FEMA Blocks Photos of New Orleans Dead

FEMA Blocks Photos of New Orleans Dead FEMA also stopped a bunch of people from getting into New Orleans with their boats to do search and rescue. They stopped the Red Cross from getting in to New Orleans, too. They give their reasons, but it was pointed out to me that after the attacks of 9/11 it took FEMA over 72 hours to get anyone on site and start doing something. If it hadn't been for 'civilian' aid then things would have been a lot worse. FEMA has been much better about controlling civilian aid this time and it shows. Thousands of deaths? I completely agree that a large and very serious responsibility rests on the local officials. But let's be real. Is a single city supposed to be entirely independent and completely responsible for evacuating hundreds of thousands of people within hours? If they had the resources to do all that they wouldn't need to be part of the Union. They could be an autonomous city-state. The contradiction here is that the federal government is being very controlling about the relief and rescue efforts but complaining that city and state officials aren't doing enough. Which is it? I thought that the city was supposed to do all that it could to have plans in place and do what it could with city resources but when the problem is so much more than they can handle, like this, they turn to the state who turns to the federal. Federal and state resources could then be applied to the plans the city set up, since they know the problem better. I don't see how this could be managed from a desk in Washington but I don't see how it could be done by the city alone. It makes me wonder about Salt Lake City's emergency plans. We live on a fault line that we know is going to go one day. Are we going to be wandering smoking rubble for days whilst the governor and mayor argue over who has to/gets to call FEMA?