Another Katrina Myth: "Homeland Security" Wouldn't Let Red Cross Deliver Food and Water to Katrina Victims

Myth: Representatives of the US Dept. of Homeland Security prevented the Red Cross from delivering a shipment of food and water to evacuees housed at the Superdome and the New Orleans Convention Center on September 2, 2005.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via DU screed):

As the National Guard delivered food to the New Orleans convention center yesterday, American Red Cross officials said that federal emergency management authorities would not allow them to do the same. [All emphasis mine]

In a September 5th Houston Chronicle article, US Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Houston):

"...lambasted the Louisiana office of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, saying it should have let the Red Cross into New Orleans immediately after the hurricane passed one week ago.

Here's the Red Cross FAQ entry (entitled "Hurricane Katrina: Why is the Red Cross not in New Orleans?") that liberal web sites (and irresponsible politicians) are using to indict FEMA and the USDHS:

Access to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders.

Truth: Yesterday I called the National Affairs office of the Red Cross (202-303-5551) and talked with Red Cross spokesperson Lesly Simmons, who told me that the shipment was not turned away by the US Dept of Homeland Security, but by this agency:

The Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (LHLS & EP); formally the Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness (LOEP), was created by the Civil Act of 1950 and is under the Louisiana Military Department.

Ms. Simmons also told me that the Red Cross has never mentioned any involvement in this incident by FEMA, because FEMA wasn't involved. But lazy reporters and partisan Democrats eager to pin as much blame as they can for any mishaps or screw-ups in the wake of this tragedy on the federal government (Read: George W. Bush) can't be bothered with facts that don't fit their agenda.

So we now know that the "Homeland Security" forces who, according to the Red Cross, turned away a shipment of food and water intended for News Orleans evacuees, were employees of a Louisiana state agency, ultimately under the control of Governor Kathleen Blanco (D). Where's the OUTRAGE? Where's the RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION?

There may be valid reasons to criticize USDHS, but this isn't one of them. Any OUTRAGE or RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION over this incident should be directed at Louisiana state officials. But don't hold your breath waiting for US Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Houston) to "lambast" Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco (D).

Note: I placed the call to the Red Cross before I saw this post at Radio Blogger yesterday (H/T: Right Wing News), but I think it's important to note that anyone (including reporters at the Houston Chronicle or Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, conspiracy theorists at Pandagon, or even US Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, (D-Houston)) who wants to know the truth can simply pick up the phone and call the Red Cross. It takes all of five minutes, which leaves you plenty of time for afternoon errands, OUTRAGE, and RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION.

UPDATE: An e-mailer inquired as to my background in journalism. Let's see, I have a goofy satire blog, I've watched 60 Minutes before, try to catch the news when I can...Oh, and I know how to dial a damned phone. Sorry, no laminated "press pass".

Also reporting:

Ace: Louisiana Received More Corps of Engineers Funding Than Any Other State Over Past Five Years.

CHICKENHAWKS!

RACISTS!

The "Disaster Porn" stars of cable news: Part I and Part II.

Comments

[Reg Jones]

Another issue that needs to be cleared up.

Why didn't the National Guard evacuate the people at the Superdome and Convention Center sooner?

The answer is security… more specifically security that was the SOLE responsibility of LA and NOLA.

Here’s Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum, chief, National Guard Bureau on Saturday 9/3/05 with the details:

“We waited until we had enough force in place to do an overwhelming force. Went in with police powers, 1,000 National Guard military policemen under the command and control of the adjutant general of the State of Louisiana, Major General Landreneau, yesterday shortly after noon stormed the convention center, for lack of a better term, and there was absolutely no opposition...

