There is a lot being said about FEMA and their coming to the rescue. I put little credence in FEMA's ability to provide much more than assessments of damage. Any one who has been in the earth quakes of California, the hurricanes in the SE or deadly forest fires most anywhere, will tell you that FEMA didn't provide any food, shelter or water. Its the Red Cross and the Salvation Army who arrive with their cots, trucks of bottled water, food, soup kitchens, etc. FEMA comes winging in with Bill Clinton and the State Governor on a helicopter 3 days later to look over the scene and be seen on that night's news. And as hard as they may try, the RC and SA can only do so much. They cannot house and feed the nation.

Got beans? Got water?

-- Taz (Tassie@AOL.com), February 21, 1999

Answers

I'm **SURE** FEMA will have a significant role in the upcoming festivities!!

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), February 21, 1999.

Look at Mike Walker's credentials.

Clinton Names Mike Walker As Deptury Director Of FEMA

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary ______________________________________________________________________ __ For Immediate Release July 14, 1998

PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES MIKE WALKER AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

The President today announced his intent to nominate Mike Walker to serve as Deputy Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Mr. Mike Walker, of Smithville, Tennessee, is currently the Under Secretary of the Army. From January 1998 to June 1998, Mr. Walker served as Acting Secretary of the Army and from May 1997 to May 1998, he was the Army Acquisition Executive. Among his duties, Mr. Walker was responsible for managing the Department of Defense's (DoD) support to domestic disasters. He was the DoD coordinator for the Atlanta Olympics, the Presidential Inaugural, and the Denver Summit of the Eight. Mr. Walker joined the Clinton Administration in March 1994 as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Logistics and Environment. From 1981 to 1993, he served as Staff Director of the Senate Subcommittee on Military Construction Appropriations.

Mr. Walker attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the Cabinet level agency responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating federal assistance to major disasters and emergencies. FEMA also works with states, territories and local communities during non-disaster periods to help plan for disasters and develop mitigation programs. The Deputy Director assists the Director of FEMA in the management of the Agency.

-30-30-30-

-- (Priv@priv.org), February 21, 1999.

I agree, in the Southern California Northridge quake of 1994, FEMA was there after-the-fact. However, they are gearing up, before-the- fact, now.

Diane

See also ...

QUESTION: What Does It Mean When A Presidential E.O. Declares A National Emergency?

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000Wc6

There is an E.O. that gives FEMA its powers ...

June 6, 1994 -- EXECUTIVE ORDER 12919 -- NATIONAL DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES PREPAREDNESS

http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri- res/I2R?urn:pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/1994/6/7/3.text.2

LINKS: Know Your FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000NRV

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 21, 1999.

FEMA was at the site of the terrible tornados last year in central Fl, and the hurricanes before and after that. They were also here for the terrible fires we had last winter. HOWEVER....my point is that FEMA does not hand you a voucher for a meal and a room....or a gallon of milk for your kids....or a jacket to get through the cold night. My point is not to defame FEMA but to make sure that sheeple do not feel they can depend on FEMA rather than there own precautions of storing food and water, etc. I KNOW what FEMA does and they are VERY important. But they are not our first line of defense and don't expect to see them on the battle field until the fighting has moved on.

-- Taz (Tassie@AOL.com), February 21, 1999.

IMHO, at this point, what FEMA is good for is preparing BEFORE disaster hits. They offer NET/NERT/CERT classes that are valuable, mail-order courses, workshops, drills, exercises, and training for Emergency Operations folks at local, county, state, national levels. Local fire depts & police stations also have some training possibilities for some cityzzzzns in some areas. Why not glean all the preparedness expertise as possible beforehand? What they teach is, it is solely up to *you* first and foremost to be ready to survive disaster. Be prepared, keep yourself safe, your family, neighborhood, workplace, community, city, region, state, nation. It starts individually at home. Never in any class do they imply they will be able to help once disaster hits. It is yourself, family & neighbors who will be the saving volunteers then. Milk FEMA for as much survival help as possible but don't count on them for anything. When the time comes, you will be very grateful for the training, and so will your neighbors, which is the whole intention.

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx x

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 21, 1999.

1) By continually reinforced statute, the Red Cross is the lead agency in both manmade and natural disasters.

2) FEMA administers the long term and large dollar rebuilding efforts in disaster areas. As well as the SBA and other loan plans, etc.

Chuck, Da Night Driver

-- Chuck, night driver (rienzoo@en.com), February 21, 1999.

If so, according to the federal govenment guidelines, FEMA should have nothing to do withY2K at all - becasue they are predicting no disaster, and no riots, and nothing going wrong but a few short tterm inconveniences.

So why are they involved at all in Y2K planning - surely FEMA is not expecting wide-spread disasters requiring massive federal aid and funding, are they?

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.R@csaatl.com), February 21, 1999.

Why of course not. It's just those crazy fanatical rumors of computer crashes causing mimicry of disaster-spawned infrastructure disruptions. It's a pretty show to make ppl feel the govt has everything in hand and is prepared "just in case." Now now don't you worry. It's just a good training opportunity. And oh, BTW, please don't notice we'll be conducting more & more training opportunities. You may see some of our Ops exercises. Please shut your door, pull down the shades, and turn on the sitcom.

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx x

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), February 21, 1999.

FEMA is a good organization and have done wonderful things in the past. However, a friend who is a FEMA manager in my state, Mo., says when y2k hits he will be watching out for his family and himself. He has installed a bomb shelter in his backyard among all his other preps!

-- nurse (rtf5653@ccp.com), February 22, 1999.