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FEMA Declares Firefighters Unmutual
You'll never guess how FEMA's utilizing 1,400 trained firefighters who volunteered for Katrina duty:
Many of the firefighters, assembled from Utah and throughout the United States by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, thought they were going to be deployed as emergency workers.
Instead, they have learned they are going to be community-relations officers for FEMA, shuffled throughout the Gulf Coast region to disseminate fliers and a phone number: 1-800-621-FEMA.
On Monday, some firefighters stuck in the staging area at the Sheraton peeled off their FEMA-issued shirts and stuffed them in backpacks, saying they refuse to represent the federal agency.
Worst of all is this reaction from FEMA spokeswoman Mary Hudak:
I would go back and ask the firefighter to revisit his commitment to FEMA, to firefighting and to the citizens of this country.
Jeff P.|9.6.05 @ 3:41PM|#
Just out of curiosity, has anyone noticed if Bono has shown up at this nightmare yet?
|9.6.05 @ 3:47PM|#
Jeff, the New Orleanians are not yet hungry enough to warrant Bono-level intervention. Give 'em another week.
|9.6.05 @ 3:53PM|#
Mediageek--
Sean Penn is a twit, but I still have to have some level of respect
for a man who will take his boat down to NOLA and actually do some
hands-on saving of people, as opposed to those who Officially Help
by donating ten minutes of their time to caterwaul during one of
the televised "Save the Big Easy Benefit Concerts."
|9.6.05 @ 3:54PM|#
From the article:
"Firefighters say they want to brave the heat, the debris-littered
roads, the poisonous cottonmouth snakes and fire ants and travel
into pockets of Louisiana where many people have yet to receive
emergency aid.
But as specific orders began arriving to the firefighters in
Atlanta, a team of 50 Monday morning quickly was ushered onto a
flight headed for Louisiana. The crew's first assignment:
to stand beside President Bush as he tours devastated
areas. "
|9.6.05 @ 3:54PM|#
This is bigger than a Bono. It's bigger than a Struthers. I'm not saying this is a Geldoff, but it's pretty big.
|9.6.05 @ 3:55PM|#
"But as specific orders began arriving to the firefighters
in Atlanta, a team of 50 Monday morning quickly was ushered onto a
flight headed for Louisiana. The crew's first assignment: to stand
beside President Bush as he tours devastated areas."
Sadly the gubernment will olny grow after all this.
|9.6.05 @ 3:56PM|#
so, is it a requirement at fema to be a tremendous fuckface before you get a job there? or does it merely help grease the wheels of promotion?
|9.6.05 @ 3:56PM|#
"They've got people here who are search-and-rescue certified, paramedics, haz-mat certified," said a Texas firefighter. "We're sitting in here having a sexual-harassment class while there are still [victims] in Louisiana who haven't been contacted yet." The firefighter, who has encouraged his superiors back home not to send any more volunteers for now, declined to give his name because FEMA has warned them not to talk to reporters."
|9.6.05 @ 4:00PM|#
Gotta love a community-relations exercise where NOT talking to reporters is considered good community relations.
|9.6.05 @ 4:01PM|#
That is positively obscene. People are still dying because FEMA decides the best use for emergency personnel is to stand with the President in a photo op?
|9.6.05 @ 4:13PM|#
Gotta love a community-relations exercise where NOT talking
to reporters is considered good community relations.
Maybe they're afraid the firemen are going to give away the Secret
Plan to Save New Orleans.
|9.6.05 @ 4:17PM|#
If FEMA's rescue people are just there to hand out fliers, then what happens when people call FEMA? A crew of rescue workers comes to their home and hands them more fliers?
|9.6.05 @ 4:18PM|#
Sean Penn is a twit, but I still have to have some level of
respect for a man who will take his boat down to NOLA and actually
do some hands-on saving of people
If he had actually done some hands-on saving of people, I might
agree, Jennifer. As it is, he's a not-too-bright fella who doesn't
know to replace the drain plug in his boat.
|9.6.05 @ 4:21PM|#
The really sad thing about the sexual harrassment fiasco is that neither party will risk criticizing it. It makes Bush look bad because it's a moronic policy that clearly inhibits an effective rescue operation. But it also makes Democrats look bad because everyone knows that absurd, wasteful sexual harrasment seminars are a creation of the left. If the story is true, just about everyone has an incentive to bury it. I expect to hear very little about it.
|9.6.05 @ 4:32PM|#
"Just be glad that the firefighters weren't asked to do TPS
reports."
