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Tue 24 Jan, 2006 10:16 am
Quote:White House Got Early Warning on Katrina
By Joby Warrick
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 24, 2006; Page A02
In the 48 hours before Hurricane Katrina hit, the White House received detailed warnings about the storm's likely impact, including eerily prescient predictions of breached levees, massive flooding, and major losses of life and property, documents show.
A 41-page assessment by the Department of Homeland Security's National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC), was delivered by e-mail to the White House's "situation room," the nerve center where crises are handled, at 1:47 a.m. on Aug. 29, the day the storm hit, according to an e-mail cover sheet accompanying the document.
The NISAC paper warned that a storm of Katrina's size would "likely lead to severe flooding and/or levee breaching" and specifically noted the potential for levee failures along Lake Pontchartrain. It predicted economic losses in the tens of billions of dollars, including damage to public utilities and industry that would take years to fully repair. Initial response and rescue operations would be hampered by disruption of telecommunications networks and the loss of power to fire, police and emergency workers, it said.
In a second document, also obtained by The Washington Post, a computer slide presentation by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, prepared for a 9 a.m. meeting on Aug. 27, two days before Katrina made landfall, compared Katrina's likely impact to that of "Hurricane Pam," a fictional Category 3 storm used in a series of FEMA disaster-preparedness exercises simulating the effects of a major hurricane striking New Orleans. But Katrina, the report warned, could be worse.
The hurricane's Category 4 storm surge "could greatly overtop levees and protective systems" and destroy nearly 90 percent of city structures, the FEMA report said. It further predicted "incredible search and rescue needs (60,000-plus)" and the displacement of more than a million residents.
The NISAC analysis accurately predicted the collapse of floodwalls along New Orleans's Lake Pontchartrain shoreline, an event that the report described as "the greatest concern." The breach of two canal floodwalls near the lake was the key failure that left much of central New Orleans underwater and accounted for the bulk of Louisiana's 1,100 Katrina-related deaths.
The documents shed new light on the extent on the administration's foreknowledge about Katrina's potential for unleashing epic destruction on New Orleans and other Gulf Coast cities and towns. President Bush, in a televised interview three days after Katrina hit, suggested that the scale of the flooding in New Orleans was unexpected. "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees. They did anticipate a serious storm," Bush said in a Sept. 1 interview on ABC's "Good Morning America."
The reports echo warnings given around the same time by Max Mayfield, head of the National Hurricane Center, who began sounding the alarm when forecasters first placed Katrina on a collision with the Gulf Coast on the evening of Aug. 26. But the FEMA and NISAC reports provided much more detail and covered a wider range of possible consequences, from damaged ports and oil terminals to spikes in energy prices.
The White House declined to comment yesterday on the specifics of the reports but noted that the president has repeatedly acknowledged his displeasure with preparations for Katrina. "No one was pleased with the response by the government -- federal, state or local," spokesman Trent Duffy said. "We have already taken steps to be better prepared for future hurricanes, as you saw in the response to the hurricanes that followed Katrina."
The disclosure of the reports comes as the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee prepares to convene new hearings today into the federal government's performance during Katrina. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.), the committee's ranking Democrat, responded to the documents in a statement saying the administration's failure to fully heed the warnings of its analysts "compounded the tragedy."
"Two to three days before Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, it became clear that it would be the 'Big One' everyone has been talking about for years," Lieberman said.
The religious hypocrite lies to the American public again.
What has Bush ever told the truth about?
That he called Nagin personally, trying to convince him to take action...
Mayfield also did something he rarely does before a hurricane hits: He personally called the governors of Mississippi and Louisiana and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin two days ahead of time to warn them about the monstrous hurricane. Nagin has said he ordered an evacuation because Mayfield's call "scared the hell'' out of him.
"I just wanted to be able to go to sleep that night knowing I had done everything I could,'' Mayfield said.
____________________
Mayfield was the guy tracking Katrina.
He informed Nagin, Blanco and Barbour days in advance.
Lash wrote:That he called Nagin personally, trying to convince him to take action...
