[Teddyandme]

I don't know about the rest of you...but I am getting really angry over the governments lack of planning. Now, if they did not get a lot of our tax dollars and always brag about having plans in case of terror or emergency than that would be one thing....but we pay a lot of money and we should all expect that the people we pay to have a plan...have one that works.

In less than a month we have realized that our government....republican and democrats alike, do not have a plan that is worth anything to us. How in the world should we be expected to stomach this newest lack of planning. Evacuation should not shut down everything....what kind of plan is it to just say pack and leave...and we paid for this planning, why? How could a plan not include the need for fuel...or the need to keep traffic moving. Wow, if we were under attack and we used this plan....folks we would all be dead or near death.

I think this should be a wake up call to all of us...we must start holding these politicians responsible for what they say they are doing....we don't want another billion dollar study...we want an actual plan that would work for crying out loud....someone in government must be able to put one together. And if not then we need to fire each and every one of them.

Sitting on a highway, with no gas for hours and hours is unacceptable.

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

I totally agree!!

Katrina and Rita showed us that our "plans" (don't even like calling them that) suck! We need new plans that actually work

 

[Teddyandme]

In Louisiana, about 300,000 to 500,000 were still housed along the southwestern coast. “Rita has Louisiana in her sights. Head north. You cannot go east, you cannot go west. If you know the local roads that go north, take those,” said Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco.

Now that is truly a plan......

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

Originally posted by Teddyandme@Sep 23 2005, 10:35 AM
In Louisiana, about 300,000 to 500,000 were still housed along the southwestern coast. “Rita has Louisiana in her sights. Head north. You cannot go east, you cannot go west. If you know the local roads that go north, take those,” said Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco.

Now that is truly a plan......

 

   

 

<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=102538

[/QUOTE]
OMG!!!

 

[Scoobydoo]

What I can't figure out is why there wasn't a better organized evacuation. I mean to tell millions of people to get in their vehicles and head north surely is not a plan at all. With the amount of warning time that has been available why didn't the local government organize a system where controlled evacuation was supervised in a manner that allowed for all the traffic to be kept moving at a comfortable and steady pace. Instead there was chaos with millions of people on one interstate road that lead north. They should have closed perhaps all but 2 of the south bound lanes on that interstate and controlled the flow of traffic by allowing evacuation of each town at certain times. This to me would have saved a lot of excessive burning of fuel from bumper to bumper traffic, which in turn would have saved a lot of unnecessary waste of much needed gas supply for after the hurricane.
Just my thoughts on this.

 

[Teddyandme]

And Scobbydoo it is a plan....you may need to apply for the government possitions that will hopefully open up when we all realize they are doing a horrible job....all of them.

 

[Scoobydoo]

Teddyandme, I think we women tend to be more practical, perhaps we should both go down there and run.
Hubby just said my plan wouldn't work as human nature is to be the first on the road and there would be not way of controlling the flow.
I disagree, why have they got a national guard? They could have positioned them around the area in such a way that control would have been possible. The evacuation should have been started as soon as they knew the possibliity of the severity of Rita so that there was enough time to organize controlled evacuation without panic.

 

[Brinkley & Neyland's Mom]

I agree...
At this rate, many of them are going to be sitting there on the highways and interstates when the hurricane hits.
Planning was BETTER after Katrina...but still not wisely planned and thought out.

I would like to know what they THOUGHT was going to happen when they evacuated 2 million people!? Really?! What did they anticipate to be the outcome? Especially so soon after Katrina. People are petrified! Where are the law enforcement people directing traffic and arranging detours and alternate routes? All 2 million cannot get out on just a few interstates!!!!! Why didn't they have extra gas on standby?

I just don't understand the lack of "common sense" that the leaders have...
I JUST DONT GET IT!?
It is not a menial sitution. There are millions of lives on the line. -_-

 

[Mystify79]

Upon further information I've come across I no longer stand by what I had written.

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

Evacuees stranded again

My favorite quote:

"This is the worst planning I've ever seen," she said. "They say, 'We've learned a lot from Hurricane Katrina.' Well, you couldn't prove it by me."[/B]

 

[Scoobydoo]

It seems to me that it is a case of close the gate after the horse has bolted yet again.
What is going to happen to all those people now stuck on the interstate, unable to go anywhere, time is running out and they may be forced to face dreadful conditions stuck in their vehicles?
I just saw footage of an interstate clogged on the north bound side and the incoming side is open and empty, does that make any sense to me? Definately not.

It is also very sad to see a bus carrying elderly people go up in flames because the brakes over heated. These buses should have been the first to be allowed on that interstate so that they could have a free run. I feel that if they were aware that Rita could possibly be heading in that direction the very first thing should be to get the infermed and elderly out first and foremost well ahead of the rush.
I just wonder if it is all about money, and the cost of this should the storm not come to that area, so what? at least these poor unfortunate people would be out of harm's way ahead of time and safe where they can be cared for.

There just has to be a better more oganized way to provide safe evacuation for the incapacitated and unfortunate people who may not have transport, WELL IN ADVANCE.........

 

[Brinkley & Neyland's Mom]

I like this quote from that CNN article...I admire her faith and courage.

"We'll be fine," she said. "You can't be scared of what God can do. I'm covered."[/B]

 

[Brinkley & Neyland's Mom]

Originally posted by Scoobydoo@Sep 23 2005, 12:55 PM
There just has to be a better more oganized way to provide safe evacuation for the incapacitated and unfortunate people who may not have transport, WELL IN ADVANCE.........
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=102601

[/QUOTE]

I agree!!!!!
They had almost a WEEK to prepare!

Even if you overprepare and err on the side of caution?! Who cares?! At least you were being smart and safe!

