Hurricane Dorian

[TinyTimsLittleBrother]

I hope the people of the Bahamas and Alabama can recover quickly.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

+1 sharpie

[real chili 83]

Never heard of it. 

[Cheeks]

I hope the people of the Bahamas and Alabama can recover quickly.

I pray for all 57 states that could be impacted

[21Jumpstreet]

We were very fortunate that it didn’t hit New Smyrna Beach as was anticipated. Makes you stop and appreciate life and work a little harder to help others.

[Hards Alumni]

I pray for all 57 states that could be impacted

You mean how middle America routinely bails out the coasts, and islands via FEMA?

[tower912]

Several colleagues went to Jacksonville to stage for urban search and rescue and swiftwater rescue.     Not needed in Florida, but NC has been slow to request the extra help.     The eye of a storm that size moving 25 miles in 24 hours.     Thoughts, prayers, and contributions.   

[Jon]

[Jon]

Alabama? I heard RFK and MLK were gunned down in Vermont way back in the late '70s?

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Alabama? I heard BFK and MLK were gunned down in Vermont way back in the late '70s?

Nah that was greenland.

And ibtl.

[Jon]

Nah that was greenland.

And ibtl.

Do they mock the Special Olympics in Greenland?

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Do they mock the Special Olympics in Greenland?

No, thats definitely in Madison and DC.

[Cheeks]

No, thats definitely in Madison and DC.

Is there a Mediterranean Taco Tuesday?

[wadesworld]

Are any of the airports that we overtook during the Revolutionary War effected by the hurricane in Alabama?

[dgies9156]

You mean how middle America routinely bails out the coasts, and islands via FEMA?

You mean the same way the rest of the country "bails out" folks who suffered damage from tornados in the Midwest and Southeast. Or how the rest of the country "bails out" folks who live close to rivers and other bodies of water during times of flooding? Or perhaps how we all assist the clean-up after earthquakes, tsumanis, forest fires and other disasters.

I won't even go into the billions of federal dollars that have been spent to "bail out" communities whose economic livelihood has been destroyed by plant closures, financial disruptions etc. We do this because we care for all our citizens.

E pluribus unum does not mean, "of many one... until it costs you something to be a nation!"

I own a home on Orchid Island, an Atlantic barrier island in South Florida. We recognized the risks when my wife and I bought the house, including the likelihood that sooner or later, the house would be struck by a hurricane. To the credit of the people of the State of Florida, we all take reasonable steps to mitigate hurricane impacts. Our building codes (including the ones governing the construction of my house) are the toughest in the nation. Hurricane Andrew in 1995 showed us what happened if we didn't have tough building codes. We pay into a fund through our electric rates that prepares our utility, Florida Power, to have supplies, crews and equipment at the ready to get our power back on as quickly as possible, usually in a few hours, after a hurricane hits. Our public servants take hurricanes far more seriously than even Chicago takes blizzards.

After Irma came through, our governor and regulatory apparatus ordered a review of the state's nursing homes and elderly care facilities to ensure what happened at one facility -- where 12 died because of no power and heat exposure -- never happened again.

The major property/casualty insurance companies bailed on Florida years ago. It got too expensive, they said. So the State of Florida set up its own fund to insure homes in the state. Most of us have very expensive policies that cover regular homeowner problems, plus windstorms and flooding. Trust me, there's very little federal subsidy on the flood insurance!

In short, in Florida, the first responsibility for dealing with a hurricane falls on Floridians. We do what we can to deal with the impact and after-effects of a hurricane. That's what a responsible state does when natural disasters strike.

Look, I appreciate that our federal government stood ready to help our state had Dorian made a direct hit on the Treasure Coast. We likely would have needed it and all feel fortunate we did not get a direct hit and we pray and stand ready to help those who did.

We all learned something after the Katrina fiasco in New Orleans several years ago. As I tell people, "we're Americans. None of us want to see folks suffering needlessly."

[Galway Eagle]

We do this because we care for all our citizens.

"we're Americans. None of us want to see folks suffering needlessly."

Gonna go ahead and disagree with these sentences. Policies for the people vs "get a job and just make more money" scream otherwise to me.

[Golden Avalanche]

We all learned something after the Katrina fiasco in New Orleans several years ago. As I tell people, "we're Americans. None of us want to see folks suffering needlessly."

100% false.

Plenty of elected officials wanted to see people who lost everything during Superstorm Sandy suffer needlessly. Delayed humanitarian aid for nearly 90 days. The justification was that they're "coastal elites" who can pay for it themselves.

