Govt's Response to Rita expected to be Measured

[Paul Beach]

Dear friends,

Mrs. Gray has an interesting thought on Rita. The Feds claimed they did all they could do to assist with Katrina, so if they go and easily do a lot for Rita victims, it will look like they could have done better with Katrina. So Mrs. Gray suspects that they may purposesly be slow in their response to Rita so they don't look like they did so bad with Katrina.

Again, if you're in the path of Rita, run!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Gray

[Naomi]

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Margaret Gray said:

Dear friends,

So Mrs. Gray suspects that they may purposesly be slow in their response to Rita so they don't look like they did so bad with Katrina.

Again, if you're in the path of Rita, run!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Gray

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Dear Mrs Gray,

I know first hand that the Feds were ordered to go to Houston yesterday. I really don't think they will intentionally delay their response.

However, your advice is excellent, "If you're in the path of Rita RUN!!!"

[Paul Beach]

Dear person,

But dear person, if they are able to respond to Rita incredibly well, like they should, then it will prove they did not respond well to Katrina.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Gray

[Naomi]

Dear Mrs Gray,

I must say your theory has strong possibilities. OTOH, they can always say that they have "learned" from Katrina.

May I propose a different view? First rule of most businesses, "Always blame failures/errors in judgement on the fellow who no longer is employed." In this situation, Brown. FEMA's new leadership combined with having a different governor and local mayor(s)who will take credit for changing the playing field.

A good response at this time could make the Federal Government look efficient. That would make a good spin, seemingly prove that the local political machine failed the peoples of the Gulf Coast, not the Federal Government.

Naomi

[Derrell M]

I believe that they may be willing to take that risk, But the chance that their handling of Rita could be "incredibly well" is veeerrrry slim. I don't see them going from utterly inept to an efficient, well-oiled emergency management machine in just a couple of weeks. I don't think that their ineptitude can be overstated.

My advice is GET THE HECK OUT!!! If Rita doesn't get you... well... you don't want to throw yourself on the efficient, life-saving wisdom of FEMA. Rescuers kept out, you kept in, your food will be sent to incineration facilities, and your ice sent to Maine. RUN!!!!

Hopefully the Canadian Navy is standing by in the Gulf, and the Mexicans are standing by in the Rio Grande Valley.

[Derrell M]

True, Naomi

I think that the governor and mayors will shine. I have no doubt that the State of Texas will do an exemplary job, but I have no faith whatsoever in FEMA. I don't think that their handling of Katrina was simply Brown's direction, I think that it reflects their fundamental bureaucratic policies. Policies that take years to change.

My above post should in no way be viewed as a poor reflection on how Texas will deal with this. If the FEMA assets were put under the command of the Texas governor, I might feel much differently about them.

[K]

Dear Mrs. Grey,

With all due respect I beg to differ with your opinion. You must realize that in Texas we brag about everything from the size our state to the size of our steaks.

With just a little bit of humbleness, I bring to your attention the small unknown fact, that Texas had a plan. It is because of Texas hurricane plan that we were able to respond to the Katrina emergency.

Because we are so astute in this state, we have been able to look at the mistakes made in other unmentioned states, and try not to repeat them.

Although I have not been a fan of our govenor, I am extremely proud of the way he has handled the situation. The new FEMA director has responded wonderfully with troops, food, and water waiting at the edges of the danger zone.

Traffic is a problem, but then we didn't build our highways to move a million people quickly.

So Mrs. Grey, please watch, pray, and hope that we all can do the right things down here.

K

[Dr. Shane]

Federal beaucracies are never efficient. Even the military isn't as efficient as it would be if it was privatized (no I am not suggesting that it be).

FEMA did however make some assumptions about the state and local governments in LA. The director, Micheal Brown, was well seasoned in hurricane response after handling three of them in FL last year. However he was experienced with the local officials in FL and not the corrupt and incompetant officials of LA.

