Can of Worms: Socal Fire Vs Katrina Response

[RockMonkey]

The response to the fires in Southern California has been overwhelming. People have places to go, food to eat, fresh water, and many emergency programs have already been set up to help people with losses, even those that were irresponsibly uninsured. This is all after a major disaster that sprang up without warning, overnight.

The response to Katrina was dismal, many people died (as opposed to one in SoCal). It took forever to get major action from FEMA, there was little or no organization, and even when people did make it to the "shelter" there was little food and water available for them. The city is still a disaster. All this despite have multiple days of warning that the disaster was coming. We had time to move in assets to make the aftermath manageable, but we didn't.

So why the difference? Is it largely due to socio-economic factors? Is it because there's a lot more money (tax money) at risk in SoCal? Is it thinly veiled racism? Is it because the dynamics of the disaster are so different. Katrina severely limited access to New Orleans, so we couldn't get relief assets on-scene (despite the multiple days of notice before the event)? Is it because of lessons learned in New Orleans that response was so successful in SoCal?

What do you think?

 

[mbryson]

I vote local leadership.

 

[78mitsu]

I think 1 they learned their lesson on preparedness. and 2, the fires aren't inflicting the type of damage a C5 hurricane does, we're not talking about total distruction.

 

[I Lean]

Maybe resources are more readily available, corrective action was taken after realizing how underprepared they were for Katrina?

 

[Brett]

You're asking for it on this one, 'Monkey.

Personally, I believe that the state was in a better position to react to the fires, as they didn't spread out in their entirety all at once. Katrina wiped out the coast all at once, while these fires are spreading slow enough for people to evacuate in front of them. Fires are also something that everyone is prepared for (as best as you can be.) Tankers, helicopters, they're already manned and ready to go fight fires when they're needed, as it happens every year. Katrina was a freak of nature, something that hadn't happened, so the response was one of "What do we do?" For the San Diego area, roads are still open, they can get out. Fire fighters can move to where they're needed most and do their best. This probably will come off sounding pretty bad, but I think that population base also makes a difference. Katrina, it seemed people were more interested in stealing and not listening to goverment agencies. I haven't heard of any evacuee's in Cali shooting at helicopters..... Sorry to say, but the stereotypical "Southern" view was reinforced when I saw all of that. All in all, the people in California, goverment as well, they're just handling the situation 10x better. All the agencies reacted the way that they needed to. I have to say that Arnold has been doing an awesome job in the handling of the wild fire situation!

K, flame away!

 

[Fuller]

yeah i m gonna try and think positive here and vote for they are more prepared after Katrina

 

[Coreshot]

as they didn't spread out in their entirety all at once. Katrina wiped out the coast all at once, while these fires are spreading slow enough for people to evacuate in front of them.

The people of NO had a week's, if not longer, notice to get out. I remember seeing interviews of people saying that they were not going to leave. These are the people who were killed, poor or not they had a choice to leave.

 

[Cody]

There is just more stuff/people available to fight due to the population and $$ in socal.

 

[Jinx]

I would say that the people involved are facing different things and are therefore reacting differently
-1# katrina was a storm, New Orleans is faced with Storms on a regular basis some big, some not. How many people actually listened when they said "get out!" a storm is coming. Not a lot...
-2# So cal is looking daiily at houses burning up on TV and person, they see that it is REAL, not just someone overreacting.

I think the reason I bring this up is because it effects both the people themselves and the gov around them. It opens the question how prepared were the people, how prepared was the Gov.

Plus I am not sure we can compare the fires,which having been building for a while, to a storm which hit such a large area, Mississippi to Texas, and caused such extreme damage, broken levys, so fast, while in a day.
just my .02 worth.

 

[timpanogos]

Socal's earth quake, mud slides and years of fires experience has to be a large factor in their ability to respond quickly and effectively to this way larger than normal fire year.

I assume their emergency response agencies have been well funded in anticipation and planning of disasters of this scale.

I was reading a thread on MSN the other day, where pro NO rebuilders blamed the federal government for not building the appropriate levies in the first place. Even now they expect (and wait) on the feds to build the needed levies for future protection.

Socal developed their own emergency response instead of the federal mentality.

 

[scoutabout]

Geez guys. These are completely different natural disasters. Socal fires, 2000 structures destroyed. Katrina, 250,000 structures destroyed along the entire coast. The scale is completely different. In relation specifically to NO, that area was completely CUT OFF from any outside help (supplies, SAR, travel, etc). Socal residents can still go to Wal Mart, they can travel outside of the state, and supplies and materials can be brought in. Completely different. Don't count on the government for anything.

All that said, Nagin and the local leadership in NO completely dropped the ball during Katrina.

 

[soda blaster]

I am going to go with the people in socal are helpful and trying to get stuff done not running around in groups rapping everything they get ther hands or p***s on. and looting that i would say is number one you dont need a police escort to go help because the peolpe you are helping are happy to see you not trying to kill you.

 

[Brett]

All that said, Nagin and the local leadership in NO completely dropped the ball during Katrina.

Well, he did ask about response on it

 

[timpanogos]

Geez guys. These are completely different natural disasters. Socal fires, 2000 structures destroyed. Katrina, 250,000 structures destroyed along the entire coast. The scale is completely different. In relation specifically to NO, that area was completely CUT OFF from any outside help (supplies, SAR, travel, etc). Socal residents can still go to Wal Mart, they can travel outside of the state, and supplies and materials can be brought in. Completely different. Don't count on the government for anything.

All that said, Nagin and the local leadership in NO completely dropped the ball during Katrina.

One half a million people displaced is a sizeable number. Agreed the land effected (and hence access) is not so big (70 miles long by 5 miles wide).

However, I assume SoCal prepares for earth quake disasters of the same scale as NO

 

[notajeep]

Chuck Norris lives in Socal. That is all I have to say.

 

[Brett]

http://fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/10/25/431135.aspx

Read it

 

[Tacoma]

Chuck Norris lives in Socal. That is all I have to say.

THREAD CLOSED!

 

[StrobeNGH]

This is easy:

Because George Bush doesn't hate white people.


Actually, the real reason is because Ahnald (the Governator) asked the Feds for help.
In Katrina, Governor Blanco did NOT ask the Federal Government for help until after the hurricane hit.

As soon as Arnold was told of these massive wildfires he immediately declared the counties disaster areas, and asked the Feds for help.

The Fed. Government can only help when it is asked to help. This was glossed over during Katrina . . . the response was crappy largely because the request for assistance was late (there were balls dropped by the Feds, but the biggest problem was the delayed disaster declaration(s)).

 

[StrobeNGH]

Chuck Norris lives in Socal. That is all I have to say.

I don't know . . . if Chuck Norris was involved with this he would have round-house kicked the fires onto Vietnam and freed a bunch of POW's.

 

[notajeep]

I don't know . . . if Chuck Norris was involved with this he would have round-house kicked the fires onto Vietnam and freed a bunch of POW's.

I was thinking something more like: Chuck Norris farts and california burns to the ground.