Gov. Jeb Bush sought federal help
Friday while [Hurricane] Charley was still in the Gulf of Mexico. President
Bush approved the aid about an hour after the hurricane made landfall.
By Monday afternoon, the cavalry seemed to be in place . . . Cargo planes were
shuttling FEMA supplies from a Georgia Air Force base to a staging area in
Lakeland, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had shipped 11 truckloads of
water and 14 truckloads of ice. The first assistance checks to victims were to
be shipped Monday night.
St. Petersberg Times :
Unlike Andrew, aid's right on Charley's heels
August 17, 2004
__________________________________
Just weeks after Hurricane Charley
tore through Florida, Hurricane Frances aimed for the Sunshine State Saturday
morning [September 4, 2004] packing winds of 105 mph and bringing the potential
for up to 20 inches of rain.
CNN :
Hurricane Frances weakens slightly
September 4, 2004
__________________________________
FEMA has positioned a powerful
list of disaster response personnel, equipment and supplies to help those who
are displaced or suffer losses after Hurricane Frances continues to move across
Florida. The advance preparations include:
FEMA's [national and regional operations centers] are operating around the
clock, coordinating the pre-positioning of assets and responding to state
requests for assistance.
FEMA has deployed an advanced emergency response team to the Florida State
Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee to facilitate state requests for
assistance. In addition, three rapid needs assessment teams have been pre-
deployed to Florida.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, at FEMA's request, is coordinating the
staging of 100 truckloads of water and 100 truckloads of ice at operational
centers in Florida.
A first shipment of 30,000 tarps is en route to Atlanta, Ga., to be pre-staged
for delivery to areas affected by Frances once the storm has cleared.
FEMA is working to provider 10 trailers of generators at the request of Florida
that will be used to provide power to critical facilities affected by the
hurricane . . .
Four urban search and rescue teams are deployed to Florida -- two in Miami and
two in Jacksonville. Four teams are on alert.
Two disaster medical assistance teams (DMAT) have been deployed to Florida to
support medical facilities and hospitals that are not fully operational
following the storm . . .
Five pharmaceutical caches, containing emergency medical supplies, are being
pre-positioned, and are currently en route to Atlanta and Tampa.
FEMA's Mobile Emergency Response Services (MERS) communications staff and
equipment are available to provide telephone, radio and video links in support
of response and recovery efforts . . .
. . . FEMA is working with the General Services Administration to analyze
vacancy rates of various safe housing options . . . as part of pre-planning
temporary housing strategies for those whose homes are severely damaged or
destroyed.
FEMA :
Press release on advance
preparations for Hurricane Frances
September 4, 2004
__________________________________
As of noon Monday [two days after
Frances made landfall] FEMA and other Federal response agencies have taken the
following actions:
About one hundred trucks of water and 280 trucks of ice are present or will
arrive in the Jacksonville staging area today.
900,000 Meals-Ready-to-Eat are on site in Jacksonville, ready to be distributed.
Over 7,000 cases of food (e.g., vegetables, fruits, cheese, ham, and turkey)
are scheduled to arrive in Winter Haven today.
Disaster medical assistance teams (DMAT) are on the ground and setting up
comfort stations. FEMA community relations personnel will coordinate with DMATs
to assist victims.
Urban search and rescue teams are completing reconnaissance missions in
coordination with state officials.
FEMA is coordinating with the Department of Energy and the state to ensure that
necessary fuel supplies can be distributed throughout the state, with a special
focus on hospitals and other emergency facilities that are running on
generators.
The Army Corps of Engineers will soon begin its efforts to provide tarps to
tens of thousands of owners of homes and buildings that have seen damage to
their roofs . . .
The Departments of Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, and Defense
together have organized 300 medical personnel to be on standby. Medical
personnel will begin deployment to Florida tomorrow . . .
White House
Responding to Hurricanes Charley and Frances
September 6, 2004
__________________________________
The Department of Homeland
Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency . . . is preparing for Hurricane
Ivan’s landfall, which could affect multiple states, including Alabama,
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Intense planning and immediate actions are underway today in anticipation of
Hurricane Ivan, including:
FEMA personnel remain in Florida working with the victims of the two previous
hurricanes. However, some staff has been repositioned to respond to state
requests for assistance with Hurricane Ivan.
In addition to the supplies provided for the two earlier hurricanes, the Army
Corps of Engineers is standing by with 100 refrigerator trucks of ice and 500
trucks of water to meet immediate needs as part of the Hurricane Ivan response.
FEMA is using every available means to move supplies to where they are most
needed, including pre-positioning supplies and using alternative means of
transportation such as ships, air transport, and railroad.
FEMA :
Hurricane Ivan Preparations Underway
September 14, 2004
Did
they think they could manage public relations by blaming the Democratic
Governor and Mayor, so as to make Bush look Presidential with cameras and
speeches? Was this planned all along?