[Natural Disasters]

Recordings: FEMA Dropped the Ball

NPR got ahold of some taped conversations between local officials in New Orleans talking on conference calls in the days before and after Katrina. The story that accompanies the tape is perhaps more judicious than it should be--additional clips on the NPR site record local officials pleading to get some support from FEMA. Below are a couple of the comments between Walter Maestri, the Jefferson Parish Emergency Manager and Jeff Smith, deputy director of Louisiana's Office of Emergency Preparedness.

MAESTRI: The second issue: generators for our sewer system. As you recall, on the last conference call--before the storm hit--we requested the Gen packs. They are still not here. I'm about to have a medical catastrophe in this parish because of the lack of a sewage system.... FEMA tells me, and they've told me since they arrived on the scene three days ago, they're coming, but [off-telephone crosstalk]. I don't know what's going on, but not one generator through that system has arrived here.

The other problem. For instance, next door, where FEMA is billeted, there are 50 or 60 fireman from Kansas whom they have there. They say it's a FEMA resource, they're not relinquishing [them], and my fire department is screaming for help.

Another conversation:

SMITH: Now again I assume you are talking about the emergency food, the water, the MREs and the ice.

MAESTRI: Correct, that's exactly right.

SMITH: And has that been requested and turned down, or are you just requesting it now?

MAESTRI: No. We requested it, have requested it, been requesting it, and nothing's coming.

SMITH: All right.

And a little on Brownie:

MAESTRI: And if you remember, a day after the storm, assistant secretary Brown went on Nightline with Ted Koppel and said "the locals didn't ask, and that's why they didn't come." And I mean that is so far from the truth it's unbelievable.

Hard to add any meaningful commentary. What a debacle.