Mans got a point here
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A point, but a tough call
Using school buses for evacuation could have helped, but I suspect it would not be as easy in practice as it is concept. Many school bus drivers are working mothers, paid at close to minimum wage. Would they be pressed into service to drive, regardless of their family status and their own evacuation plans? 2000 buses require 2000 drivers. If the buses are owned by private charter companies, or owned by the school board, will they provide drivers, or will they allow any voluteer to drive, regardless of whether they are licensed to drive a school bus? High profile vehicles are supposed to be off the road when winds reach tropical storm force. When would the evacuation have to be started to assure that busloads of folks aren't caught on the roads? I'm not pooh-poohing the idea of using school buses for evacuation, but the logistics of doing it safely are not simple. Also, knowing how many of the 20% of the population that didn't evacuate New Orleans would have gone if a school bus had offered to evacuate them is a tough question too. Some stayed because they didn't have the means to leave. Some stayed because they didn't want to leave. Should the "Mandatory" evacuation have been a "Forced" evacuation? I'm not sure. One thing I know is that emeregency management professionals will probably be talking about this for some time. Sorry for contributing another comment in an off topic thread. Regards, Marc_B
Using school buses for evacuation could have helped, but I suspect it would not be as easy in practice as it is concept. Many school bus drivers are working mothers, paid at close to minimum wage. Would they be pressed into service to drive, regardless of their family status and their own evacuation plans? 2000 buses require 2000 drivers. If the buses are owned by private charter companies, or owned by the school board, will they provide drivers, or will they allow any voluteer to drive, regardless of whether they are licensed to drive a school bus? High profile vehicles are supposed to be off the road when winds reach tropical storm force. When would the evacuation have to be started to assure that busloads of folks aren't caught on the roads? I'm not pooh-poohing the idea of using school buses for evacuation, but the logistics of doing it safely are not simple. Also, knowing how many of the 20% of the population that didn't evacuate New Orleans would have gone if a school bus had offered to evacuate them is a tough question too. Some stayed because they didn't have the means to leave. Some stayed because they didn't want to leave. Should the "Mandatory" evacuation have been a "Forced" evacuation? I'm not sure. One thing I know is that emeregency management professionals will probably be talking about this for some time. Sorry for contributing another comment in an off topic thread. Regards, Marc_B
Couldn't agree LESS
When a doctor evacuates some very sick people to the Superdome and is told by FEMA officals that he cannot treat them because of 'legal' issues, that's a crime!! ..and later when some of them die, that's an OUTRAGE!!! You can put any 'spin' on it you like, the fact is that our government(fed or otherwise) did an immoral thing and nothing can ever change that.
When a doctor evacuates some very sick people to the Superdome and is told by FEMA officals that he cannot treat them because of 'legal' issues, that's a crime!! ..and later when some of them die, that's an OUTRAGE!!! You can put any 'spin' on it you like, the fact is that our government(fed or otherwise) did an immoral thing and nothing can ever change that.
What was immoral?
Alan: What was immoral about the federal governments actions. I think you have the federal governments actions mixed with the state and local governments of LA in a very poor state of organization. They (LA) were ultimately responsible for there levees. The damn things were only designed for a category 3 hurricane and they had a category 4+. The federal government could have pumped millions of dollars into these levees and would have probably had the same results (but there would be no one to blame). The government was not going to beef these levees up to sustain a cat 5 hurricane. The total blame has to go to the state. Sure the feds could have mobilized sooner, but being a Monday morning quarterback is always easy. That is all I have to say about this, 'cause Phil is going to cut is off anyway!
Alan: What was immoral about the federal governments actions. I think you have the federal governments actions mixed with the state and local governments of LA in a very poor state of organization. They (LA) were ultimately responsible for there levees. The damn things were only designed for a category 3 hurricane and they had a category 4+. The federal government could have pumped millions of dollars into these levees and would have probably had the same results (but there would be no one to blame). The government was not going to beef these levees up to sustain a cat 5 hurricane. The total blame has to go to the state. Sure the feds could have mobilized sooner, but being a Monday morning quarterback is always easy. That is all I have to say about this, 'cause Phil is going to cut is off anyway!
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