FEMA, a Disaster Not Waiting to Happen.

Since you are a blog reader, I find it unnecessary to spend any time restating the incredibly inept blunderings of our Federal Emergency Management Agency during Hurricane Katrina. Suffice it to say as time moves on and more and more facts of that debacle are made known, it has become apparent our country’s disaster relief agency moved more like that of an impoverished third world government than one with the assets this nation has available in a catastrophe.

As the terrible California wildfires were still eating up homes and neighborhoods, FEMA decided they had a great opportunity to make themselves look better than they did just over two years ago. They didn’t, of course. In fact their actions might have made themselves look even worse than when the Gulf Coast was swamped by Katrina. Back then they only looked inept. Now they look like liars and scoundrels and Americans won’t put up with either of those attributes; well at least one would hope we won’t.

In a move that is scary, as it resembles an almost ministry of propaganda comparison, the agency staged a phony news conference to make themselves look good. The only problem was that a counterfeit news conference couldn’t pass the muster of a press corp. that obviously was certain they weren’t there at the time.

The conference, which was staged by the FEMA Department of External Affairs, was a sorry dog and pony show that does nothing but darken the already tarnished image of our federal emergency agency. The bureau, giving only a fifteen minute notice to news media that it was holding a press briefing, knew full well that the time frame wouldn’t allow reporters and camera crews to arrive on time. They offered an 800 number for reporters to listen in but surreptitiously didn’t allow any real reporter to ask a question via phone. Instead, agency staff, sitting where those actually in charge of disseminating truth should be sitting, threw softball; make us look good questions, to Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson on what FEMA was doing during this tragedy. What FEMA underestimated was that some news teams, already close by, would make it to the conference quick enough to see there were no reporters in the room and that the entire news conference was a sham.

The agency was quick to try and placate an irate media and nation, stating they had so much information that needed to be out that they were hard pressed for time. The explanation deserves no belief. If that was truly the case, Johnson could have just stepped up to the podium and given us that information with no need to pretend reporters were asking questions.

Now as the repercussions of the fake news conference swirls through the world of print and internet media, our government looks to spend valuable time cleaning up an internal conflagration rather than directing all their efforts to the fires and ensuing damage in California. The White House, in a not exactly vehement criticism of the agency, decided to let Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff be the chief censor of this incredible refusal to accept the fourth estate’s right to ask questions. Still there is little belief on my part that anything serious will happen to those who were responsible for this attempt to fool the American people.

Incredibly, it was reported that the probable instigator of this charade, Director of External Affairs, Pat Philbin, has left his post. But Philbin, at first, wasn’t sent packing for his obvious gaff in honesty. All that happened to Philbin was that he was given an opportunity for a higher position under the Deputy of National Intelligence. This man having a job with any agency using the nomenclature of intelligence seems to be an oxymoron to me. It must have seemed as ridiculous to an overly loyal Bush administration, since once the word went out of the promotion; the new job offered to Philbin was rescinded. It is obvious this man would have been given the position if not for the heavy media scrutiny and ensuing outcry to his possible promotion.

Perhaps, if he had been given the post, he could have reported directly to Chertoff. I wonder if a lie he created that made Homeland Security look good would have been met with the same admonishment he received at FEMA. Then again, it looks like we will never know that answer now. Among other things.