Read and Weep - FEMA "turned away Police and Doctors" at the stateline

[cthrumatrix]

Loudoun deputies can´t reach FEMA, Louisiana officials
September 2, 2005 12:00 am

LEESBURG, Va. (AP) - A group of Loudoun County sheriff´s deputies heading to Louisiana to help maintain order among hurricane refugees had to turn around at the Virginia border when they couldn´t get confirmation from emergency management officials, the Loudoun County sheriff said.

After attempting for 12 hours to reach officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Louisiana Emergency Operations Center, the deputies were told to head home. The group of 22 officers and six emergency medical technicians was expected to arrive back in Leesburg by 2 a.m. Friday, according to a statement from the sheriff´s office.

"How many people have to die in the interim while they try to make this happen?" Sheriff Stephen O. Simpson told WRC-TV.

The deputies were to be sworn in locally as law enforcement officers in Jefferson Parish, La. near New Orleans. Their assistance had been requested by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff´s Department through the National Sheriff´s Association in an Aug. 31 letter, said Sheriff´s spokesman Kraig Troxell.

A three-week schedule was planned to rotate deputies from Loudoun County to areas of Louisiana that needed help, Troxell said. The deputies were carrying extra guns, ammunition and supplies to make them self-sufficient for seven to 14 days.

The group waited in Harrisonburg, Va. for several hours Thursday night until they were told that officials from FEMA and the state of Louisiana couldn´t confirm the request from Jefferson Parish.

http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/Web/2005/092005/0902deputies

____

Loudoun Deputies Can´t Reach FEMA, Louisiana Officials
Friday September 02, 2005 5:33am

Leesburg (AP) - A group of Loudoun County Sheriff´s deputies headed to help police in New Orleans have had to turn around and come back.

Their attempts to get confirmation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Louisiana state officials have gone unanswered over 12 hours.

A spokesman for the Loudoun Sheriff´s office says their assistance was requested by the Sheriff´s Department of Jefferson Parish near New Orleans through the National Sheriff´s Association.

The group of 22 deputies and six emergency technicians left Leesburg last night. But when they reached the Virginia border, they were told to turn around.

The deputies were headed to an area near New Orleans to help maintain order. They were carrying extra guns, ammunition and supplies.

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0905/256871.html

____

Loudoun relief crew turned away
09/02/2005

Loudoun Sheriff´s deputies and emergency personnel were on their way to hurricane-stricken Louisiana Thursday night but had to turn around when the federal government failed to come up with the required paperwork.

Sheriff Steve Simpson and his staff spent 12 hours trying to get the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the State of Louisiana Emergency Operations Center to act. They didn´t, and the 20 deputies and six emergency medical technicians - all volunteers -- turned around and came back to Loudoun.

The deputies´ experience brings to our doorsteps a glaring illustration of the chaos in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. But it does not dampen the deputies´ willingness to assist: They may try again next week.

The deputies packed up to head south after a request from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff´s Department. The department serves an area around New Orleans.

Deputies left Leesburg at 9 p.m. Thursday. They reached Harrisonburg at midnight and were told that neither FEMA nor the Louisiana was willing to act on the request from Jefferson Parish.

The deputies were to have been sworn in as local law enforcement officers and would have worked with teams in some of the most devastated areas. The relief team had gathered enough supplies to be self-sufficient for up to 14 days.

http://www.zwire.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=15144436&BRD=2553&PAG=461&dept_id=506035&rfi=6

____

Louisiana Officials Tell Loudoun Deputies To Turn Around
Friday September 02, 2005 9:04am

Leesburg, Va. (AP) - Plans for a group of Loudoun County Sheriff´s deputies to help police near New Orleans are on hold.

Sheriff´s spokesman Kraig Troxell says the deputies had to turn around at Virginia´s border last night when Louisiana state officials decided they weren´t needed.

The original request for help came from the Sheriff´s Department of Jefferson Parish near New Orleans. Troxell says Jefferson Parish is still asking for help, but the state isn´t giving the approval.

Troxell says they spent hours trying to get through to the state or Federal Emergency Management Agency before they were told to turn back.

The plan was for the 22 deputies to be sworn in as officers in Louisiana to help maintain order. They were carrying extra guns, ammunition and supplies for up to 14 days.

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0905/256903.html


WHY >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Bush wasn't there..... yet ?

[VolcanoJen]

1. OMG.... cthrumatrix, please, please add this thread to NSMA's thread...

... it's here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4582681&mesg_id=4582681

[cthrumatrix]

2. done

[cthrumatrix]

3. I also read in another place that people were turned away by boats as well

they were "intercepted"...

