I liked this part of the quote best. As I said, I don't think there's anyone who would've come out looking good after watching the first few days unfold. Maybe I'm not understanding the role of FEMA, but I don't see them as first responders. That should be a function of local law enforcement and National Guard, shouldn't it?kgeaux said:
"The President couldn't have chosen a better man": Mike Brown
- Thread starter Linda7NJ
- Start date
Cypros
Well-Known Member
Hallelujah! The guy had no clue what was going on and was clearly UNQUALIFIED. This would have been a difficult challenge for anybody, but not knowing about the existence of thousands of people who had been shown and discussed on TV for at least two days does indicate a true disconnect from the reality of the situation. And it wasn't just Brown who didn't know they existed. In that interview with Paula Zahn, Brown said that "WE (FEMA) didn't even know about the people at the Convention Center until today". So he implicated the whole darn lot of them. There is no excuse for FEMA not to be using the reports from TV reporters -- the only ones who ventured iinto New Orleans those first days! -- as important sources for what was going on.
Yep, You did a heck of a job there, BROWNIE!! :crazy:
Yep, You did a heck of a job there, BROWNIE!! :crazy:
Mabel
Former Member
Ntegrity said:I'm pretty sure he was too busy to watch TV during that time. Don't you think?Who was responsible for updating him on the situation?
If he wasn't watching TV and he wasn't providing assistance and he wasn't investigating the situation to find where help was needed, what was he doing?
Mabel said:
Well, for one...getting together supplies to send there that were turned away and refused admittance. I'm not defending the guy totally - I don't think he did a good job and I don't like the bit about embellishing his resume....but I don't think the guy sat around and purposely did nothing and didn't care. I really don't. I'm sorry if the masses think this guy just didn't care, but I don't believe that. I think he definately was in over his head - and I think he was working with a Governor who clearly didn't want OUTSIDE help. She didn't even want supplies brought in because it would encourage people to stay. I think Mike Brown got a lot of crap heaped on him that also lay at the feet of the STATE FEMA guy and in my opinion - he oughta be in the unemployment line also.
I'm with you on this, less. I'm not particularly a fan of Brown, but I still think he's the scapegoat for failures on the part of many, many others. If the supplies were rebuffed by the governor, what was he supposed to do?
Buzz Mills
New Member
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This goes back to something I posted early last week; in a major disaster like this, the troops should be sent in first, to achieve imediate order, and establish a communications network. This is all covered under their duties and responsibilities. A hodge-podge of civilian organizations, police, or otherwise, aren't going to cut it.
Jeana (DP)
Former Member
Buzzm1 said:
Exactly! ESPECIALLY when you consider that there were people shooting at those first responders trying to help.
I agree with you, but I think some changes will need to be made in the Constitution for that to work. Or, at the very least, some group concensus of delegation of power of the various states and governors of those states - otherwise, guaranteed, it will become a Constitutional review issue.Jeana (DP) said:
Career firefighter, ranking FEMA official will replace Mike Brown
WASHINGTON - The White House picked a top FEMA official with three decades of firefighting experience to be FEMA's new director, senior administration sources said Monday.
R. David Paulison, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agencys emergency preparedness force, will lead the beleaguered agency, according to three administration sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made.
Bush's decision followed FEMA Director Mike Brown's announcement that he was resigning in the best interest of the agency and best interest of the president, three days after losing his on-site command of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9315184/
WASHINGTON - The White House picked a top FEMA official with three decades of firefighting experience to be FEMA's new director, senior administration sources said Monday.
R. David Paulison, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agencys emergency preparedness force, will lead the beleaguered agency, according to three administration sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made.
Bush's decision followed FEMA Director Mike Brown's announcement that he was resigning in the best interest of the agency and best interest of the president, three days after losing his on-site command of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9315184/
concernedperson
Former Member
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2004
- Messages
- 14,795
- Reaction score
- 130
Yea, someone with qualifications! See it is a step in the right direction. I knew if they thought long and hard enough it would come to them. Just a growth process all governments should go through even if it is after the fact.
