Fema Contracts Commercial Airlines

JSsup said:
We have one road and 2 airports where I live. It is a total nightmare when we do evactuate.

And to back up my statement, the fact of the matter is, if the Keys have a Hurricane Plan, why doesn't New Orleans?
[post="297148"][/post]​


and thats the point Jssup you usually have 5 days to get the hell out and you know prior to andrew most people decided to wait the storm out..
and in most cases most people in key west have cars or boats or they can fly out..

new orleans is much different . you cannot compare the 2.
majority of new orleans who are stuck or who had to goto new orleans dome were poor people with no vehicles..

learn the facts about the city before you criticise it ...majority of people in new orleans use public transport ....and are poor people...
 
ringmaruf said:
FEMA is reimbursing the airlines for fuel. Nothing else.
[post="297040"][/post]​

You are incorrect. FEMA is contracting the a/c; not just fuel. Any lost revenue will be compensated and the Co. will be compensated for the crews, which are paid under our CRAF provisions.
 
PITbull said:
You are incorrect. FEMA is contracting the a/c; not just fuel. Any lost revenue will be compensated and the Co. will be compensated for the crews, which are paid under our CRAF provisions.
[post="297163"][/post]​

If they've changed it to that, that's terrific. But what was originally being said was:

"Jack Evans, a spokesman for the airline trade group, said FEMA agreed to reimburse the airlines for jet fuel used in the airlift, "but other than that, the airlines are doing this on a volunteer basis. The crews on board are all volunteers.""

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/12545863.htm
 
I too was kind of put off by how Jackson and the congressional black caucus raised the race issue.

However, just look at these comments from Barabara Bush, no less, as reported on foxnews.com today, if you don't think race and class were an issue.

Start Quote:
===============================================
Barbara Bush, who accompanied the former presidents on a tour of the Astrodome (search) complex Monday, said the relocation to Houston is "working very well" for some of the poor people forced out of New Orleans.

"What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality," she said during a radio interview with the American Public Media program "Marketplace." "And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them."

====================================
End of quote


How scary -- all these poor, black folks wanting to stay in rich, white Texas. Pathetic.
 
careerfurloughee said:
I missed that part. Where did she say that?
[post="297191"][/post]​

Well, how do you interpret her comments? (I've edited my prior post just in case what was a quotation and what was my comment was not clear.)
 
Was it a race issue or a class issue? It was because they were poor, not because they are African-American that they were stranded in MSY. It was because they were poor, not because they are African American, that they had no means to get out of the city. It was becuase they were poor, not because they are African American, that they were unable to bring supplies with them to the shelters. And the list goes on and on.

I remember reading an article that said, had this storm hit this coming weekend, versus the end of the month, the outcome may have been slightly different. Most of the poor are on some form of government assistance and their checks come on the 2nd or 3rd of the month. Many didn't have the money to purchase supplies to get them through the storm or gas to get out of town (if they had a car) because their checks were due on Friday. Any of us that have lived paycheck to paycheck can relate.
 
madders said:
hey Mark I agree with you i think its a class issue not a race issue ..
Black politicians always wanna talk about race at the wrong time.
[post="297204"][/post]​

I want to agree with you (both madders and MMW), but then you see the pictures where white folks "taking" food is captioned as "fending for themselves" whereas a similar picture of a black guy with similar items is captioned as "looting."

Poverty's a big issue, and clearly was a major part of the problem here in terms of the evacuation, but I'm not sure that you can say that racism is not an issue -- even if it wasn't an overt driver of any specific decisions. That's why its insidious.

I do agree with you that it was the wrong time to bring it up, IMO, ...
 
SVQLBA said:
I want to agree with you (both madders and MMW), but then you see the pictures where white folks "taking" food is captioned as "fending for themselves" whereas a similar picture of a black guy with similar items is captioned as "looting."


[post="297207"][/post]​

Was the "similar item" a television?
 
I agree with MarkMyWords that is more of a class issue. I don't think officials really considered an evacuation order wouldn't be followed by so many people. Then to compound the problem local and state officials where overhelmed by the castrophic events. To further compound the problem federal officials followed protocol by waiting for a "call for help" ....if ever there was a friggin time to forget protocol this was the time. And finally it took four days for our President to check out the situation for himself. To his credit he did get the ball rolling after his visit and acknowledge that the effort was unsatisfactory....but after how many additional lives were lost! Inexcusable period. Now add to this tragic comedy of errors the Mayor issuing an order not to deliver food or water to those who refuse to evacuate....let's add to the death toll! Mr. Mayor you haven't talked to Dr Phil have you? Do you realize that many of those people refusing to leave have been traumatized, are depressed, possibly metal illness has set in. The right response is to continue to give the food and water until such time you can send teams in to remove them (by force if neccessary for their own good). Meantime guess we just pray for them and send money.
 
Rules for Major Evacuation

1. figure out how to evacuate the amount of people estimated to be there.

2. THEN ANNOUNCE MANDATORY EVACUATIONS.

probably something like this would work

we are declaring a mandatory evacuation of xxx area, please go to this address or main staging area where there is a continual line of buses and or other vehicles to get you a safe distance away. bring only yourself.


probably something like this would not work

1. we are announcing a madatory evacuation.

2. now we gotta figure out how to do it




a. the devistation, rescue efforts and rebuilding should be the main focus.
b. save the blame game til we (the USA) get this job of rescue/rebuild/whatever well underway
c. yes a review in light of this does expose weaknesses that need to be addressed should (god forbid) an non natural disater occur.


may god bless those directly, indirectly affected and those that are helping both in the immediate area and all accross the USA.
 
Well hopefully New Orleans will have a clue the next time a storm enters the Gulf and may do the right thing.

About Key West, we have poor people here (don't ask me HOW... my rent is 1800 / month for a place that goes for $650 back in my Chicago homeland) and they still got the heck outta dodge when Ivan came.

I guess I'm just very fortunate that the State of Florida and Monroe County has their act together when it comes to dealing with hurricane threats and how we react to them.

(btw, did ya'll see we're gettin the EMB170s! will be nice to put a 100% load on a plane again!)