Some people asked why didn't we go in sooner. Had we gone in with less force it may have been challenged, innocents may have been caught in a fight between the Guard military police and those who did not want to be processed or apprehended, and we would put innocents' lives at risk. As soon as we could mass the appropriate force, which we flew in from all over the states at the rate of 1,400 a day, they were immediately moved off the tail gates of C-130 aircraft flown by the Air National Guard, moved right to the scene, briefed, rehearsed, and then they went in and took this convention center down…

The delay was in, if you want to call it a delay. I really don't call it a delay, I'll be honest about that. When we first went in there law enforcement was not the highest priority, saving lives was. You have to remember how this thing started. Before the hurricane hit there were 5,000 National Guardsmen in Mississippi and 5,000 National Guardsmen -- excuse me. Let me correct the record. There were 2,500 National Guardsmen in Mississippi and almost 4,000 National Guardsmen in Louisiana that were sheltered and taken out of the affected area so as soon as the storm passed they could immediately go into the area and start their search and lifesaving work, and stand up their command and control apparatus, and start standing up the vital functions that would be required such as providing food, water, shelter and security for the people of the town. So it was phased in. There was no delay.

The real issue, particularly in New Orleans, is that no one anticipated the disintegration or the erosion of the civilian police force in New Orleans. Once that assessment was made, that the normal 1500 man police force in New Orleans was substantially degraded, which contributed obviously to less police presence and less police capability, then the requirement became obvious and that's when we started flowing military police into the theater.

Two days ago we flowed 1400 military policemen in. Yesterday, 1400 more. Today 1400 more. Today there are 7,000 citizen soldiers -- Army National Guard, badge-carrying military policemen and other soldiers trained in support to civil law enforcement -- that are on the streets, available to the mayor, provided by the governor to the mayor to assist the New Orleans police department…

Q: General, you mentioned a disintegration of the New Orleans Police Department. Do you know how many officers are still on duty?

GEN. BLUM: I would rather not say. I think you'd be better to refer that question to the mayor of New Orleans. I have my own estimate. I would say they are significantly degraded and they have less than one-third of their original capability."

http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2005/tr20050903-3850.html

[Van Helsing]

Liberal demagogues couldn't care less who's really responsible for anything. All they need to do is leave a vague impression in the minds of the half-aware that Bush is to blame for Katrina and they'll consider their job done.

[John from WuzzaDem]

The Democtas' "Flinging" strategy is going to backfire this time (not that it hasn't before), because they had no idea how badly various state and local officials had screwed up - they just started demanding answers and calling for heads to be lopped off.

I'm up for it. If DHS or FEMA screwed up, let's get some honest answers and correct the situation, but - and I say this knowing I risk of being "punched" by Mary Landrieu - the same holds true for state and local officials and the people and agencies under their control.

[Jeff H]

Damn, John--it's like you're a real reporter now, or something.

Can a guest spot on Leno be far behind? Feel like voting Dem all of a sudden?

[RiverRat]

Yeah, that's all it takes at the NYSlimes and WashRag...the ability look up a phone number....and, oh yeah, be a firking dhimmicrat.

[Al Reasin]

In PA local officials who fail to follow the "plan" or don’t have one would be personally liable for damages. I wonder if LA has such a law. Anyway, some of this chaos seems to border on involuntary manslaughter criminally by public officials.

[Beck]

Anyone with rudimentary Google skills makes for a better reporter than the vast majority of MSM employees these days.

[F15C]

"As much as we try to prepare for catastrophic disasters and to reduce our risk from their devastation, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and other disasters still happen.
When they do, local and state officials are the first to respond. If the loss of life and property overwhelms this response, the federal government ... including FEMA ... is called upon to help."

From the Louisiana state disaster preparedness website.

I suggest anyone wanting to understand who is responsible for disaster response in Louisiana go to that state's disaster response website.

http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/

Poke around a bit especially under disasters and you'll find some good information. While much of it is bureacratic, the actual planing documents are fairly readable. The entire EOP (emergency operations plan) is available in doc format with suppliments for hurricanes by region in pdf format.

Very interesting is the section referring to the use of buses for evacuations from Suppliment 1A (Southeast Louisiana Hurricane Evacuation and Sheltering Plan):

"The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in
evacuating."

Sounds like a good plan to me...

[OC Chuck]

You know how to dial a phone? Where did you get the qualifications to do that?