You DID get the memo?
|9.6.05 @ 4:34PM|#
But thoreau, they haven't gotten the memo mentioning that the cover sheet to the TPS report has changed. They were busy in the sexual-harrassment training "seminar."
|9.6.05 @ 4:35PM|#
"If he had actually done some hands-on saving of people, I might
agree, Jennifer. As it is, he's a not-too-bright fella who doesn't
know to replace the drain plug in his boat."
So what? It's still far better than anything Bush has personally
done. Bush has actively hampered recovery with his photo-op
bullshit.
|9.6.05 @ 4:39PM|#
"I would go back and ask the firefighter to revisit his
commitment to FEMA, to firefighting and to the citizens of this
country," said FEMA spokeswoman Mary Hudak.
The firefighters - or at least the fire chiefs who assigned them to
come to Atlanta - knew what the assignment would be, Hudak
said.
"The initial call to action very specifically says we're looking
for two-person fire teams to do community relations," she said. "So
if there is a breakdown [in communication], it was likely in their
own departments."
You stupid cow! Why the hell would you call firefighters down to
the Gulf Coast to hand out fucking leaflets? Did you honestly think
that these men and women of action would come all the way down to a
disaster area if supervisors told them that window dressing was ALL
they were going to do?
There was no miscommunication. Someone is lying, and her name is
Mary Hudak. The only question I have is "Why?"
|9.6.05 @ 4:40PM|#
Calm down, Jon - the day we can't make fun of foolish celebrities, the terrorists and hurricanes will have won.
|9.6.05 @ 4:41PM|#
You know those guys in the federal gov make some very impressive
salaries. They keep saying that high salaries are necessary to
attract and retain the best and the brightest. Otherwise these
outstanding folk would surely just up and go back to the private
sector. More moo-la don't you know.
Yep. Wealth, power, arrogance, a head full of mush and excellent
networking skills. Oh yeah, and it helps to be a tremendous
fuckface.
R C Dean|9.6.05 @ 4:42PM|#
Sean Penn did exactly nothing for the people of New Orleans, Jon
and Jennifer.
He loaded up a 4 person boat with his own flak-jacketed self and ,
count 'em, 3 members of his entourage, including his personal
photographer, and then had to return immediately to dock because
the collective IQ of all 4 was inadequate to the task of putting in
a drain plug.
The entire exercise was childish and self-centered almost beyond
parody.
|9.6.05 @ 4:46PM|#
Next up. The highly skilled trauma team from Johns Hopkins will be handed shovels and assigned to rebuild the levees.
|9.6.05 @ 4:51PM|#
No doubt, RC, but at least Sean Penn isn't wasting the time of firefighters who thought they were volunteering to help people but instead ended up filling space at bullshit photo ops.
|9.6.05 @ 4:54PM|#
This thread is quickly degenerating into a debate over who's worse: Sean Penn or George Bush. This is a silly question. They are, of course, each jackasses in their own ways. Let's just accept that and move on.
|9.6.05 @ 4:58PM|#
Xavier--
True, both idiots, but at least the Penn idiot has no say over what
our government does.
|9.6.05 @ 4:58PM|#
Look on the bright side: No one will be sexually harrassed
during the cleanup.
Hmm. You know, this disaster could be a great opportunity to pick
up some primo babe-age.
"Hey, foxy ladies on the rooftop! I got room in this boat here for
three or four hot bitches!"
Yep, I'm going down there.
|9.6.05 @ 5:00PM|#
hey, if everyone else can selectivley cut and paste quotes, so
can I:
"The initial call to action very specifically says we're looking
for two-person fire teams to do community relations," she said. "So
if there is a breakdown [in communication], it was likely in their
own departments."