Americans are perfectly fine with Americans suffering so long as their iPhone battery can be charged and they can get their morning Starbucks latte.

[tower912]

And make sure you give aid when it is my state, regardless of how I acted when it was your state.

[dgies9156]

100% false.

Plenty of elected officials wanted to see people who lost everything during Superstorm Sandy suffer needlessly. Delayed humanitarian aid for nearly 90 days. The justification was that they're "coastal elites" who can pay for it themselves.

Americans are perfectly fine with Americans suffering so long as their iPhone battery can be charged and they can get their morning Starbucks latte.

Brother Avalanche, I'm really disappointed in this. Look, I don't disagree we're at times self-absorbed in this country. But to characterize our nation at large as selfish and unfeeling, well, let's just say I find that thought incredibly cynical.

Collectively, we're the most generous and caring nation on earth. When a disaster strikes, be it in Iowa, Florida or halfway around the world, the first aid workers on site more often than not are Americans. U.S. relief supplies, military support aircraft and logistical support is there. Period. Look it up! Even our own Catholic Social Services relief aid, more often than not, is led by Americans. Even in Belarus, a country that would like nothing better than to blow us off the face of the earth, American medical experts are still working to deal with the after effects of Chernobyl and to relieve suffering.

In Hurricane Katrina and in Superstorm Sandy, the relief was poorly managed and often spotty. In short, we screwed up! But the federal government is one of the most inefficient organizations on the planet -- by design. We learned and I don't apologize for the fact that Floridians believe our first line of defense is self-help. But I also would point out that two of the loudest advocates for assistance to the Bahamas are Florida Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott. Senator Scott is our former governor and one who had to deal hurricanes on a regular basis. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and believe he wants assistance to the Bahamas because he knows first hand the job ahead (take a trip to Mexico Beach, FL if you don't agree).

I'd also note that when former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie visited former President Barack Obama and thanked the President for his efforts to get New Jersey back on its feet, the Governor paid a nasty political price. But the Governor did what was in the best interests of the people of New Jersey -- particularly those folks whose lives were uprooted by Sandy.

In Florida, if we lacked compassion, our state would not be checking nursing homes for back-up generating capability or viable evacuation plans. We would have said, "screw it.... it's their fault for not demanding this!" Instead, our state did something!

I'd encourage you not to confuse politics with compassion. We can care about people, we can do things for others and we can live beyond our families and communities without believing the federal government has to solve everything and anything. Because many of us fail to show compassion in a manner consistent with political orthodoxy doesn't mean we're not not compassionate or caring.

[MU82]

Brother Avalanche, I'm really disappointed in this. Look, I don't disagree we're at times self-absorbed in this country. But to characterize our nation at large as selfish and unfeeling, well, let's just say I find that thought incredibly cynical.

Collectively, we're the most generous and caring nation on earth. When a disaster strikes, be it in Iowa, Florida or halfway around the world, the first aid workers on site more often than not are Americans. U.S. relief supplies, military support aircraft and logistical support is there. Period. Look it up! Even our own Catholic Social Services relief aid, more often than not, is led by Americans. Even in Belarus, a country that would like nothing better than to blow us off the face of the earth, American medical experts are still working to deal with the after effects of Chernobyl and to relieve suffering.

In Hurricane Katrina and in Superstorm Sandy, the relief was poorly managed and often spotty. In short, we screwed up! But the federal government is one of the most inefficient organizations on the planet -- by design. We learned and I don't apologize for the fact that Floridians believe our first line of defense is self-help. But I also would point out that two of the loudest advocates for assistance to the Bahamas are Florida Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott. Senator Scott is our former governor and one who had to deal hurricanes on a regular basis. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and believe he wants assistance to the Bahamas because he knows first hand the job ahead (take a trip to Mexico Beach, FL if you don't agree).

I'd also note that when former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie visited former President Barack Obama and thanked the President for his efforts to get New Jersey back on its feet, the Governor paid a nasty political price. But the Governor did what was in the best interests of the people of New Jersey -- particularly those folks whose lives were uprooted by Sandy.

In Florida, if we lacked compassion, our state would not be checking nursing homes for back-up generating capability or viable evacuation plans. We would have said, "screw it.... it's their fault for not demanding this!" Instead, our state did something!

I'd encourage you not to confuse politics with compassion. We can care about people, we can do things for others and we can live beyond our families and communities without believing the federal government has to solve everything and anything. Because many of us fail to show compassion in a manner consistent with political orthodoxy doesn't mean we're not not compassionate or caring.