[cthrumatrix]

4. Bush and FEMA should tell people at the convention center that they

refused doctors and police...


that will work

[mzmolly]

5. So if Bush had cut his vacation and taken this photo op three days ago

????

[stevedeshazer]

6. THIS will be the story in the days and weeks to come.

It's a TOTAL MELTDOWN of the federal government under TOTAL Republican rule.

:grr:

[indepat]

22. The spinmeisters will fix all blame elsewhere

[Just Me]

7. There is NO EXCUSE,...NONE!!!!

:mad:

[cthrumatrix]

9. one can suggest "martial law"....nobody in or out...but they refused law

and healthcare

[cthrumatrix]

8. self kick

[leftchick]

10. fuckers! I figured this was happening on Tuesday!! This Confirms it!

I Hate these rat bastards. All week long I am looking at the Yahoo photos and wondering Where are the Sheriff helos and police helos? Where are all of the outside help from other States. You see them In EVERY Natural Disaster.

I am in NC and we had help from surrounding states in our hurricanes and floods. This is unprecidented!!! IT NEEDS TO BE TOLD TO CONGRESS! HS Is fucking up and killing lives!!!I knew it was HS/FEMA! Those motherfuckers!

[cthrumatrix]

14. FEMA let people die while waiting for BUSH.....Bush refused aid from 20

countries

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. oh GOD!!! Impeach.. NOW!

-----------------------------------------------------
Save New Orleans, then save this country!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm

[1956]

19. I am getting really scared

and you might say this is in the "tinfoil hat" area of things, but isn't it possible the reason that some of the real help is being turned away is because, The shrub and co. are going to try to pull off what looks like a terror attack right there,(MIHOP),blame it on the fact that the "terrorists" saw a weakness , decided to take advantage of the situation, and then blame it on Iran and then they waould have a reason to invade them! Or blame it on Venezuela,whomever they want to invade for more oil...well, naturally they don't want too much help down there, cuz it would get in the way of their plans.I hope this is completely offbase and far fetched.

[DoYouEverWonder]

28. Not exactly

This is more like germ warfare.

Soon all the people trapped in NO and going to get sick and die. That is why no one is being allowed in or out.

All they have to do is send in antibotics and there wouldn't have been a problem. But Bush & Co want to have this tragedy and in a few day 1000's of more needless deaths are likely to occur. This is genocide.

[meganmonkey]

36. Exactly. Disease is the second worst thing here, right after dehydration

:(

[Larissa238]

12. This is just sick....

[Henny Penny]

13. Where's Cheney??? I want him out in the open...

I bet he's the bastard ordering this kind of shit!

[1932]

15. NewsHour was in Jefferson Parish yesterday.

They talked to people who walked three days to get there and found nothing when they arrived.

No food, no shelter, nothing.

There was a church at the foot of the bridge from N.O. that was letting people wash, but that was it.

The Jefferson Parish policy had to put everyone in the police departmentl. They had nothing for them.

One victim of the flood said that the first night the police stood around the victims with rifles, which she said made the experience even worse (treating them like criminals when they were starving and tired).

[cthrumatrix]

52. don't forget -- the Red Cross was not allowed in

[nolabels]

16. Mostly I was kind of guessing they were going to do this type of thing

Now there is proof, :wtf:

Please let me off this merry-go-round, I think I'm goin to be sick :puke:

[fooj]

17. This man must be held accountable for his crimes against humanity!

Peace.

[cthrumatrix]

18. Randi has been talking about this as well...people could NOT give aid

[GoddessOfGuinness]

20. Call your reps

I did a little while ago. If enough people emphasize his criminal negligence, maybe we'll see some action.

[tk2kewl]

21. I know first hand the NYC has been trying to send emergency responders

and hasn't been able to get confirmation either

[cthrumatrix]

23. there ya go.... i know of a first responder who called to "go" ..no call

back

[leftchick]

24. Neither has IL and MI....

Many cities and states have been turned down

[knitter4democracy]

40. My friend, a nurse, tried all day to find out how to get down there.

She was told that they're not accepting any volunteers now because they don't have the systems in place to deal with them. WTF??!!! She finally got a call back from the Red Cross, will go to a special training session next week, and then get sent somewhere after that.

She's an intensive care unit and ER nurse, and FEMA turned her down. She called a local ambulance unit after that and found out that they'd been turned down, too. She's wondering if it's because they don't want people seeing how badly they're handling it. She's pissed because people are dying down there for no good reason.

[yankeedem]

25. Wolf Blitzer reporting this story RIGHT NOW

on CNN, interview with a sheriff.

[Individualist]

26. CNN reporting on it now

[LSK]

27. WE ARE BEING SETUP

THE BLAME IS GOING TO FALL ON GOV BLANCO FOR NOT CALLING IN THE FEDS.
WE MUST STOP THIS NOW.!!!