Paula Zahn interview with Michael Brown on 9/1/05. Could this possibly be one of the reasons he got the axe?
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/01/pzn.01.html
The big question, of course, tonight is, where do things stand with the federal response?
Federal Emergency Management Director Mike Brown joins me now from the FEMA command center in Baton Rouge.
Thank you, sir, for joining us. I understand that security isn't your job. I understand that you are up against tremendous obstacles. But how can it be that hundreds and hundreds of thousands of victims have not received any food and water more than 100 hours after Katrina hit?
MICHAEL BROWN, DIRECTOR, FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: Paula, I think it's so important for the American public to understand exactly how catastrophic this disaster is.
I mean, we have a major American city, a major urban area that has been totally demolished. And what we're finding is, is that, as we continue to do the evacuation and get people out, people who have completely lost everything, they have no place to go, they have nothing, that we're finding other people who are literally coming out of second stories of homes, that are suddenly appearing on bridges that are not under water, that people who were unable or chose not to evacuate are suddenly appearing.
And so, this -- this catastrophic disaster continues to grow. I will tell you this, though. Every person in that Convention Center, we just learned about that today. And so, I have directed that we have all available resources to get to that Convention Center to make certain that they have the food and water, the medical care that they need...
ZAHN: Sir, you aren't telling me...
BROWN: ... and that we take care of those bodies that are there.
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: Sir, you aren't just telling me you just learned that the folks at the Convention Center didn't have food and water until today, are you? You had no idea they were completely cut off?
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: Paula, the federal government did not even know about the Convention Center people until today.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/01/pzn.01.html
The big question, of course, tonight is, where do things stand with the federal response?
Federal Emergency Management Director Mike Brown joins me now from the FEMA command center in Baton Rouge.
Thank you, sir, for joining us. I understand that security isn't your job. I understand that you are up against tremendous obstacles. But how can it be that hundreds and hundreds of thousands of victims have not received any food and water more than 100 hours after Katrina hit?
MICHAEL BROWN, DIRECTOR, FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: Paula, I think it's so important for the American public to understand exactly how catastrophic this disaster is.
I mean, we have a major American city, a major urban area that has been totally demolished. And what we're finding is, is that, as we continue to do the evacuation and get people out, people who have completely lost everything, they have no place to go, they have nothing, that we're finding other people who are literally coming out of second stories of homes, that are suddenly appearing on bridges that are not under water, that people who were unable or chose not to evacuate are suddenly appearing.
And so, this -- this catastrophic disaster continues to grow. I will tell you this, though. Every person in that Convention Center, we just learned about that today. And so, I have directed that we have all available resources to get to that Convention Center to make certain that they have the food and water, the medical care that they need...
ZAHN: Sir, you aren't telling me...
BROWN: ... and that we take care of those bodies that are there.
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: Sir, you aren't just telling me you just learned that the folks at the Convention Center didn't have food and water until today, are you? You had no idea they were completely cut off?
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: Paula, the federal government did not even know about the Convention Center people until today.
tipper
Former Member
Mr. tipper said that every high ranking official he knows in DC including generals all have at least one tv in their office tuned to CNN, MSNBC etc. Just so they will be up to date on what the public is hearing. Sometimes it scoops what they are hearing from their people.Ntegrity said:I'm pretty sure he was too busy to watch TV during that time. Don't you think?
MY sister was holding a conference for firefighters this month. It has been cancelled due to Katrina.
She sent me a copy of her brochure and Paulison was her key note speaker! LOL!
She said he is very highly regarded and she is thrilled with this choice.
She sent me a copy of her brochure and Paulison was her key note speaker! LOL!
She said he is very highly regarded and she is thrilled with this choice.