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

CNN Breaking News: Rita is now a Category 3!

Oh, and I saw something about how Brush is going to visit Texas before Rita makes landfall! WTF!!! It took him like a week to visit after Katrina yet he can make time to visit Texas (his home state) BEFORE the hurricane?

 

[Scoobydoo]

Originally posted by Lexi's Mom@Sep 23 2005, 02:03 PM
CNN Breaking News: Rita is now a Category 3!

Oh, and I saw something about how Brush is going to visit Texas before Rita makes landfall!  WTF!!!  It took him like a week to visit after Katrina yet he can make time to visit Texas (his home state) BEFORE the hurricane?
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=102609

[/QUOTE]

Well you hit the nail right on the head there....HIS HOME STATE how obvious is that?

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

Originally posted by Scoobydoo+Sep 23 2005, 01:27 PM-->

<!--QuoteBegin-Lexi's Mom

@Sep 23 2005, 02:03 PM
CNN Breaking News: Rita is now a Category 3!

Oh, and I saw something about how Brush is going to visit Texas before Rita makes landfall!  WTF!!!  It took him like a week to visit after Katrina yet he can make time to visit Texas (his home state) BEFORE the hurricane?
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=102609

Well you hit the nail right on the head there....HIS HOME STATE how obvious is that?
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=102622
[/B][/QUOTE]
Here is a quote for the article:

Bush visited the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington before flying later in the day to his home state of Texas, where highways were jammed with people trying to escape Rita's expected landfall early Saturday. The president was to review preparations and thank first responders who were among the hundreds of emergency personnel dispatched to expected disaster areas.

Later Friday, Bush planned to monitor Rita's approach from the U.S. Northern Command in Colorado Springs, Colo. The trip gave Bush an opportunity to assess whether the U.S. military should play a bigger role in major disasters, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said.

Bush received a video briefing on Rita from the National Hurricane Center during his visit to FEMA. "Our job is to assist" state and local governments, he said. "We will make sure that my entourage does not get in the way of people doing their job."

With Homeland Security SecretaryMichael Chertoff standing at his side at FEMA headquarters, Bush told employees, "We now are facing yet another big storm. I appreciate the folks here working so hard to help the folks on the ground prepare."[/B]

 

[Teddyandme]

I remember from Kindergarden that we would systematically go from table to table to line up to go anywhere....lets get back to basics. Those sick and infirmed should have been the first ones out...and then sad to say but we should have gone neighborhood by neighborhood...closest to ocean goes first. And if Texas can't get gas then we are really in trouble since it produces 1/4 of all the gas in the country....what is that about...no gas. There should be penalties for stations who close....this is a major lifeline to too many others to just leave. If they want to close then the guard should be allowed to open up the place and give gas to those in need.

No wonder people do not want to leave their homes...I would want get in the no man land of a highway either.

We must re-evalute our systems here....cause we have just seen 2 occurances of complete and total disregard for the people of America....and they pay taxes like the rest of us do.

Who is to say we won't be the next victim of incompetence.

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

I read that some people had paychecks but couldn't cash them because all of the banks were closed. So they didn't have any money so they couldn't leave.

 

[pico's parent]

Originally posted by Teddyandme@Sep 23 2005, 02:04 PM
I remember from Kindergarden that we would systematically go from table to table to line up to go anywhere....lets get back to basics.  Those sick and infirmed should have been the first ones out...and then sad to say but we should have gone neighborhood by neighborhood...closest to ocean goes first.  And if Texas can't get gas then we are really in trouble since it produces 1/4 of all the gas in the country....what is that about...no gas.  There should be penalties for stations who close....this is a major lifeline to too many others to just leave.  If they want to close then the guard should be allowed to open up the place and give gas to those in need. 

No wonder people do not want to leave their homes...I would want get in the no man land of a highway either.

We must re-evalute our systems here....cause we have just seen 2 occurances of complete and total disregard for the people of America....and they pay taxes like the rest of us do. 

Who is to say we won't be the next victim of incompetence.
<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=102635

[/QUOTE]

I think part of the problem is that they DID evacuate the coastal area first and then by the time those people reached Houston, Houston was evacuating and you got this huge bottleneck! I really don't see how it is possible to put 1 million people on the road at the same time and NOT have chaos. This is a wake up call for all of US. Don't depend on the "government", whether local, state or Federal, to take care of you......be prepared with your OWN emergency plan, supplies, etc. Really put your thinking cap on NOW and plan for "what if". What If a Dirty Bomb went off in your home town? What if the severe weather particular to your state (hurricane, tornado, earthquake, etc) is an historically severe occurance? What will YOU do to ensure the safety of YOUR family? If more people did this in advance I believe it would greatly reduce the chaos and improve your own chances of survival. Like it or not, Darwin discovered something important. Survival of the fittest. If you have a loved one in a nursing home or hospital, what is YOUR plan for taking care of them?

This way you can really leverage any government plan to the best advantage.

And thus spake Pamela!

 

[Teddyandme]

Pamela,

I agree that we all need to take responsibilty for our families and ourselves...with a big but. We need to be assured that vital service like the ability to get gas for any journey out is available. In my home state of NJ you are not permittted to carry extra gas in the vehicle so you have no choice but to only use what gas tank you have in the car....so you need the ability to fill up once on the road. We also need to know that once on the road we are actually able to drive out....and it seems that there is really no plan to allow that to happen smoothly. When there are 100 mile and more backups that impares a persons ability to help oneself.

But, overall, I agree...we all need to have a plan...money we have available to us in the form of cash, the routes we will need to take mapped out and of course if we are to stay...available water, batteries, candles, canned food, form of communication.

We still need a government that takes some responsibility because we pay taxes so that a plan is in place for our safety.