Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Order on April 1, 1979. The primary purpose of FEMA is to coordinate the response to a disaster that has occurred in the United States and that overwhelms the resources of local and state authorities. The governor of the state in which the disaster occurs must declare a state of emergency and formally request from the president that FEMA and the federal government respond to the disaster. FEMA also provides these services for territories of the United States, such as Puerto Rico. The only exception is when an emergency or disaster occurs on federal property or to a federal asset, for example, the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, or the Space Shuttle Columbia in the 2003 return-flight disaster.
The most recent notable example of FEMA’s ability to manage emergencies was their apparent general incompetence, in regards to the Katrina response. I personally know modern day hippies that were more prepared and well organized that FEMA deputized them as a location to receive aid.
“Why did the Federal Emergency Management Agency…
* not accept Amtrak’s help in evacuations?
* turn away experienced firefighters?
* turn back Wal-Mart supply trucks?
* prevent the Coast Guard from delivering diesel fuel?
* ban the Red Cross from delivering food?
* bar morticians from entering New Orleans?
* block a 500-boat citizen flotilla from delivering aid?
* fail to utilize a Navy ship with 600-bed hospital on board?
* allow the city of Chicago to send just one truck? (registration required)
* turn away generators?
* state “First Responders Urged Not To Respond”?
Hurricane Katrina
Although FEMA was not directly involved in the house to house gun confiscation, or the deliberate destruction of at least one levee, they are the ones calling the shots on scene. As a result of FEMA’s response their director Brown did resign as head of FEMA, and pointed to the DHS in sharing the responsibility. Homeland Security director Micheal Chertoff lies about his departments prior knowledge leading up to the event, and mentions the levees breaking. It is possible the did not know they had been intentionally destroyed by the Army Corps of engineers, flooding the 9th ward to save the more valuable real estate. Though I would image the agencies were working together during the crisis. Could we expect anything less then lies from Chertoff the co-author of the PATRIOT act?
Patriot Act Being Used Against a 16 Year Old Boy & its Own Citizens !
Michael Chertoff The Man & His Star-Crossed Past
One of the little known aspects inside all the secrecy surrounding The vile National ID Card, the HOMELAND Security Act, and the shadowy FEMA camps that many believe are about to be used-concerns the other master criminals that Cheney-Bush hired to ensure that Americans will become as completely controlled a population, as were the people of Communist East Germany or the old USSR.
The National Guard was also involved, or perhaps engaged during Katrina. Their job was to render the population defenses during a dangerous time when being able to protect your family and property was crucial. Does this set a precedent for future events? In time of crisis the National Guard will come in and relieve the people of their right to bear arms. For your own protection FEMA will be right behind them ready to usher the people off to some sort of comfortable emergency relocation facility.
Criticism of government response to Hurricane Katrina
Controversy arose over a September 8 city-wide order by New Orleans Police Superintendent Eddie Compass to local police, National Guard troops, and US Marshals to confiscate all civilian-held firearms. “No one will be able to be armed,” Compass said. “Guns will be taken. Only law enforcement will be allowed to have guns.”
Firearms Confiscation
Seizures were carried out without warrant, and in some cases with excessive force; one instance captured on film involved 58 year old New Orleans resident Patricia Konie. Konie stayed behind, in her well provisioned home, and had an old revolver for protection. A group of police entered the house, and when she refused to surrender her revolver, she was tackled and it was removed by force. Konie’s shoulder was fractured, and she was taken into police custody for failing to surrender her firearm Even National Guard troops, armed with assault rifles, were used for house to house searches, seizing firearms and attempting to get those remaining in the city to leave.
National Guard Confiscating Guns in New Orleans
Angered citizens, backed by the National Rifle Association and other organizations, filed protests over the constitutionality of such an order and the difficulty in tracking seizures, as paperwork was rarely filed during the searches. Wayne LaPierre, CEO of the National Rifle Association, defended the right of affected citizens to retain firearms, saying that, “What we’ve seen in Louisiana – the breakdown of law and order in the aftermath of disaster – is exactly the kind of situation where the Second Amendment was intended to allow citizens to protect themselves.” The searches received little news coverage, though reaction from groups such as the NRA, the Second Amendment Foundation, and Gun Owners of America was immediate and heated, and a lawsuit was filed September 22 by the NRA and SA F on behalf of two firearm owners whose firearms were seized. On September 23, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana issued a restraining order to bar further firearms confiscations.
I find it interesting that Eddie Compass was later forced to resign. His actions in Katrina lead to a lawsuit, injunction and eventually a temporary restraining order against the gun-grabbing. The end result of this was the Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act of 2006. I felt it was worth mentioning how the agency handles emergencies, with specific regards towards the general population. If the government can use social and economic disasters to their advantage, why would they not do the same with natural disasters? Or perhaps FEMA’s actions reflect they are preparing for a different sort of emergency. The emerging social emergency caused by refugees, immigrants, and possible civil unrest.
