Natural Disasters and Government Relief Efforts
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-05-26/natural-disasters-and-government-relief-efforts
Tornadoes swept across Arkansas, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri yesterday. Fifteen people died. And in Joplin, Missouri, emergency workers are still searching for survivors of Monday's storm. It was the nation's deadliest tornado in six decades, killing at least 125 people. Hundreds are believed to be missing. FEMA - the Federal Emergency Management Agency - has been on the ground coordinating rescue and recovery. We'll talk about those efforts - and whether the nation's emergency management systems are over-burdened.
Guests
W. Craig Fugate
administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Bob Dixson
mayor, Greensburg, Kansas.
Ed O'Keefe
author of The Federal Eye blog and federal government reporter for The Washington Post.
Barry Scanlon
president, Witt Associates; former adviser at FEMA.
Comments
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Remembering Mark Haines of CNBC - What a Loss!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTppoBZKC4s&feature=related
To Diane's Interns:
Could you please make sure that Diane sees this clip about Mark Haines.
Diane,
I want to know if these natural disasters afflicting Southern states have provoked any reflections on the proper scope and abilities of the Federal government, something they seem to reflexively want to shrink.
Whilst rejecting funds for federal projects like high-speed rail and other stimulus measures, I imagine they'll be hat in hand for recovery funds.
O.M.
I'd like to suggest that you call Eric Cantor and put him on the air to explain why he wants to withhold federal aid in order to make a political statement and score points with the lunatic fringe.
My question for your guest representing FEMA is:
Is the agency, now integrated into Homeland Security, prepared for a Fukushima in the U.S.? Where would the people living within the evacuation radius recommended to American citizens in Japan be relocated, if a similar accident happened at Indian Point (same type of reactor as Fukushima)?
P.S.: Operator error exacerbated the Fukushima disaster, which could happen anywhere:
http://brainmindinst.blogspot.com/2011/05/fukushima-failure-of-mind.html
Craig, dude, don't admonish us like we're children. We're the people who pay your salary. Drop the attitude. I realize it's a novel concept for govt bureaucrats like you to actually be clear and helpful, but just answer Ms Rehm's question and tell folks how to prepare instead of repeating your lecturing about the need to prepare. You didn't even realize that such tips could be the most helpful contribution for you to make this morning, and you still couldn't figure it out even after Ms Rehm lobbed you an easy one and tried to help you look good. You are the ideal FEMA Administrator, sir.
I respect Craig's work with FEMA and cannot begin to know the stress he must be under now. I am sure he is a good administrator and we are better for his work, however his strict father tone I found a bit alarming, maybe even a bit judgemental. He seemed to suggest that those who prepare should survive, those who fail to do so deserve what they get. Tornados are not predatory going after the weakest, most vulnerable, least prepared, they hit anything in its way, whether you prepared or not.
There's a lot of talk about helping homeowners. What do you think is the government's obligation to help renters and others?
Mr. Mayor, did you notice much 'entitlement thinking' in the aftermath of the Greensburg disaster? I would hate to think you are using your town's tragedy and heroic recovery to score political points by beating an 'entitlement' thinking strawman.
If you live in tornado alley you should have tornado insurance. If you live in the drained swamp known as New Orleans you better have flood insurance. Live on the coast, earthquake zones and on and on you better have the right insurance. If you have not prepared yourself with the proper insurance you are either living irresponsibly or beyond your means and this is no ones fault accept your own. These disasters will happen not maybe happen it's just a matter of time. Government should not be in the business of rebuilding private property period. But only be prepared for disease control, food. temporary shelter and law enforcement.
I've been a long-time skeptic of a federal role in "disaster Management" and providing financial assistance.
Individual property owners and renters should buy insurance and local governments should anticipate periodic disasters. When one strikes, certainly there is loss, but then you rebuild. Individuals take their assets including insurance to recover. Local and state governments may need to borrow money to replace infrastructure.
Certainly some assistance may be provided those who failed to prepare, but that is better done through local or state governments closer to the problem. I just don't see why there should be a federal role. If anything, its increasing role in recent decades has led to a dependence on an insititution that is largely unable to provide it. At worse, the splashing around of federal money after disasters is unwise and irresponsible.
With respect to your last caller who said that he is incensed by those who miss spend their assistance money. The thing is that folks who spend the money in the right way do not make the news or make for good gossip. If during a disaster everyone had homeowners insurance and were well stocked and had shelters and noone died... it wouldnt be a much of a disaster.
Eduardo Garces
Miami
I grew up in the MidWest and was shocked to find that friends had purchased a new home without a basement in Lawrence, KS NO BASEMENT, No underground shelter.
When I asked what they were thinking, they said.. "Oh, tornados never strike here ... I've lived here all my life and never been in a tornado" etc etc etc.
Unbelievable.
I find it also hard to believe that the insurance firms would underwrite insurance for homes in tornado alley without underground shelter of some sort.
Mindboggling.