[cthrumatrix]

29. FEMA turned them away ....not the Gov.

[elehhhhna]

30. THIS MAKES NO SENSE: FEMA does not direct disaster management...

they take their lead from local authorities and mostly exist to cut checks and clean up & provide housing etc. for the displaced.

[Spazito]

32. FEMA took charge and removed authority from the local authorities

the Mayor said that days ago.

[KatyaR]

43. So it seemed that the NO, etc., authorities were trying to get something

done, but then FEMA came in and took over and everything ground to a halt? Unbelievable.

I don't understand this--I've never seen anything like this in my life. Living in OKC and having gone through the Murrah bombing and the May 3, 1999 tornado (not to mention lots of other storms), if rescue and recovery efforts were handled this way, there would have been rioting in the streets, just like what happened in NO.

What I want to know is what happened to those 10 buses that were "confiscated" by FEMA from the hotel that had leased them to evacuate their employees. Where did they go?

It's really sad--I don't know my own country any more.

[cthrumatrix]

44. this is why - BUSH AND FEMA are responsible.... when they take charge

they are now fully accountable

[LSK]

33. FEMA IS AN EXTENSION OF THE FEDS, OF BUSH, OF ROVE

FEMA LET NOLA BECOME A DISASTER AND THEY ARE GOING TO SAY THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED BY THE GOVERNOR AND NOW BUSH CAN COME IN AND SAVE EVERYHING.

[Spazito]

31. It won't work, it is the newest talking point from the right but

there is too much evidence out there that the blame falls squarely on the federal government and bush. There is video and audio of the Mayor and Governor pleading for help from the beginning.

[cthrumatrix]

35. BINGO...save it and send it to the media...MEDIA BLAST the truth

[NYC]

47. She called in the feds.

There's a PDF requesting federal aid on August 28th. There is also a jpeg, thanks to bpilgrim.


http://gov.louisiana.gov/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf

http://news.globalfreepress.com/katrina/Disaster_Relief_Request/

The jpeg is about 250kb.

[proud patriot]

34. the FEMA director Brown needs to be arrested for

Criminal Negligence

[drduffy]

49. and conspiracy to commit murder

[Pallas180]

37. Yep. One of the Sherriffs who was called by the N.O. police to

come and help, came with 22 sherriffs yesterday and could not get permission to come in.

But Fema has the right to administer martial law. They put N.O. in
lockdown from all help. That stupid bastid Brown.

[Pallas180]

38. They also turned away a flotilla of boats that came to save

people from their attics...they came earlier this week.

like that?

[proud patriot]

39. We also need to get this information to the Astrodome

and other evacuee sites ....I have a bad feeling that the reason
why they are not allowing the media in , is because they are feeding
the victims a bunch of B.S. about the Mayor and Gov. of LA.

:cry: :grr: :cry:

[CoffeeCat]

41. Excuse me!! Please help me to understand this!!

Since when do American citizens need permission to enter a state????

WE are not free to move about the country?

On what f*cking grounds are we not allowed to help people????

I don't understand this!!!!

Why would they turn people away...because they were told until Bush arrived? Is that what this is all about?

I'm still a bit frazzled about how they could do this. We can't be impeded from moving about the country if we're obeying laws. Furthermore, if you were trying to help someone by volunteering your medical skills---I would think they would have no hold over you.

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON??????????????

[cthrumatrix]

42. if you want an emergency to "play out" ...you don't send aid

[NYC]

48. Martial law.

To answer your question: Since when do American citizens need permission to enter a state????

I guess that was the reason for martial law, to keep private citizens from assisting.

The question is why? Disease is no excuse. If they had acted sooner, there wouldn't be disease. If they bring in medical help now, they can treat and prevent disease. Improved nutrition and hydration would help prevent disease.

What is going on?

[msgadget]

45. During the 'evacuation'

the Red Cross expressed reluctance, saying they didn't want to send their people into areas from which they could not be rescued.

[blue agave]

46. Un-f*ing-believable n/t

[Spazito]

50. Read this!!! It now makes sense why all help was refused!

irate Smile (1000+ posts) Sat Sep-03-05 10:58 AM
Original message
OMG. A group in Florida wanted to volunteer to bring in 500 air boats
to help in the rescue efforts.

FEMA "emphatically" refused. They said they had to CONTRACT OUT for that and couldn't use volunteers.

Republican Rep. Mark Foley just said that on MSNBC.

UN.F#$KING.BELIEVABLE!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4608106

[cthrumatrix]

51. why weren't contracts settled and done B4 katrina --- he's lying or stupid