One fire chief from Texas agreed that the call was clear to work as
community-relations officers."
|9.6.05 @ 5:12PM|#
heynow,
Don't ruin a perfectly good snarkfest with a full quote.
A brief request for facts, remember that's what I thought "reason"
was about, are there currently any fires in New Orleans to be put
out? Is it possible that firefighters are good for having contacts
with individuals who may be a little leery of say cops or armed
national guard? I'm just asking. Firefighters are one of the most
trusted occupations.
PintofStout|9.6.05 @ 5:13PM|#
hey, if everyone else can selectivley cut and paste quotes,
so can I:
"The initial call to action very specifically says we're looking
for two-person fire teams to do community relations," she said. "So
if there is a breakdown [in communication], it was likely in their
own departments."
One fire chief from Texas agreed that the call was clear to work as
community-relations officers."
That just means they planned on under-utilizing skilled
help...worse than poor organization, planned ineptitude. Sounds
like gubmint to me.
drf|9.6.05 @ 5:50PM|#
Thoreau, why do you hate america? if sexual harassing fire
fighters are TPS'ing, then only the terrorists will have them. or
something.
dammit. you bunch of juanita loving nerfherders.
(no idea, either. just smile, nod, and back away slowly)
|9.6.05 @ 6:01PM|#
Poor Brownie! He has hoping to skate through year to two at FEMA
and then cash in as a lobbyist for FEMA contractors. Just like his
college roomie that gave him the job after he did just that.
I'm sure on NRO, they are somehow blaming Blanco and the Mayor for
this.
Medals of freedom for everyone!
|9.6.05 @ 6:26PM|#
Does anyone remember the X Files movie? I think it was the
movie, not the series...Martin Landeau played some
crazy-but-not-really-crazy conspiracy freak who insisted that FEMA
was either a tool of, or in league with, the aliens in the Big
Overarching Conspiracy?
Anyone?
Anyway...
|9.6.05 @ 6:30PM|#
Before anyone gets their undies in a bunch about WHAT YOU THINK
HAPPENED...
Please read the formal
description from this special request for Firefighters who were
told first, foremost and at all times that this
unique deployment was solely for long-term human services and
community services related to the *recovery* phase and not
rescue.
This call was VERY SPECIFICALLY for a 2,000 strong cadre of
Firefighters from across the nation, who are seen as friends of the
community, to take on a humanitarian role in the *weeks* that
followed the Hurricane.
That any of the Firefighters or Chiefs who came to the assembly
point or sent personnel may have thought otherwise only proves them
to be fools.
What part of read the instructions didn't they understand? There
are and remain other avenues for rescuers. Firefighters with
special disaster training had already been requested, sent and
arrived.
The "upset" Firefighters mentioned in the article failed to read
the very vivid and detailed instructions they were provided prior
to signing up.
No matter your predisposition, you can't blame FEMA for this
particulare story. No, if any blame is to be offered, it should be
to the backoods Firefighters and their Chiefs who failed to
properly assemble and network specially skilled teams *prior* to
the event, and now made it clear to the world they can't read the
simple instructions sent by FEMA for Firefighter-based Humanitarian
Aid - NOT Fire or Rescue operations.
Just because these people were "Firefighters" doesn't mean they
should be exempt from reading the instructions. Would they go to a
clealy labeled vegan restaurant and throw a hissy-fit because they
couldn't get a steak?
They failed to read the instructions, and worse yet, failed to
prepare, optimize and make available their RESCUE workers prior to
or during the event through proper channels.
I'm a Firefighter, and I read the notice. It was clear to me what
FEMA was looking for. What a shame that some Firefighters, Fire
Chiefs and Reporters just don't get it.
