Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Flood Victims In For Long Waits

FEMA has sent about 30 officials to inspect the flood damage in 29 Indiana counties according to the Star's Meagan Ingerson. She points out that Gov. Daniels must still request individual assistance from FEMA before inspectors will visit their homes and businesses to assess the damage. Grants and loans can be made available to homeowners. Loans are available for small businesses. SBA actually administers the loans. "The evaluation process moves slower in a flood than in other emergencies, Department of Homeland Security spokesman John Erickson said." "It takes a little bit more time because you have to wait for the water to recede in some areas, and you have to wait to see the damage until the floodwater is gone," he said.

I've not been impressed by past disaster relief efforts here in Indiana. After the Memorial Day weekend tornado a few years ago, I had a client whose business was destroyed. A few days later, FEMA Director Michael Brown, Gov. Kernan, Mayor Peterson, a half dozen local legislators and a bevy of their aides staged a press conference at my client's business to explain all the assistance which would be delivered quickly to affected homeowners and businesses. After the TV cameras and reporters were gone, my client could barely get a phone call returned, let alone any assistance. Hopefully, Gov. Daniels will continue to stay on top of these efforts to make sure things keep moving. Based upon a WTHR report from a Columbus town hall meeting last night, it is obvious tempers are already flaring. Mayor Fred Armstrong got an earful from some of the attendees who walked out when they weren't getting the answers they wanted to hear.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

In the short term, do you think we should put everyone up in the RCA Dome and wait and see what happens? I believe this was the Bush and McCain plan for Katrina victims.

Unknown said...

Tarr,

Buy a clue. The federal government didn't make that decision, The feds are not the initial responder on a disaster like Katrina. Rather the local elected officials, the mayor f New Orleans and the governor of Louisiana, made the decision to use the Superdome. And you known what...they are both DEMOCRATS.

Maybe you could have talked about how Republican Louisiana officials diverted federal money from levee maintenance to infrastructure for casinos. Wait, those were DEMOCRATS who did that too.

Anonymous said...

Flynn, if the feds have nothing to do with it, why does it require the President to declare a disaster in order to get federal aid? The are supposed to work in tandem. I believe you are the one that needs a clue on how the ISEMA and FEMA work together, but thanks for your input on the subject.

Anonymous said...

Better yet Flynn, lets throw them in some formaldehyde ladden FEMA trailers to show them how much we really care about the average American citizen. Sound like a plan?

artfuggins said...

How about putting flood victims in contaminated trailers....oops, that was FEMA and was a federal decision. "You are doing a good job, Brownie"