Don't count on FEMA for this season, either

[babylonsister]

http://www.al.com/opinion/press-register/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1177492511283510.xml&coll=3

Don't count on FEMA for this season, either
Wednesday, April 25, 2007

THE HURRICANE forecasts don't make us nearly as nervous as FEMA does.

As the season nears and experts prognosticate about how many hurricanes might form this year and where they might make landfall, out comes yet another federal report of FEMA's incompetence in handling contracts and providing relief during and after Hurricane Katrina, which hit in August 2005.

This time, Homeland Security's inspector general's office says FEMA gave $3.6 billion worth of trailer contracts to businesses with bad credit and bad paperwork. And, instead of going to small and locally operated businesses, as they should have, a piece of the action went to a large firm that has donated nearly $1 million to political candidates -- mostly Republicans -- since 2000.

Prices also varied widely, according to The Associated Press. FEMA accepted bids as low as $74 and as high as $4,720 to refurbish used travel trailers. (No, it doesn't make sense to us, either.)

This is hardly the first such story of wasted taxpayer dollars, poor service and general mishandling of the Katrina disaster on the part of FEMA. Nor is it likely to be the last; various audits are ongoing.

After last year, when the forecast was for a fairly severe hurricane season that didn't happen (not that we're complaining, mind you), there may be a tendency for people to be skeptical of the pre-season forecasts this year.

Still, everyone living on the Gulf Coast needs to make all the usual preparations in the final weeks before the season begins in June. Whether you believe it will be a bad year or not, FEMA has yet to prove it can handle another major disaster.

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[BOSSHOG]

1. I believe the people who had to deal

heavily with bush's FEMA after Katrina would just as soon they stay away, far away if there is another hurricane like that. I had the bare minimum involvement with FEMA after Katrina and they wasted a great deal of tax money and precious time on me for no apparent reason.

[Lex1775]

2. No surprise there...