USS Bataan and FEMA

The USS Bataan rode out the storm and then followed it toward shore, awaiting relief orders.

"Utilizing the USS Bataan -- Think how many live 'could have been saved'  had DHS-FEMA utilized the USS Bataan properly.  Talk about a 'break-down' in the Bush Admin.-DHS-FEMA's chain of command and control process. 

• six operating rooms 
• beds for 600 patients  -- all were 'empty'
• can make its own water, up to 100,000 gallons a day 
• a 844-foot ship designed to dispatch Marines in amphibious assaults 
• has helicopters 
• doctors, the ship had taken on a substantial medical staff 
• hospital beds, 
• a real 'cross-section of a major hospital' -- they covered a wide swath of medical specialties onboard from surgeons and pediatricians to heart specialists, a psychiatrist and even a physical therapist 
• toilets
• food and water. 
• they have electricity, and the police could have charged up their radios "

Thanks to "J" for this.

Pat Lang

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0509040369sep04,1,4144825.story

Comments

[searp]

I heard someone make the argument that they would have to transport folks via helicopter and the helos were all being used for rescue.

Sounds like an excuse, esp. with the amphib boat and a complement of Marines.

[b]

"Talk about a 'break-down' in the Bush Admin.-DHS-FEMA's chain of command and control process."

Didn´t you listen to Mr. Cherkoff? There was NO breakdown of the command and control process because there did not exist one in the first place and thereby it couldn´t break down.

Today Cherkoff announced that he would set up regional headquarters in the desaster area. Those may be ready next week. After that there may be a chain of command and control process.

:-/

[CK]

FEMA was in NOLA before the blow began. A state of emergency had been declared by the President before the blow began. FEMA's actions must be used to infer their orders and their operational parameters.
EVERY ACTION FEMA on site took from the time they arrived was to REFUSE assistance, turn back volunteers, turn back water, cut communications lines, refuse RED CROSS, REFUSE the BATAAN. I was never an officer but even a grunt can tell you that actions like this come from standing orders.
The objectives were met. The orders were obeyed.
The results were inevitable.

[angela]

This site seems to be an attempt to begin the documentation of FEMA failures:

http://femafailures.blogspot.com/

[Some Guy]

I cannot wait to see who was responsible for telling the president he was responsible for releasing support vessels to do relief work. I mean, who was supposed to interrupt his bike ride so he could say "go"? I am sure Bush will want to get to the bottom of it.

[LaTonya Edwards]

I am a sailor onboard Uss Bataan, and know first hand that we offer great assistance to a city in need. We were there until released, and while were there we did everything that we could, even if that meant offer our beds.