There may be finger to point of people to blame for many things
that happened during and after Hurricane Katrina. Blaming FEMA for
this particular story however, isn't one of them.
|9.6.05 @ 6:40PM|#
Hmmm, Sean Penn is putting himself at risk for Hepatitis A and B. I hope he's had a tetanus booster shot recently, and a gamma globulin injection. Untrained people jumping on boats and trying to rescue others often end up needing to be rescued themselves. Not smart under these conditions. I completely understand and applaud NO natives trying to save each other. Untrained outsiders and TV reporters are probably just impeding resuce efforts.
|9.6.05 @ 6:49PM|#
How about we tell George Bush and Sean Penn that beachfront
property in Montana was destroyed by the hurricane? They'll both go
their and demonstrate their incompetence far away from any actual
refugees, and people who know what they're doing can work on
disaster relief.
If they have trouble finding the beaches in Montana, we can assign
them to go find and rescue the highly endangered North American
snipe.
Jesse Walker|9.6.05 @ 8:08PM|#
Brian, you're arguing with a strawman. It's not just FEMA that
clearly stated what the firefighters were being called up for. The
linked article reports the content of the call quite clearly as
well.
The important point isn't that the firefighters were misled, it's
that FEMA is misallocating the people it has at its disposal. If
this were an isolated story, I might believe the firemen are just
bellyaching, but unfortunately it's part of a pattern.
|9.6.05 @ 9:28PM|#
Just one question.* If these people are homeless, I assume they
don't have phones. How are they going to call the 800 #?
* well, two. If they find a phone, how does FEMA get back in touch
with them? (I'm two doors down from the dead guy in the
wheelchair)
|9.6.05 @ 10:59PM|#
Homeless people with cell phones have been reported since at
least 1998.
My first instinct, to cluck over this, turns out to be wrong.
Not
uncommon.
How the
phones might have been
acquired.
|9.6.05 @ 11:04PM|#
Oops. My "How the phones" link was the wrong one. It was from
another ignoramus like me.
I meant
this link. (About a program in Boston; there could be similar
ones in NOR.)
Jeff P.|9.7.05 @ 12:05AM|#
Sean Penn slept with Maddonna. I think he's WAAAY past a fear of
hepetitis.
Hey, have the Scientologists chimed in on Katrina yet?
|9.7.05 @ 4:45AM|#
Jesse: Were the fighters misled, or did they hear what they
wanted to believe? Are you here to help, because you care,...or
because you want to have your own self-identity reinforced?
No beef against any of y'all who want to help. Plenty of beef
against all y'all who only want to help if it fits your
agenda.
Helping the suffering understand how and where aid is available is
now less than noble? What the freak do you want? Should I page you
when I find some triplets that need saving? I'm sure there's a cat
up a tree closer to home. If you want headlines, go ahead and save
that cat. It is easy to be a part-time hero.
|9.7.05 @ 6:15AM|#
Jesse,
Whenever you have a problem with the facts involved in someone's
refutation of a post, you like to claim it is a strawman argument.
I've heard this attack from you several times, and it deserves a
thorough reply.
I have to ask, do you ACTUALLY KNOW what a strawman argument
is?
"1. A weak or imaginary opposition (as an argument or adversary)
set up only to be easily confuted. 2. A person set up to serve as a
cover for a usually questionable transaction." (Webster's)
Is Brian's post an imaginary opposition for the sake of
argument? The argument is a legitimate difference of opinion over
management protocol. There's nothing being set up to easily
overwhelm the argument that FEMA is misallocating resources. What
is obviously being argued by Brian is that these
firefighters should have understood upfront that they would not be
involved in a search-and-rescue. So why would they go to N.O. only
to become frustrated with a policy they were informed of prior to
their arrival? FEMA is not to blame for their complicity once they
agreed to the terms.
Is Brian's post a weak opposition for the sake of
argument? It is difficult to claim that his argument is weak if it
can be shown that FEMA's policy is being selectively quoted, taken
out of context, or cast in light that allows readers to assume
wrongly that the firefighters' frustration expresses a general
public perception of frustration that the reader can share.
Clearly, the firefighters have specific knowledge of a policy that
contextualizes their frustration as something different from yours
or mine.
Well then, is this just a "cover" or distraction from the main
issue? If the main issue was insensitivity, it would be wrong to
claim that FEMA is not linked to these firefighters' frustration.
