These guys just seem special among the federal bureaucracies. When it comes to almost anything having to do with emergency response they learn by experience. Unfortunately they have far too much in common with the levee boards.

Why didn't they advise the President properly and in a timely manner of the levee failures. Were they unaware? I infer from a couple of Michael Brown's comments that they felt like they were not tasked as "first responders."

Slow response - What delayed food, water and transportation when people were waiting at the Dome and Convention Center? The press reported that FEMA stopped aid agencies from entering the city. And the Govenor claims they misled her about the availability of buses to evacuate the survivors.

And just why did it take until December to find those travel trailers? Even when the Mayor of Covington threatened to take some guys and pickup trucks to the depot in Baton Rouge they didn't come through with any more than what it took to quiet him. And in December there were suddenly 17,777 of them ready to go.  FEMA is trying to shift blame to the city for failing to provide sites.

Heartless? - On November 15, 2005, FEMA announced that it will stop paying for the hotel rooms of evacuees in two weeks. There are still 153,000 people in 50,000 hotel rooms around the country. Houston Mayor White is incensed as he has helped more evacuees find long term residence than any one else but still has over ten thousand families in hotel rooms. ON November 14 they extended the deadline to February 7, 2006. Now people are wondering what will happen on February 6th.

Feckless - As of January 14, 2006 there are still 43,000 people in hotel rooms and the innkeepers can't evict them as long as FEMA keeps paying. $135 per night in New Orleans is usually good money, but Mardi Gras is near. A federal judge says everyone can stay until March 1. That is the day after Mardi Gras.