Sure, and there is a gorgeous bridge just up the road from here that is for sale. Interested?
That's nice that someone was actually doing the job he was supposed to. Mayfield was supposed to track hurricanes as head of the National Hurricane Center.
Where the hell was FEMA and Brownie? Certainly they must have been aware of the possible devestation from Katrina if Mayfield was calling governers directly.
You're doing a heck of a job, Brownie!
WHAT HAPPENED?
Friday Aug. 26th
GOVERNOR BLANCO DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY
BATON ROUGE, LA--Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco today issued Proclamation No. 48 KBB 2005, declaring a state of emergency for the state Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina poses an imminent threat, carrying severe storms, high winds, and torrential rain that may cause flooding and damage to private property and public facilities, and threaten the safety and security of the citizens of the state of Louisiana The state of emergency extends from Friday, August 26, 2005, through Sunday, September 25, 2005, unless terminated sooner.
Saturday Aug. 27th 36 hours before Hurricane Katrina crashed into the Gulf Coast, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin received a late night call on Saturday from Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center in Florida and was warned that Katrina was a "worst-case" scenario. Mr. Mayfield of NHC suggested the Mayor order a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. Finally Sunday morning Mayor Nagin decided to order an evacuation of the city. Sunday August 28th, 2005 a mandatory evacuation was ordered for the City of New Orleans early Sunday morning by Mayor Ray Nagin as catastrophic Hurricane Katrina headed northwest. Gov. Kathleen Blanco alongside of the mayor stated at a news conference that President Bush called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation for the low-lying city, which is prone to flooding. Everyone was asked to leave the area, but later we found many choose not to.
Brought to you by the good people at:
www.tornadochaser.net/hurricane.html
parados wrote:That's nice that someone was actually doing the job he was supposed to. Mayfield was supposed to track hurricanes as head of the National Hurricane Center.
Where the hell was FEMA and Brownie? Certainly they must have been aware of the possible devestation from Katrina if Mayfield was calling governers directly.
FEMA is for cleanup and rebuilding a disaster. It is the responsibility of state and local government to evacuate the areas. Bush had to call the governor of Louisiana and tell her to evacuate because she procrastinated 24 hours or so.
I don't think this reaches any reasonable standard of proof of a deliberate lie. There are a heck of a lot of variables and unknowns in this.
okie wrote:parados wrote:That's nice that someone was actually doing the job he was supposed to. Mayfield was supposed to track hurricanes as head of the National Hurricane Center.
Where the hell was FEMA and Brownie? Certainly they must have been aware of the possible devestation from Katrina if Mayfield was calling governers directly.
FEMA is for cleanup and rebuilding a disaster. It is the responsibility of state and local government to evacuate the areas. Bush had to call the governor of Louisiana and tell her to evacuate because she procrastinated 24 hours or so.
You're not real swift are ya, Bubba? FEMA stepped all over their own dick trying to clean up and rebuild, and that was days after the storm had passed through.
Quote:President Discusses Hurricane Katrina, Congratulates Iraqis on Draft Constitution
Prairie Chapel Ranch
Crawford, Texas 11:31 A.M. CDT
August 28, 2005
THE PRESIDENT: This morning I spoke with FEMA Undersecretary Mike Brown and emergency management teams not only at the federal level but at the state level about the -- Hurricane Katrina. I've also spoken to Governor Blanco of Louisiana, Governor Barbour of Mississippi, Governor Bush of Florida, and Governor Riley of Alabama. I want to thank all the folks at the federal level and the state level and the local level who have taken this storm seriously. I appreciate the efforts of the governors to prepare their citizenry for this upcoming storm.
Yesterday, I signed a disaster declaration for the state of Louisiana, and this morning I signed a disaster declaration for the state of Mississippi. These declarations will allow federal agencies to coordinate all disaster relief efforts with state and local officials. We will do everything in our power to help the people in the communities affected by this storm.
Where was FEMA again?
Why didn't Bush state he had to order Blanco to evacuate if that was the case?
I can't find any news report from the time period that states Blanco was ordered or appealed to for a mandatory evacuation by Bush. I only see it on timelines after the fact on RW websites.