TX is a lot different and FEMA seems to be going above and beyond what they normally do. There will still be victems because some are discouraged due to the traffic problems. Some are staying in coastal areas that are most vunerable. We need to keep all of them in our prayers.

I heard that CPS (child protective services) will be taking custody of children from any parents that stay in areas of mandatory evacuation with their children.

[Naomi]

K and Shane,

As a fellow "Texan" I agree! We do take well deserved pride in our ability to deal with diversity in as orderly, and efficient fashion as possible. When we fail, we learn. Our politics may differ, but over the years I have found that when the chips are down everyone helps pick 'em up! We'll do it again!

Shane said:

FEMA did however make some assumptions about the state and local governments in LA. The director, Micheal Brown, was well seasoned in hurricane response after handling three of them in FL last year. However he was experienced with the local officials in FL and not the corrupt and incompetant officials of LA.

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Have you seen the LA Governor and Mayor Nagen in the past few days? They have been thru the mill, but have kept on working and doing everything they can to help the situation.

NO is now taking on water again, and everyone agrees it can't handle it. Rita is turning northward, Most of Texas may be spared but it now appears that LA is going to be hit, hard, in Lake Charles and surrounding areas. People who left and returned are in deep despair. No money, charge cards maxed, banks which can't open to give them money. Where do they go and how do they get there? To get out I hitched a ride with the military. Most people aren't so fortunate.

Perhaps the officials of LA made some errors in judgement, only time will sort it all out. One thing no one anticipated was the levies failing ... over a day later! <img src="/ubbtreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

As for myself, I choose to not form an opinion until it's all over. Until all the facts are on the table with an independent council doing the investigating.

Until that time let's all <img src="/ubbtreads/images/graemlins/1_prayer001.gif" alt="" /> and <img src="/ubbtreads/images/graemlins/1_prayer001.gif" alt="" /> for all the <img src="/ubbtreads/images/graemlins/Group.gif" alt="" /> in all states facing so many issues.

Naomi

[Dr. Shane]

I don't want to accuse any individual politician as being corrupt. That wasn't my point. However many have been corrupt in that area which was a major reason levies weren't fixed and money wasn't available for evacuation. That was my only point.

[Paul Beach]

Dear individuals,

Mrs. Gray was watching Greta on Fox News and she was having a phone interview with one of the dumbest people ever. This is a man in Galveston who survived a hurricane 42 years ago. He said he is equipped with food because he has frozen dinners, hard-boiled eggs, and milk. She asked him what he would do with no electricity, and he said he had lots of ice. When she asked him how he'd cook the dinners, he didn't know.

Greta managed to get through this without breaking into a smile, which was an accomplishment on its own.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Gray

[Dr. Shane]

There are many down here that are set up on propane and/or 12v with generator (just like camping). Set up as such, one can keep a small refrigerator and stove going for over a week. I don't think this guy had thought of that.

I built a clinic for a doctor in Brownsville that has a propane generator big enough to run his entire home including A/C and enough propane for 10 days. His home was built to withstand 140 mph winds. Of course only the weathy can have such a set up. I would be happy with a little portable generator.

[Bravus]

Apropos of the thread topic, I don't actually think the Feds are that calculating - I think they're going to feel they have to throw everything at this one, prove they can do it right this time and (a) hope people forget about Katrina and ( leave all the blame for Katrina on Brown and the state and local people. I do think Shane's right and Texas is much better prepared than Louisiana was (as well as not having its major city below sea level), but at the same time there's only so much preparation will do in a Cat 4 or 5 storm. Right now the stories are of 14 hour traffic jams in the bid to evacuate Texas. Pray that they're all cleared by tomorrow night and everyone who's leaving has gone.

[Naomi]

Bravus said:

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Right now the stories are of 14 hour traffic jams in the bid to evacuate Texas. Pray that they're all cleared by tomorrow night and everyone who's leaving has gone.

