Having worked in conjunction with FEMA over several years during a number of small natural disasters in NH, 
and also in training for  possible evacuations in the event of problems at one of two nuclear facilities, 
I believe that I have some appreciation of the role and effectiveness of FEMA. 

Those who are not trying to blame Bush for the hurricane and all its aftermath can appreciate that it is 
not FEMA's functionto become a "first responder" in natural disasters. 

Louisiana, like many if not all States, has a disaster plan. That plan made provisions for evacuating ALL 
residents, including those without vehicles, the sick and the disabled, etc. The problem? The local and 
State authorities in Louisiana did not implement that plan, which was their responsibility to do. If they 
had, the only ones left behind would have been the "brain dead" (and there are some of these in every 
disaster) who insist that they can ride out anything.
 
Bush pleaded with the Governor to declare a disaster much earlier than happened; he also declared three 
states "Disaster  Areas" even before the storm was over (This is a necessary requirement before FEMA even 
has authority to move in). Given the tardiness and ineffectiveness of the local and State authorities, 
and the extent of the disaster, I am impressed with how fast various agencies mobilized. 

It is impossible to turn any of these functions around on a dime. At best, it takes time to assess the 
situation and organize an approach to a particular event. A friend of mine who used to work in this field, 
and worked with me on emergency services in NH, used to say: "The one thing you can always count on is 
that NO disaster ever works out according to plan."
 
My experience was that no matter the nature and size of the disaster, you always had some of the victims 
complaining that FEMA was too slow to get them help. After the event was over, you always had some who 
complained that FEMA had spent too much money without more carefully validating the eligibility of some 
of the applicants for assistance.  The faster you get assistance to victims, the more you are going to 
have to cut corners; the more you cut corners, the more times some people are going to receive financial 
assistance that they are not legitimately entitled to it. 

FEMA over the years has worked hard to increasingly streamline its operation in order to be able to 
respond to needs much more quickly. In doing this they have necessarily eliminated more and more of the 
part that State emergency personnel originally played in the whole disaster response plan. However, the 
State has continued to be involved, and it is always the responsibility of the State to do all that they 
can up front before requesting help from FEMA. 

It is time for the Cry-babies and the Poor-Me types to shut up and start helping themselves and each other, 
and to appreciate the mammoth response of both the Federal government and the American people to their 
very real tragedy.
 
William N. Colburn