready to commit their dastardly terror schemes.

[info]thegargoyle

September 6 2005, 11:48:18 UTC 6 years ago

While that looks like a confusing jumble, part of it is that whoever made it not only crammed everything into a small space with the *intent* of making it look confusing...but also, as far as Katrina is concerned, there are a bunch of groups in there that don't have anything to do with it (starting with the intelligence agencies, to name just one). While it is humorous, I wouldn't use it as an accurate measure of anything regarding the successes or failures of Katrina.

[info]dch4

September 6 2005, 14:48:17 UTC 6 years ago

It also ignores the fact that the Federal Government couldn't do anything until Lousiana asked them to do so. And, from what I'm hearing, the Governor of Louisiana, when asked directly by the Feds if she wanted them to come in, she responded with 'Give me 24 hours to think about it.'

If that's true, then that's where people need to be pointing the virtual lynch mobs rather than at the Federal Government--at least as far as initial response goes.

[info]implementor

September 6 2005, 14:59:24 UTC 6 years ago

I've heard the same that you have (regarding the Louisiana Governor), do you have any sources which can verify this?

I'm not really trying to point virtual lynch mobs at anyone, my point isn't to suggest that one person or another is responsible for the delays that have happened in the response to the disaster along the gulf coast. My point is to show people that this is one of many reasons why it is difficult for government to move quickly, and that relying on the government for emergency assistance in lieu of making your own adequate plans and preparations is a very poor idea.

[info]dch4

September 6 2005, 16:38:19 UTC 6 years ago

Here is the only one I've got: http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/9/5/234033.shtml Given that it's newsmax without any other citations, I'm waiting to see if more comes out.

And I didn't mean to say you were going to be pointing lynch mobs at people. I was speaking in general terms. :)

[info]biffbur

September 6 2005, 21:57:13 UTC 6 years ago

I have heard a lot about the blame being heaped on Blanco... but from what I am seeing she declared a state of emergency on the 26th, then requested federal assistance on the 27th, and lastly put the state's emergency manager in charge of the corrdinating state efforts with federal response. The Huricane hit the state on the 29th.

It really seems from my vantage point that it was the Federal response that dropped the ball. And not just in Louisiana, but in Mississippi and Alabama as well. It is just the most striking in Louisiana with an entire city underwater. I recall watching Joe Scarborough railing against the lack of federal assistance he was seeing in Mississippi where he was reporting from the day after the storm.

[info]implementor

September 6 2005, 23:42:09 UTC 6 years ago

Do you have any data on how long it has taken for federal emergency response in previous hurricanes? Then there could be a real comparison.

[info]biffbur

September 7 2005, 03:38:21 UTC 6 years ago

Not yet... but I am still researching it.



[info]street_wraith

September 7 2005, 22:02:11 UTC 6 years ago

http://www.fema.gov/usr/about5.shtm

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/08/17/Weather/Unlike_Andrew__aid_s_.shtml

Both of these involve disasters. The first is how long it took them to get to Oklahoma City after the bombing. The second is how long it took for them to get to Florida after Charley.

Interesting thing about Charley... Jeb declared it on Friday before the hurricane hit... Bush approved relief one hour after disaster was decleared. And he was there as soon as the storm let up. Relief was right behind him. Interesting to say the least.

[info]implementor

September 7 2005, 22:39:57 UTC 6 years ago

The Katrina disaster in New Orleans is much, much more akin to Hurricane Andrew. The massive, widespread destruction throughout the area, the lack of available utilities to the area, such as fuel for vehicles, and the like. From what I've researched, the FEMA response to Katrina was better than it's response to Andrew. The destruction wasn't anywhere near as widespread with Charley as it was with either Katrina or Andrew.

[info]implementor

September 6 2005, 14:48:21 UTC 6 years ago

I agree, it's not the best flowchart, nor is it accurate given today's restructuring of many agencies under the Department of Homeland Security. However, the point I was making by posting it was the horrific jumble of bureaucracy involved in getting most things done, especially big things, by the Federal Government. So many agencies have so many niche responsibilities, the need for approval from a superior to do much of anything, and the inertia of having so many people involved in administrating, that it is very difficult for the vast majority of things to get done quickly when you're expecting the U.S. Federal Government to do them, especially if it's and abnormal situation, like what has happened in New Orleans and the rest of the gulf coast.

And that point was mainly to underscore my main point - be prepared to do for yourself. A very small amount of preparation in terms of money outlay and effort can make a huge amount of difference in this kind of emergency, if it's done BEFORE the emergency occurs.

[info]chapel_of_words

September 10 2005, 17:35:49 UTC 6 years ago

Wade hit it pretty well but I'm used to analyzing org charts for a living (I know, it's a real value add). There are only 16 reporting heads of divisions going up to the center branch...even as a senior manager I had 7 different cross functional departments, and I didn't even have my own staff. Additionally many of those agencies have mandates already in place. It doesn't require the request of a governor or approval for the FBI to come in and investigate a kidnapping or resopnd to a local request for help - the agency has already set up all that ahead of time.

Tim C.
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