Corps officials: Funding levels not to blame for flooding

[adios]

Corps officials: Funding levels not to blame for flooding (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-050901corps,1,7189346.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true)

However, they noted that the levees were designed for a Category 3 hurricane and couldn't handle the ferocious winds and raging waters from Hurricane Katrina, which was a Category 4 storm when it hit the coastline. The decision to build levees for a Category 3 hurricane was made decades ago based on a cost-benefit analysis.

On what basis was the decision made that the cost of protecting against a category 5 hurricane made to be too high?

[Broken Glass Can]

Damn. You mean we can't blame Bush for diverting funds away from domestic safety?

[SheetWise]

As I understand it, the computer models were not sophisticated enough at the time the decisions were made. Storms were not rated in the same way. They had a single model, which is what they used. The newer models identified the threat, and the studies had been done -- but even with funding they were 30 years away from a solution to Cat 5.

[adios]

.....

[adios]

An opporuntiy to politicize an event never goes wasted with some and this happens on both the left and the right unfortuately.

[Boris]

OK we can't blame him for the flooding. But he gets full credit for the pitiful response of FEMA and Homeland Security.

[sam h]

The relief effort and response has been basically incompetent, indicating that FEMA and local officials really weren't prepared for a situation in which communications would be compromised and security an issue. Whether additional funding would have improved preparedness or not is uncertain, but likely.

What would you expect them to say?

"We made a huge miscalculation, and we diverted a bunch of money to Iraq that probably should have been spent on the levees. Our bad. I'm sure we won't get fired for saying this, because the president always puts the truth ahead of politics."

To really answer that charge one way or the other, we need to hear from someone who doesn't have their job on the line.

[Stu Pidasso]

[ QUOTE ]
OK we can't blame him for the flooding. But he gets full credit for the pitiful response of FEMA and Homeland Security.

[/ QUOTE ]

It would have been just as bad under any president. FEMA was not, nor have the ever been capable of responding to a disaster of this magnitude.

Stu

[cardcounter0]

This was a joke a friend who was a career Army Corps. of Engineer employee:

Q. What is the difference between the Boy Scouts and the Army Corps. of Engineers?
A. The Boy Scouts have adult supervision.

[wacki]

Adios read this:

Linky (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=3280074&page=0&view=colla psed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1)

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
The relief effort and response has been basically incompetent, indicating that FEMA and local officials really weren't prepared for a situation in which communications would be compromised and security an issue. Whether additional funding would have improved preparedness or not is uncertain, but likely.

[/ QUOTE ]

Whoever decided it would not be a good idea to have at least 1 heavy lifting helicopter with sandbags standing by ready to go 24/7 is a moron.

[krazyace5]

The response to this natural disaster or lack of it I should say, has probably gotten would be terrorists salivating...

[sam h]

[ QUOTE ]
Whoever decided it would not be a good idea to have at least 1 heavy lifting helicopter with sandbags standing by ready to go 24/7 is a moron.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I don't understand this kind of stuff at all. They could have even just borrowed some big choppers from somewhere else at the last minute since they had a couple days advance warning before the storm hit.

In terms of total cost, they could have saved billions, as well as many lives, if they just had a shitload of helicopters, supplies, national guardsmen, and buses ready to go, as well as a real plan for refugees.

[Zeno]

This is a good point. And ‘blame’ goes up and down the complete chain of command or 'people in charge', from local officials to State and Federal Officials, to the elected idiots that we put into office.

I will add that communications is a critical nexus in all crisis/disaster situations, along with preplanning (what can be reasonably done anyway) and recognition of important threshold points that set other contingency plans or operations into motion etc. Most informed people knew the risks and possible dangers inherent to a hurricane landfall near New Orleans. Nothing really surprising about what happened at all.

But it is easy to cast stones. Also, there were a large number of people that responded in a remarkable and positive way to this disaster - For example the personnel in many of the local hospitals, the Coast Guard Rescue people, and many unknown ‘heroes’ etc. We sometimes tend to get caught up in all the negativity.

Some people are so misanthropic.

-Zeno

[sam h]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, there were a large number of people that responded in a remarkable and positive way to this disaster - For example the personnel in many of the local hospitals, the Coast Guard Rescue people, and many unknown ‘heroes’ etc. We sometimes tend to get caught up in all the negativity.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. My impression is that there was a lot of positive response and sacrifice, undercut in unfortunate ways by inadequate leadership and institutional failure.

[ QUOTE ]
Some people are so misanthropic.

[/ QUOTE ]

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