Mediamatters has a website that purports to debunk that claim here.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200509060011?is_gsa=1&final=1
This from Blanco's letter on August 27th to Bush asking for a Federal disaster declaration would also seem to dispute the claim.
Quote:In response to the situation I have taken appropriate action under State law and directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on August 26, 2005 in accordance with Section 501 (a) of the Stafford Act. A State of Emergency has been issued for the State in order to support the evacuations of the coastal areas in accordance with our State Evacuation Plan and the remainder of the state to support the State Special Needs and Sheltering Plan.
Quote:In the 48 hours before Hurricane Katrina hit, the White House received detailed warnings about the storm's likely impact, including eerily prescient predictions of breached levees, massive flooding, and major losses of life and property, documents show.
A 41-page assessment by the Department of Homeland Security's National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC), was delivered by e-mail to the White House's "situation room," the nerve center where crises are handled, at 1:47 a.m. on Aug. 29, the day the storm hit, according to an e-mail cover sheet accompanying the document.
President Bush, in a televised interview three days after Katrina hit, suggested that the scale of the flooding in New Orleans was unexpected. "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees. They did anticipate a serious storm," Bush said in a Sept. 1 interview on ABC's "Good Morning America
Perhaps he did not understand the briefings because they were presented is words greater than two syllables. Or perhaps he just has an aversion to the truth.
parados wrote:
Why didn't Bush state he had to order Blanco to evacuate if that was the case?
I can't find any news report from the time period that states Blanco was ordered or appealed to for a mandatory evacuation by Bush. I only see it on timelines after the fact on RW websites.
Mediamatters has a website that purports to debunk that claim here.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200509060011?is_gsa=1&final=1
This from Blanco's letter on August 27th to Bush asking for a Federal disaster declaration would also seem to dispute the claim.
Quote:In response to the situation I have taken appropriate action under State law and directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on August 26, 2005 in accordance with Section 501 (a) of the Stafford Act. A State of Emergency has been issued for the State in order to support the evacuations of the coastal areas in accordance with our State Evacuation Plan and the remainder of the state to support the State Special Needs and Sheltering Plan.
I don't have time to go back and rehearse all that hullabaloo, but my recollection is that of course Bush
did not order the governor to do anything. How well would that go over with a Democrat that hates Bush to begin with and under what authority could he do that? I recollect that I think he called her and made a very clear
suggestion she better get on the stick and be quick, and quit procrastinating any longer. The governor and the mayor were the ones responsible for evacuation plans and had the responsibility to implement them. Is Bush supposed to be governor and major down there too in addition to running the country? You people are really showing your ignorance and bias. Everything is Bush's fault. As Rush says, when the left is not in power, they become even more bizarre and desperate to try to find something, anything, to blame on anybody but themselves.
Quite the change in wording there okie
Quote: Bush had to call the governor of Louisiana and tell her to evacuate because she procrastinated 24 hours or so.
Quote:I recollect that I think he called her and made a very clear suggestion she better get on the stick and be quick, and quit procrastinating any longer.
okie,
Why didn't you tell us you are a dittohead. That explains so much of your thinking.
(I won't say "or lack therof", I won't. I just won't.)
Telling somebody they should do something is alot different than ordering them to do it. I don't know the words he used with her, but its easy for me to imagine he said something like "you better get the evacuation going." He probably explained all the bad predictions of what could happen given the information fed to him at that time, which the governor should have known as well. I am pretty sure he didn't say, "as president of the United States, I am hereby ordering you to evacuate the town." What is so hard to figure out about this here? It was the governor and the mayor that had the responsibility to get the people out.
P. S. Yes, Rush is okay on most things, not all. When I started listening to him, I said, hey finally somebody that agrees with me and sees the country, the world, and basic principles in approximately the same light. I'm proud to admit it. Who is your hero, Dan Rather?
OKIE wrote
Quote:He [Bush] probably explained all the bad predictions of what could happen given the information fed to him at that time, which the governor should have known as well
He explained!
Have you forgotten it is Bush you are referring to.
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