$12 Million Dollars in Katrina Relief Melting Away

$12 Million Dollars in Katrina Relief Melting Away

www.wkrg.com

GLOUCESTER, Mass. (AP) - After nearly two years, thousands of truck miles and 12-point-five (m) million in storage costs, a cold relic of the flawed Hurricane Katrina relief effort is going down the drain.

The federal government is getting rid of thousands of pounds of ice it had sent south to help Katrina victims, then north when it determined much of the ice wasn't needed.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency had been hanging on to the ice in case it was needed for another disaster

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[edit on 15-7-2007 by 12m8keall2c]

"...it had sent south to help Katrina victims, then north when it determined much of the ice wasn't needed."

I'd be interested to hear from local citizens, in the affected areas, myself. I'd be quite surprised if there aren't Many who could contest the "lack of need" claims.

One has to wonder as to the overall numbers involved across the board, as this is most certainly but one of Many similar circumstances. With melting ice going for $12M ... I'm quite sure there is a veritable herd of "elephants" out there, wandering ... 'til it's their time as well.

I'd like to believe that "lessons were learned, and plans were amended", but I've yet to see much in the way of true interest in doing so ... token, yeah ... but there would seem little sincere effort(s) to date.

? thoughts ?

www.wkrg.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 15-7-2007 by 12m8keall2c]

Ice ?
I am scratching my head at this one I can understand why fresh and uncontaminated water would be needed in an disaster area but why carry it around in its frozen form .
Surely the Ice melting once it reaches its destination would simply cause an another set of unwanted problems.
Perhaps what we see with the military industrial complex in the US is making its way into the US governments response to disaster relief as well.

My bet is that it could've been used for storing foods if put into an icebox, or could be used for medical purposes.

Aside from that I don't know why FEMA has decided to just get rid of it. There's plenty of places out there that could use the water, like the people in the Darfur region of Sudan for example. The least we could do is let it melt and then give it to someone in need of clean water.

Originally posted by cyberdude78
My bet is that it could've been used for storing foods if put into an icebox, or could be used for medical purposes.

Fair point but in an disaster area like Katrina where there is likely to be no electricity how do you prevent the ice from melting and having the likes of food and medicine floating in water ?
Dealing with food why in the world would anyone send perishable goods into an
disaster area ?
As for the need to keep so medicines surely twelve million dollars could have brought portable refrigeration units that could be powered by solar panels would have been an wiser use of tax payers money ?

I cant understand why US tax payers aren't up in arms the situation is beyond ridicules.

[edit on 15-7-2007 by xpert11]

I was just thinking along the lines of putting a bag of ice on a bruise.

But in all honesty I don't know exactly what they were thinking when they made so much ice. And if they had a reason (which there very well could be some that I can't think of) why they'd send it back up north.