To the extent that Matt's post implicitly shows yet another typical
government outrage in the context of this blog, what is being
argued is that FEMA's incompetence is part of a systematic
management failure.
Yet as Brian clearly says, this is NOT a typical outrage. To use
the firefighters' circumstance as an example of FEMA's general
incompetence is to possibly argue several things.
First, that FEMA's incompetence is somehow linked to the result
from this specific instance. This error would mistake a correlation
for an effect.
Second, that because this specific instance occurs after we
supposedly know FEMA's incompetence, that it is somehow the result
of it. This would be a post hoc, propter hoc fallacy.
Or third, that FEMA's general incompetence is evident in
this specific instance would be to perpetuate another
fallacy.
It is unclear that Matt means to imply any of logical fallacies
indicated above. Indeed, it would be an argument from absence
(without Matt's specific indication otherwise) to claim that he
intends any of these errors to be implied. And yet, the readership
of this thread has variously interpreted Matt's posting to mean
that he is arguing for any one of these fallacies.
Brian's post corrects these readers, and points out how
disingenuous it is to leave the impression that FEMA is incompetent
by virtue of the frustration they have caused the
firefighters, even though you may argue that FEMA is incompetent
because of the way they have managed the
firefighters.
Whether the firefighters feel frustrated or not does not indicate
that the management is wrong, although it may be shown wrong for
other reasons which are not apparent in Matt's post.
Of course, the proof of FEMA's general incompetence must be taken
from the total of all specific instances, not one's prejudice
against any single instance. Thus, Brian's post is highly
relevant, because it counters the real strawman arguments of other
readers.
Further, it is possible that Matt's post can be taken as de facto
strawman by his failure to correct any misimpressions given.
But I guess it takes your strawman to know another, eh?
|9.7.05 @ 7:37AM|#
One good outcome is that FEMA obviously is not the monstrous agency as described by the tinfoil hat crowd. At one point I was concerned about secret camps for millions of americans, but seems like they can't find their asses with their elbows.
|9.7.05 @ 8:53AM|#
I worked for FEMA. My primary duty was the processing and
recruitment of first-responders. During events I dispatched
them.
FEMA communicates very poorly with their people, if at all. They
have a team of lawyers that focus mostly on telling
first-responders what they CAN'T do. FEMA is an intensely political
entity that is obsessed with covering its ass. Let it be said that
there are a lot of hard-working, honest, and good people in the
FEMA system.. but management is abysmal, and moral is
rock-bottom.
If Congress and/or the President is genuinely serious about reform,
then there should be a total purge. The whole agency needs to be
razed and rebuilt, and placed outside the political bullshit of the
Department of Homeland Security. The focus should be PREPARATION,
not REACTION. And the mission should extend beyond covering
politicians' asses against terrorism.
Jesse Walker|9.7.05 @ 9:34AM|#
Actually, Other Joe, I don't claim it's a strawman argument
"whenever I have a problem with the facts involved in someone's
refutation of a post." For one thing, I don't have a problem with
the facts involved. For another, I don't do this "whenever" I want
to challenge someone; I do it when someone is arguing with a
position that no one has espoused. Unfortunately, a few of you do
that regularly.
Brian made a strong case that FEMA told the firefighters up-front
what they were being called in for. But neither Matt nor anyone in
this thread has claimed otherwise (except Akira, who believes FEMA
is actually lying about the content of the call -- a very dubious
theory, but it's not the one Brian was addressing either).
Therefore, the word "strawman" fits.
|9.7.05 @ 10:32AM|#
Having Mary Hudak waste valuable time training Firemen on sexual harassment proves that broads shouldn't be put into any position of power or authority.
|9.7.05 @ 11:11AM|#
Does anyone remember the X Files movie? I think it was the
movie, not the series...Martin Landeau played some
crazy-but-not-really-crazy conspiracy freak who insisted that FEMA
was either a tool of, or in league with, the aliens in the Big
Overarching Conspiracy?
I, for one, welcome our pamphlet-distributing overlords.
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