FEMA Is a Disgrace

Another disaster, another FEMA scandal. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an utter disgrace. I have been following its antics since Katrina. It's #1 priority in disasters seems to be photo-ops. 

The full Daily Mail story is here. Kathleen and I have merely toured the Grand Wailea beach resort as we can't afford to stay there! I just went to their website to get the current price of a room. See for yourself. Rooms start at $900/night. 

Meanwhile, the people of Lahaina had to listen to President Biden drone on yesterday about a kitchen fire (no one hurt) at his home that threatened his prized Corvette. 

Local government officials in Hawaii continue to stonewall residents of Lahaina as to the number of deaths. The current death toll is an awful 114; there are indirect indications the total number of deaths may be significantly higher. When residents press the mayor for answers, this is what they get. 

Lahaina is hardly the only time FEMA has been accused of being unresponsive. Read this letter from the mayor of Lake Charles to FEMA in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Laura. 

In the strongest possible manner, please contact your congressional delegation and urge them to work together to create a National Disaster Review Board modeled after the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). 

How Will the National Disaster Review Board Function?

When there is, for example, a commercial airline crash, the NTSB takes over the scene and the press relations. Their investigators, who are experts -- while they work with the local authorities -- take the lead. There is none of the game-playing that goes on such as at the red link above. With a National Disaster Review Board, we would know how many have been identified as perished and how many are missing. 

The NTSB has a lab where they analyze evidence gathered during a plane crash. They same lab recovers the data from an airliners' cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder (the "black boxes" on every airliner). What I really like about the NTSB is they invite all interested parties to the investigation. For example, if Boeing manufactured the plane, they have a representative to participate and lend their expertise. 

That's how I got acquainted with the NTSB--we were participants in investigations in railroad derailments and plane crashes. In the case below, it was clear when they walked in that they had one impression as to what had occurred. We presented the evidence and they changed their minds -- they were open-minded and wanted to get things right. 

While it is not a perfect comparison, the National Disaster Review Board would take over the site of the Lahaina fire and invite local fire, emergency management, National Weather Service, Hawaii Electric and the others involved to participate. Then, like the NTSB, there would be a public hearing (for this case, in Maui) where local residents could offer their input as to what occurred, vent their frustrations, et cetera. After about 9-12 months, a full report with findings of fact and recommendations for improving safety, would be issued. In some cases, like the NTSB, it would offer recommendations to Congress and the Administration where changes in policy are needed.

I am a Reagan (small government) conservative and it goes against my political grain to advocate increasing the size of government. But, all evidence seems to be that our disaster responses are getting worse, not better. That is why it is essential for a National Disaster Review Board to be created at the earliest possible time.