Currently, FEMA is more like advisors who come in to provide advice and assistance to the experienced State operations in place, and to expedite requests for Federal assistance. FEMA has learned its lession. For a small number of FEMA operatives on the ground at the time of a storm be thankful. As I have described above about FEMA's heavy handed flooding of New Orleans with Federal Protective Service security after H. Katrina.
Armed ex-military Blackwater Security FPS personel were providing security at the FEMA public assistance offices at the Jewish Community Center on St Charles Ave. Armed ICE agents responded when the Blackwater FPS agents called for assistance.
When you stepped up in line to the back of the big green army truck for your MREs and water, a FPS guard or National Guardsman armed with an automatic weapon was standing there, in the truck, to keep the crowd in control, just in case. At times the weapon was pointed at the docile line. There was a reason that General Honere was on Canal St. yelling "Weapons Down". (BTW, this happened on my Dad's old Foot Patrol Beat as a Downtown New Orleans Police Department Traffic Cop at the river end of Canal St.)
My Stepson and I were in the New Orleans area at the time of the storm. Myself before and after in Jefferson Parish. He through the whole ordeal, as he tried to evacuate with his family after the storm and could not get out.
He was down at the Morial Convention Center, at one point. He says that it was as bad as reported in the media. He did not like having guns pointed at him, especially by people paid for by his tax dollars.
Most all of the above was reported by the NOLA city newspaper, The Times-picayune.
Please, be careful what you wish for!
