FEMA and the Galveston West End Cover up

What is completely nuts to me is that we are now 2 days and 4+ hours after landfall and and it is as though most of the MSM have taken the week end off.

Along with FEMA and DHS.

Texas officials seem to be more interested in blaming the feds than picking up the ball.

Meanwhile everyone seems to agree that @ 20,000 residents are unaccounted for.

The shelters are running out of food and water.

Crude oil drops lower while fuel prices continue to escalate - the national response appears to be "National Stay At Home Week".

The US and world economy continues to self destruct.

But by God this will not cause us to have "Peace Without Honor".

I am activating a family and friends rescue flotilla.

Out.

I've been under the assumption that the majority of the "20,000+" who remained on the island were in the sea wall vicinity and aren't considered "rescued", but just evacuated at this point.

Of course, I'm having to operate on that assumption because no one has told me any different, which would be the problem, right?

Based on assumption and no real data, I would expect to NOT hear that 20,000 people were rescued.

You know, this is how ludicrous mainstream media has become. On Saturday evening I watched Anderson Cooper make a total ass of himself by standing in waders in waist deep water for HOURS and for absolutely no reason other than drama and droll on about the same thing that had been said for 12 hours at that point. He eventually went so far as to get another reporter (female) down in the water in waders as well...as if his damned feet were stuck in the mud and everybody was going to have to come to him. Apparently ol' "hurricane Anderson" didn't see any merit in reporting numbers such as evacuated from this area, etc. or giving any real information. He's probably already hopped a CG chopper off the island by now because his little mud puddle receded.

[edit on 9-15-2008 by Valhall]

I have to wonder if the numbers were correct before landfall. Just under 2000 people were transported out after the storm. These were people who heard mostly through word of mouth that Ball HS was a gathering point. Maybe more people left then is believed.

There are reports about a few people who weathered the storm on the west end. It is starting to look like the answer will only come if families report never hearing from members again.

Edit:sp

Here is a Houston Chronicle link which includes a bit about the west end

[edit on 9/15/2008 by roadgravel]

[edit on 9/15/2008 by roadgravel]

Thanks for this thread, it is very informative.

I was shocked that the major news networks resumed political coverage on Sunday with very little about Galveston. I had been getting my news coverage from ch361 (KHOU) via Direct TV. However, as of Monday morning, this channel is no longer broadcasting via DTV either. Sounds odd that with a large search and rescue, massive power outages, and so many who evacuated that they would discontinue such valuable communication channels as ch361. Any idea?

I am very concerned about Galveston and this thread and 361 are my only sources of info.

Good post , but really did anyone for one breif second really think that FEMA of all orgs. wouldn't get caught up in another quagmire?

Valhall, I'm glad you started this thread . It has been very informative and I only hope and pray that my part of NC never has a hurricane of this magnitude.

I've watched the videos and seen the pictures that have been posted and they made me worry about those some odd 20,000 people that are missing.

Still waiting for more information to be released concerning the west end of the island, but I did find another source for info on the 1900 Hurricane which includes 4 videos.

If interested:

www.dallasnews.com...


I hope we get some good news from the area today

The live reporter from the Weather Channel on Saturday Morning blurbed live that he heard that there were "many people missing" on the west end of the island, I heard nothing else after this, nor on any other new channel. Did anyone else catch that soundbyte, I wasnt recording.

I don't want to derail an excellent thread; but I'm not sure that what I just heard warrants a completely new thread.

On NPR's 9:00 am news, it was reported that the local distribution of aid materials is proceeding at a "glacial" pace due to the confusion between who was responsible for actually dispersing it. The local emergency management claims they wanted FEMA to distribute it, and FEMA expected the local authorities to distribute it.

What the???? How do people in "emergency management" completely drop the ball on such a basic step in disaster mitigation and recovery, yet keep their jobs?

I know...that's a rhetorical question.

[edit on 15-9-2008 by MrPenny]

If you go to KHOU's website and look for the raw video links, you will see the magnitude of devastation. Many of the video links are raw, so there is no commentary, except for the camera man and pilot conversing. This is the closest you are going to get to this area for a while. BTW, this videos are very disturbing in the sense that there are literally, whole neighborhoods gone.

reply to post by MrPenny


There was a great deal of discussion on this point in the local media. Apparently, the feds blamed the local guys. The City Manager appeared dumbstruck by the accusation. He also said their assertion was in direct contradiction to what he had been told by them, but wouldn't elaborate.

In any event, on the subject of this thread, I really do think the media black-out is to control the political impression of recovery efforts. Mark my words on that one.

[edit on 15-9-2008 by loam]

Originally posted by loam
In any event, on the subject of this thread, I really do think the media black-out is to control the political impression of recovery efforts.

And the realization that FEMA may completely foul-up yet another recovery effort, may be the one little tid-bit that sneaks through and causes the greatest impact.

reply to post by MrPenny


I suspect that Houston officials decided that with the heat being turn up on the subject that they would turn the final distribution over to FEMA also. When FEMA announced that they had been charged that morning with distribution instead of the original plan with locals doing it, no one disputed the comment.

My bet is that the locals figured this was an area that could make them look bad so they bailed, making sure FEMA could catch all the blame.

Originally posted by roadgravel
My bet is that the locals figured this was an area that could make them look bad so they bailed, making sure FEMA could catch all the blame.

That's entirely possible. It's still a scenario that I would find repugnant in it's callous nature. And it still wouldn't excuse the failure to have the plans in place that could be accomplished. I suppose this may simply highlight bureaucratic failures and the inherent risk with politically appointed positions. Can we say patronage position? I may have missed it somewhere in this thread, but, did the local authorities first impose the "black-outs"?

reply to post by Manasseh

Absolutely. My husband and I own a home on the west end (Pirates Beach), and haven't been able to learn ANYTHING. Some parts of the west end were recently annexed by the city of Galveston, but to date city services on west end have been very poor.

Yes, over the worst areas on the west end and Bolivar. It may prove to be that local government is doing what they think best despite actually limiting the news. People wanted to know what happened to property and family while the powers didn't have much information release on their own, hence the questions.

I'm on the run for a while...

What is the official death toll for Hurricane Ike? I've only heard of 1 or two deaths and a refrence to floating bodies but that was 3-5 people. Usually they tally up the effects in dollar amounts and lives lost.

EDIT: Hurricane Ike death toll rises to 25

[edit on 9/15/08 by stikkinikki]

reply to post by zephyrs


The problem is that we are meant to have a free media, who should have no concern as to the embarrassment and hurt that may be caused to the republican party or fema if the potentially, after all we don't know, disastrous death total or property devastation caused by their penny pinching small govt philosophy is revealed to we the people.

Originally posted by stikkinikki
What is the official death toll for Hurricane Ike?

CNN is now saying 27:www.cnn.com...
but the most chilling part of that report follows: "Rescue crews on the Texas coast continued to look for the estimated 20,000 residents who dismissed evacuation orders and tried to ride out the Category 2 hurricane's massive storm surge and 110-mph winds."

Kudos to the OP for starting this thread...I've read it all this morning, and it unfolds like a disaster film.

I sincerely hope this doesn't play out like another Katrina, and that the government isn't FUBARing this up. Prayers for those afflicted...