Regarding medications, the medical insurance company does not cover emergency situations. With help of your physician you can obtain a reserve by paying out of pocket. Again, like reinforcing your home, it would require additional expense- but for some situations that would definitely be justified. I am a pharmacist and often help people manage medication for vacations. Keep track of expiration dates.
FEMA was an efficient and extremely helpful agency coming into the 21st century, it sounds like the agency is continuing in the mindset it adopted prior to Katrina. I went to the ready.gov website and it sounds like the duck and cover mind set we were given in grade school for nuclear attacks.
Hurricane season is approaching quickly. We need professional level educators to encourage and help people to prepare for natural disaster conditions well ahead of time. Vinod Thomas, Director of Evaluation at the World Bank, is calling upon governments and ngos across the world to improve education for emergency preparedness. It is not easy to prepare for disasters. It's a challenging and complex task for everyone, and especially for local business owners, local officials, and even first responders such as fire fighters and police officers. As a clinical psychologist, I can assure you that people's ability to reason effectively often goes out the window even prior to a natural disaster. When people know something is on the way, many go into denial and refuse to prepare. Before any kind of warning happens, we need to promote Storm/Hurricane Prep parties where guests assemble the three-day food and water supply kits the Ready.gov recommends. Guests will have the opportunity to decorate the evac kits. Games can be created out of emergency evacuation drills. Organizations need to sponsor competitions to enliven making structures safer, as well provide the drive behind learning and memorizing important facts about hurricanes, tornadoes, and other severe weather conditions. Businesses hire consultants to help them get ready, so why are individuals, families, and local governments expected to just do it?
Dr. Dorothy Danaher White, President, Be Ready Bear (nonprofit)
I remember the duck tape and roll plastic thing after 9/11 and the current advice is not much different. The CDC recently told the public that disaster and epidemic preparation is very similar to preparing for living dead brain eating zombies. Most families and single individuals are barely buying gas now and would need exhausted credit to stock up on anything. It's doubly crazy what Charles S. and monte say about good old insurance (I've been stiffed on claims recently.). Are they agents or what? Living beyond our means? Most of us have to get beyond our means just to live, and it ain't like most people can afford to move. These sentiments are one step from advocating mass euthanasia.
I agree with Peter Melzer that there is no way to prepare for a nuclear accident, that you might not be allowed to return to the exclusion zone for your emergency gear if you survived. Our plants are old and on a tight budget so another incident is on the way, just like a death trap space shuttle. Warwick's idea of a hurricane party could turn alcoholic as most hurricane parties do. Hurricanes may soon be hitting in places nobody expects. Tornadoes are bigger and in new locales. The coasts are overbuilt. Job searches draw people to vulnerable areas.
Fossil fueled climate change has caused weather to become more violent and unstable, and that is the main reason food prices are creeping up. Food prices are the main reason for "Democracy Spring." And there are gradual industrial crimes like Fracking for fuel (destroys groundwater) that are unrecognized disasters.
Maybe disaster capitalism is the best investment opportunity these days. You corner the market and gouge on the scarce necessities. Getting ready for something that is unlikely to happen (without help, like a big terrorist attack) wastes money a beleaguered public desperately needs. But if we can't afford the things that make a nation and civilization anymore, as the fascists say, then we might as well close up shop and dissolve the corporations. They seem to be courting disaster.
The question about access to prescription medications (for Parkinson's) was an important issue -- as Diane affirmed -- and the guests were totally clueless in their responses. Totally.
I've searched online on this topic and have yet to see a serious solution, given the way the system of prescriptions and insurance work. Plus drug stores often stock very small quantities of drugs, just enough to get by day by day.
I am amazed the FEMA representative has never hear of the difficulty in obtaining an extra emergency supply of medications in order to be prepared.
I too have had difficulties in this. The pharmacy told me I am not allowed to purchase any extra medications to have on-hand in case of emergency. The drug insurance company has denied to refill my prescriptions several times because I had refilled them a couple of days early once or twice and "according to our records you have an extra supply that will last you for another seven days".
This is a basic need that there is no access to for any regular person.
I am certain the elected officials who have in-house free medical attention - paid for with my taxes and yours - have no problem obtaining any medications they might want as well as need.
And there are still people wondering why there is so little support of what our government spends money on.
Spend less overseas and begin supporting us here at home for a change.
You may be a pharmacist and may be good enough to help your neighbors but the general attitude in pharmacies is that the insurance company is in control - if my doctor prescribes me a medication the insurance company has the right to change or deny that medication to me for their own reasons - against my doctor's orders.
The fact is the drug insurance companies are the last word in what medications I am allowed to be prescribed. The medical insurance companies are in control of what medical procedures I am allowed to have done - my doctor can only suggest procedures/services for my conditions, the insurance companies have the last say - to approve or deny anything and everything.
We need radical changes in the way health care is provided in this country - not just force everyone to support one or another corrupt insurance company - there is no wonder why health care reform didn't do anything except give the insurance companies more business.
Nothing was 'reformed' by the health care legislation - that is why so few people support that legislation - we are not all dummies.
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