Christie's hug of Obama pretty much ended his political career. The base would have liked Christie a lot better if Obama had tossed rolls of paper towels at him. Everybody knows that if you hug a black person, it changes your DNA. That's just science.

Meanwhile, here in Charlotte, we thankfully are inland enough to have escaped the fury that Dorian unleashed on Alabama. We weren't even victimized by a Sharpie attack, thank goodness.

[Jockey]

I would like to congratulate all of the states hit by the hurricane.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Brother Avalanche, I'm really disappointed in this. Look, I don't disagree we're at times self-absorbed in this country. But to characterize our nation at large as selfish and unfeeling, well, let's just say I find that thought incredibly cynical.

Collectively, we're the most generous and caring nation on earth. When a disaster strikes, be it in Iowa, Florida or halfway around the world, the first aid workers on site more often than not are Americans. U.S. relief supplies, military support aircraft and logistical support is there. Period. Look it up! Even our own Catholic Social Services relief aid, more often than not, is led by Americans. Even in Belarus, a country that would like nothing better than to blow us off the face of the earth, American medical experts are still working to deal with the after effects of Chernobyl and to relieve suffering.

In Hurricane Katrina and in Superstorm Sandy, the relief was poorly managed and often spotty. In short, we screwed up! But the federal government is one of the most inefficient organizations on the planet -- by design. We learned and I don't apologize for the fact that Floridians believe our first line of defense is self-help. But I also would point out that two of the loudest advocates for assistance to the Bahamas are Florida Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott. Senator Scott is our former governor and one who had to deal hurricanes on a regular basis. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and believe he wants assistance to the Bahamas because he knows first hand the job ahead (take a trip to Mexico Beach, FL if you don't agree).

I'd also note that when former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie visited former President Barack Obama and thanked the President for his efforts to get New Jersey back on its feet, the Governor paid a nasty political price. But the Governor did what was in the best interests of the people of New Jersey -- particularly those folks whose lives were uprooted by Sandy.

In Florida, if we lacked compassion, our state would not be checking nursing homes for back-up generating capability or viable evacuation plans. We would have said, "screw it.... it's their fault for not demanding this!" Instead, our state did something!

I'd encourage you not to confuse politics with compassion. We can care about people, we can do things for others and we can live beyond our families and communities without believing the federal government has to solve everything and anything. Because many of us fail to show compassion in a manner consistent with political orthodoxy doesn't mean we're not not compassionate or caring.

Well said DG.

Too bad 82 is back in manchild mode with his racist response.

[Jables1604]

Do they mock the Special Olympics in Greenland?

Nope. Only disabled reporters.

[Jockey]

100% false.

Plenty of elected officials wanted to see people who lost everything during Superstorm Sandy suffer needlessly. Delayed humanitarian aid for nearly 90 days. The justification was that they're "coastal elites" who can pay for it themselves.

Americans are perfectly fine with Americans suffering so long as their iPhone battery can be charged and they can get their morning Starbucks latte.

People may disagree with you, but you are spot on.

[jsglow]

Not surprised to see the usual discussion on Scoop.  I'm certainly no expert but I do hear things when we're not talking about important family topics like Packer victories.  But I digress.

The simple reality is that most recovery/remediation is done at the local level and that supplemental help and support is provided by the federal government via FEMA when the local officials ask for help.  More often than not, we run into problems when local officials are reluctant to seek the proper declarations in a timely manner.  That was absolutely the case in Katrina but it has been true other times as well.  I'm not sure why local officials are sometimes slow to act so I won't speculate.  But it's a known problem and the feds can't act without it.  Administrations of all political persuasions are typically very quick to act on the request.  I've only been closely paying attention the last 2-3 years and I can assure you the current president authorizes the request almost instantaneously.

But here's what happens.  When local officials are incompetent or downright dishonest (as was certainly the case in New Orleans as well as Puerto Rico to a lesser extent), it's a real problem.  And of course to save their own political skin, they routinely blame the Feds.  When local officials are 'on their game' (Alaska last winter following the earthquake), there's often little discussion about any challenges actually faced and the whole joint effort between FEMA and the local emergency management apparatus works smoothly.

One thing I will add.  Within the last 2+ years, FEMA has undertaken a real time process improvement model.  In the past, it reviewed responses after the fact via post event studies.  Now, those process improvements are taking place in real time via dedicated individuals in each of FEMA's ten regions and at headquarters in Washington.  Most of that pilot program was rolled out in San Juan in 2018 and later expanded nationally.  It's actually an unusually nimble process for a government bureaucracy in a real effort to enhance active response initiatives.