Wednesday, October 26, 2005

FEMA - Interesting

This is very interesting, [former FEMA Director] Brown, apparently fired for incompetence and slow response to Katrina, is staying on FEMA's payroll for one more month (AP) at his $148,000 annual salary. Supposedly to advise the agency on his experience with Katrina.

Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Mississippi., whose coastal district was among the hardest hit by Katrina, said the contract extension is an insult to taxpayers, particularly those Gulf Coast residents "whose lives were in danger in the aftermath of that storm because of Mike Brown's incompetence."

"I've got tens of thousands of people living in two-man igloo tents tonight, and less than a quarter of the people who have asked for FEMA travel trailers have gotten them," Taylor said. "And at the same time they can find $140,000 a year to pay this incompetent son of a gun; that's ridiculous."

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Wilma

Wilma cut a path through Florida and while it didn't leave as much destruction as Katrina did in Louisiana, the damage was extensive. Flood waters and strong winds borught South Florida to a halt.

Florida Power & Light reported that 3.2 million of its business and residential customers were without power and likely to remain without power for 2 or 3 weeks ! They also brought in crews form other states to help repair the damages. In total there are over 6 million [in Southern Florida] without power.

The situation in Miami-Dade and Broward counties is still bearable. There are very long lines to get gasoline, water and ice, and some phones don't work. Several supermarkets are open and continue to sell non-perishable foods.