FEMA Flip Flop

Incompetence rules wherever we turn.

The changing narrative. Over the weekend CNN reported that the director of FEMA justified giving away hurricane relief supplies because Louisiana had turned them down.

Now, it seems that things have changed.

From FEMA gives hurricane supplies back to Louisiana:

Some of the $85 million in hurricane relief supplies given away as federal surplus will be sent back to Louisiana and given to nonprofit agencies for distribution, the state's hurricane recovery office said Tuesday.

"Today we can report that we have been notified that some of the surplus property has been located in Texas and will be coming to the state of Louisiana for distribution by Unity New Orleans," said Paul Rainwater, the executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority.

A CNN investigation revealed last week that FEMA gave away the supplies as government surplus, even though agencies like Unity -- which works to resettle hurricane victims -- were still seeking the kind of supplies given away.

Read the rest here.

Kudos to CNN (and anyone else who reported the story) for shaming FEMA into doing the right thing.

A comment left by Diane over at Beautiful, Also, Are The Souls Of My Black Sisters:

Of course, the supplies were returned after 2 years of being stockpiled. Why? FEMA had to be shamed into doing the right thing. Shame FEMA, shame!

Will The Katrina Stories Never End?

More government screw-up and waste on Bush’s watch.

From FEMA director defends giving away hurricane supplies:

The director of Federal Emergency Management Agency on Sunday defended giving away an estimated $85 million in hurricane relief supplies, blaming Louisiana officials for turning down the stockpiles.

Read the rest here.

Heck Of A Job Bushie

Do we really need more proof that George W. Bush is the most incompetent human being on the face of the planet? Every day it seems we have more proof. After all this time, could there be any more heartbreaking news about the aftermath of Katrina? Unfortunately, yes. Again I ask the question, can we impeach him now? What more will it take? Can’t we stop him before he does more harm? PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!!! I’m down on my knees and begging! If there ever was a president that deserved to be impeached, it is George W. Bush!!!

From Children in Katrina trailers may face lifelong ailments by John Moreno Gonzales:

The anguish of Hurricane Katrina should have ended for Gina Bouffanie and her daughter when they left their FEMA trailer. But with each hospital visit and each labored breath her child takes, the young mother fears it has just begun.

"It's just the sickness. I can't get rid of it. It just keeps coming back," said Bouffanie, 27, who was pregnant with her now 15-month-old daughter, Lexi, while living in the trailer. "I'm just like, `Oh God, I wish like this would stop.' If I had known it would get her sick, I wouldn't have stayed in the trailer for so long."

The girl, diagnosed with severe asthma, must inhale medicine from a breathing device.

Doctors cannot conclusively link her asthma to the trailer. But they fear she is among tens of thousands of youngsters who may face lifelong health problems because the temporary housing supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency contained formaldehyde fumes up to five times the safe level.

Read the rest here.