devastations

After writing my earlier post, just after midnight, about
the lack of preparation on the Government’s part for the disaster in the Gulf, I
received an email alert about a new article just released by Knight Ridder.

“Federal
government wasn't ready for Katrina, disaster experts say” is the title of
the article and it goes along with what I was saying earlier about the lack of
preparation.

"What you're seeing is revealing
weaknesses in the state, local and federal levels," said Eric Tolbert, who until
February was FEMA's disaster response chief. "All three levels have been
weakened. They've been weakened by diversion into terrorism."

Our country has blindly turned an eye to other disasters
and placed all its resources in terrorism. An agency like FEMA should have been
kept out of the terrorism loop for the most part and kept to focus on other
devastations like hurricanes or earthquakes.

The article goes on to talk about a mock disaster drill
that was conducted last year, simulating a hurricane hit to the gulf coast. The
description of this drill almost mimics the real life reports we are now hearing
from Katrina.

Last year, FEMA spent $250,000 to
conduct an eight-day hurricane drill for a mock killer storm hitting New
Orleans. Some 250 emergency officials attended. Many of the scenarios now
playing out, including a helicopter evacuation of the Superdome, were discussed
in that drill for a fictional storm named Pam