NationStates Jolt Archive


American Red Cross Ordered Out of NO by DHS

CSW
03-09-2005, 14:52
Asshats:

Hurricane Katrina: Why is the Red Cross not in New Orleans?

* Acess 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.

* The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city.

* The Red Cross has been meeting the needs of thousands of New Orleans residents in some 90 shelters throughout the state of Louisiana and elsewhere since before landfall. All told, the Red Cross is today operating 149 shelters for almost 93,000 residents.

* The Red Cross shares the nation’s anguish over the worsening situation inside the city. We will continue to work under the direction of the military, state and local authorities and to focus all our efforts on our lifesaving mission of feeding and sheltering.

* The Red Cross does not conduct search and rescue operations. We are an organization of civilian volunteers and cannot get relief aid into any location until the local authorities say it is safe and provide us with security and access.

* The original plan was to evacuate all the residents of New Orleans to safe places outside the city. With the hurricane bearing down, the city government decided to open a shelter of last resort in the Superdome downtown. We applaud this decision and believe it saved a significant number of lives.

* As the remaining people are evacuated from New Orleans, the most appropriate role for the Red Cross is to provide a safe place for people to stay and to see that their emergency needs are met. We are fully staffed and equipped to handle these individuals once they are evacuated.
Ifreann
03-09-2005, 14:55
Asshats

nuff said
Dragons Bay
03-09-2005, 14:59
I am completely struck in awe at how incompetent the American government is in dealing with a domestic disaster. Bush should count his blessings that this thing happened after the election. :rolleyes: What a rubbish government.
Potaria
03-09-2005, 15:00
I am completely struck in awe at how incompetent the American government is in dealing with a domestic disaster. Bush should count his blessings that this thing happened after the election. :rolleyes: What a rubbish government.

My thoughts exactly.
Sick Dreams
03-09-2005, 15:33
Hey dragons bay, check your other thread! I explained it.
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=9573731#post9573731
Carops
03-09-2005, 16:19
This all seems to be a completely mess... and there doesn't yet seem to be any sign of it ending. By the way, whats an asshat?
CSW
03-09-2005, 16:32
This all seems to be a completely mess... and there doesn't yet seem to be any sign of it ending. By the way, whats an asshat?
Guess!
Utracia
03-09-2005, 16:37
The Red Cross is a seperate charity right? The government doesn't want to share any of the credit of getting supplies to the people of NO. After the sheer incompetance of the past few days the government needs all the PR it can get so government people need to be the ones that the TV cameras see. Or perhaps this is way too pessimistic.
Mekonia
03-09-2005, 16:38
somehow I'm not surpirsed.


Form the HSD point of view I suppose hundred of inexperinced volunteers desending en masse to an already dangerous area is probably adding to problems. But infairness to the RC, no one else is helping and the NG aren't doing enough
Tactical Grace
03-09-2005, 18:44
Nubs. That's all there is to be said. If the aid is held up at roadblocks while the military sorts out clearance, FFS, that's just retarded. :rolleyes:

EDIT: That's basically what the Bosnian armies were doing during the civil war, holding up UN food convoys for days while people died.