National Response Plan discussion thread [View All]

[Fleshdancer]

I just downloaded the National Response Plan written in Dec.2004 (I got it from the wonderful thread about Larry Johnson's response). I thought it would be nice to create a thread for DUers like myself who is reading it and would like to bring up specific points.

http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/NRPbaseplan.pdf


I'm reading page 43 (bottom of the page) and the title is: Proactive Federal Response to Catastrophic Events. Good title, isn't it? Anyway, since Katrina was a large natural disaster in a heavily populated area, the proactive federal response should have been implemented according to this document.

And this is when it gets interesting. The second bullet point for the guidelines is this:

Standard procedures regarding requests for assistance may be expedited or, under extreme circumstances, suspended in the immediate aftermath of an even of catastrophic magnitude. (The Gov. requested assistance two days before the hurricane. It took 5 days for NO to begin receiving assistance.)

I urge you to read all the guidelines listed on top of page 44. This is infuriating.