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I have friends of family members who more than 24 hours ago attempted to evacuate Houston and areas closer to the coast. Some attempting to go to the Austin area and points west, while others attempting to reach the Dallas are still on the highway. Conditions on the road are not good: The heat too hot, air conditioning too expensive due to inability to secure gasoline for their automobiles, the stress on their bodies too intense. Many elderly and people with health issues have turned back to stay in the city. Now it's too late, they can't leave. Fortunately, for those who turned back into the area, Rita is turning northward. Unfortunately for those staying in towns and cities who are now in it's Rita's path, it's too late to leave.

To add insult to injury, I45 just south of Dallas is blocked due to a passenger buss which has exploded. Passenger's were breaking out the windows trying to escape and people were helping other's get out. They are reporting at least two huge explosions ... really dramatic fire! Too early to know if everyone escaped the inferno.

National Guard troops and TexDot are delivering fuel to those out of gas. It is difficult to evacuate nearly 2 million people.

New Orleans is filling with water. Those who returned home can't leave for financial reasons; if you have no money, no bank access, credit cards already maxed out you are stuck. Their state, as well as other coastal areas, are full and flooded.

Texas has had five Cat 4 storms on record. First recorded was in 1886.

It would appear that the state is doing everything possible to protect as many as possible.

Please pray for these people.

Naomi

[Paul Beach]

Dear friends,

As we approach the end times, these events will become more and more common. For those of us who live in cities, we're going to have to become aware of the routes that we will need to take to leave the cities and be prepared to do so. Now, with the oil shortages on the horizon, and along with it, the availability of electricity, etc., it appears to make more and more sense to live "off the grid" if you can at all do so. (Mrs. Gray saw something about this on TV a few weeks ago where people lived in a "self-sustained" way with their own generators, gardens, etc.)

The Lord will not suddenly cast off all transgressors, or destroy entire nations; but He will punish cities and places where men have given themselves up to the possession of Satanic agencies. Strictly will the cities of the nations be dealt with, and yet they will not be visited in the extreme of God's indignation, because some souls will yet break away from the delusions of the enemy, and will repent and be converted, while the mass will be treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath.-- Evangelism, p. 27. (1906)

There are reasons why we should not build in the cities. On these cities, God's judgments are soon to fall.-- Letter 158, 1902.

The time is near when large cities will be swept away, and all should be warned of these coming judgments.-- Evangelism, p. 29.

Last Friday morning, just before I awoke, a very impressive scene was presented before me. I seemed to awake from sleep, but was not in my home. From the windows I could behold a terrible conflagration. Great balls of fire were falling upon houses, and from these balls fiery arrows were flying in every direction. It was impossible to check the fires that were kindled, and many places were being destroyed. The terror of the people was indescribable. -- Evangelism, p. 29. (1906)

In harmony with the light given me, I am urging people to come out from the great centers of population. Our cities are increasing in wickedness, and it is becoming more and more evident that those who remain in them unnecessarily do so at the peril of their soul's salvation.-- Manuscript 115, 1907.

Whenever possible, it is the duty of parents to make homes in the country for their children.--AH 141 (1906).

The above thoughts seem to make even more sense today than they did when Ellen White wrote them.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Gray

[CyberGuy]

Quote:

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Again, if you're in the path of Rita, run!

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As people are finding out that is easier said than done. Gasoline is in short supply. The Highway systems just were not made to handle the whole population fleeing at the same time. It takes 12 hours to go 40 miles. That is how bad it is. A bus caught fire and burned 24 senior citizens to death with the Oxygen bottles right beside them fueling the fire. That stopped traffic cold on that highway for several crucial hours.

Run? Where and how. Several million people cannot run away at the same time. Our infrastruture cannot handle it. Obvously more planning has got to be made on how to do this in the future.

[Dr. Shane]

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all the blame for Katrina on Brown and the state and local people.

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If there is a Congressional investigation, as the President has called for, I would be surprised if Brown did anything wrong, or different from what he did for the three hurricanes that blew through Florida last year on his watch. Brown is most likely a scapegoat.