re: Was FEMA response during Katrina worse or better than Helene?

quote:

---

It took grassroots organizations to organize and provide the assistance that desperate citizens need in desperate times

---

It always does.

The government is worthless.

I have linked two documents; one is from fema.gov and is the September 4th 2005 update on the response to Katrina. In this document, FEMA reports that 42,730 National Guard (30,000) and active duty soldiers (12,730) participating in the response. The other document I've linked is from an update provided by the Department of Defense, yesterday 10/6/2024. In this update, the DOD says a total of 7,100 personnel (6,100 NG) and (1,000 Active Duty) have been deployed. There are another 500 on the way from the DOD.

This information is not BS or biased; it is straight from the US government and isn't ambiguous.

So 5 days after Katrina there were 42K military personnel involved in the recovery, 9 days after Helene there are 7K military Personnel involved in the recovery.

Draw your own conclusions.

On Sept 4, 2005, 5 days after landfall
https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20210506/hurricane-katrina-response-and-recovery-update

quote:

---

* In Louisiana, there are currently 29 Disaster Medical Teams (DMAT);
* 5 Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams (DMORT);
* 2 Veterinary Assistant Teams (VMAT);
* 1 Mental Health Team.

* In Mississippi, there are currently 10 DMATs;
* 5 DMORTS;
* 1 Mental Health Team.

*More than 30,000 National Guard are on the ground to provide response, rescue, recovery and law enforcement, and are working around the clock to bring critical aid and support to hurricane victims. An additional 12,730 Active Duty military personnel have also been deployed.

*During the past week, the U.S. Coast Guard saved 15,665 people, which is more than three times the number of lives saved in all of 2004.

* 5,877 FEMA personnel have been deployed to the field, including:
* 1,811 National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) medical professionals
* 1,777 Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) staff

---

On Oct 6, 2024, 9 days after landfall
https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3927666/statement-from-pentagon-press-secretary-maj-gen-pat-ryder-on-dod-support-to-hur/

quote:

---

At the request of FEMA and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, and in close coordination with our local, state, and federal partners, the Department of Defense continues to be integrated into the efforts of local, state, and federal emergency responders to help the people of North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene. Nearly 1,000 soldiers from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, have been mobilized to support the residents and affected counties devastated by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. These soldiers are closely working with FEMA to provide commodity distribution to local jurisdictions designated by FEMA, in close coordination with North Carolina officials. Additionally, soldiers are assisting in the clearance of emergency routes, and rotary wing aircraft have been deployed to the region.

Employment of these soldiers provides additional manpower and logistics capabilities to support local, state, and federal emergency responders and has enabled FEMA and other interagency partners to reach the hardest hit areas as quickly as possible.

In addition, today, the Department, working closely with FEMA and at the request of North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, in close coordination with our Federal, state, and local partners, will move another 500 troops with advanced technological assets to provide greater situational awareness on the ground. This would bring the total of active-duty soldiers operating on the ground to approximately 1,500.

Additionally, and significantly, the National Guard has activated more than 6,100 Guardsmen, hundreds of high-water vehicles, and dozens of helicopters and rescue boats from 18 different states in State-Active-Duty status. These Guardsmen have been spearheading the response effort across the impacted region in support of their governors and communities, providing critical life-saving and life-sustaining support to the victims of this historic natural disaster.

---

They had the 82nd Airborne division at the Reserve airport within a couple days.

quote:

---

The Gov matters the most. For Katrina, Gov Blanco was in over her head.

---

I remember Gov. Blankstare, not knowing what day it was.

Better.

I remember the Governor and Nagin giving the “all clear, we dodged a bullet” press conference early on.

quote:

---

Katrina was during a time with no social media and news outlets & written media were king.

---