THis is her BIO info..I don't know if there is any new info in it but here you go:
BIO---------FIRE CHIEF DAVE PAULISON
R. David Paulison was appointed director of the Preparedness Division of
the Emergency Preparedness & Response Directorate/FEMA, in the newly
created Department of Homeland Security in 2003. He will continue to
serve as the administrator for the U.S. Fire Administration, a position
to which he was appointed in December 2001.
As director of the Preparedness Division, Mr. Paulison administers a
broad range of programs designed to reduce injuries and death due to
disasters, strengthen states and communities and prevent or reduce
damage to public and personal property. He is also responsible for
enhancing state and local emergency preparedness, training federal,
state, and local emergency managers, and conducting a nationwide program
of exercises. As head of the U.S. Fire Administration, Mr. Paulison also
supports state and local fire service programs and oversees programs to
reduce life and economic losses due to fire and related emergencies in
partnership with fire protection and emergency service communities.
Before joining FEMA, Mr. Paulison, who has 30 years of fire rescue
services experience, was chief of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department.
In that position, he oversaw 1,900 personnel with a $200 million
operating budget and a $70 million capital budget. He also oversaw the
county's emergency management office.
He began his career as a rescue firefighter and rose through the ranks
to rescue lieutenant, battalion commander, district chief of operations,
division chief, assistant chief and then deputy director for
administration before becoming chief. His emergency management
experience includes Hurricane Andrew and the crash of ValuJet Flight
592.
A native of Miami, Fla., Mr. Paulison earned a bachelor of arts from
Florida Atlantic University and completed the Program for Senior
Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University's John F.
Kennedy School of Government. He received the LeRoy Collins
Distinguished Alumni Award and was inducted into the Miami-Dade
Community College Hall of Fame. Mr. Paulison was selected as fire chief
of the year by Florida in 1993 and holds positions in several
professional associations. He is a certified paramedic and as fire
chief, oversaw the Miami-Date Urban Search and Rescue Task Force. He is
also past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
BIO---------FIRE CHIEF DAVE PAULISON
R. David Paulison was appointed director of the Preparedness Division of
the Emergency Preparedness & Response Directorate/FEMA, in the newly
created Department of Homeland Security in 2003. He will continue to
serve as the administrator for the U.S. Fire Administration, a position
to which he was appointed in December 2001.
As director of the Preparedness Division, Mr. Paulison administers a
broad range of programs designed to reduce injuries and death due to
disasters, strengthen states and communities and prevent or reduce
damage to public and personal property. He is also responsible for
enhancing state and local emergency preparedness, training federal,
state, and local emergency managers, and conducting a nationwide program
of exercises. As head of the U.S. Fire Administration, Mr. Paulison also
supports state and local fire service programs and oversees programs to
reduce life and economic losses due to fire and related emergencies in
partnership with fire protection and emergency service communities.
Before joining FEMA, Mr. Paulison, who has 30 years of fire rescue
services experience, was chief of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department.
In that position, he oversaw 1,900 personnel with a $200 million
operating budget and a $70 million capital budget. He also oversaw the
county's emergency management office.
He began his career as a rescue firefighter and rose through the ranks
to rescue lieutenant, battalion commander, district chief of operations,
division chief, assistant chief and then deputy director for
administration before becoming chief. His emergency management
experience includes Hurricane Andrew and the crash of ValuJet Flight
592.
A native of Miami, Fla., Mr. Paulison earned a bachelor of arts from
Florida Atlantic University and completed the Program for Senior
Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University's John F.
Kennedy School of Government. He received the LeRoy Collins
Distinguished Alumni Award and was inducted into the Miami-Dade
Community College Hall of Fame. Mr. Paulison was selected as fire chief
of the year by Florida in 1993 and holds positions in several
professional associations. He is a certified paramedic and as fire
chief, oversaw the Miami-Date Urban Search and Rescue Task Force. He is
also past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
concernedperson
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Most of us have already read the newslinks.
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