Avoiding Another Katrina

I think what helped is not race but the fact that this is a Republican Gov talking to a Republican president in the state with the largest number of electoral votes. I really do not think a Democratic gov would have gotten a call through to Bush that easily.

The physical situtation is entirely different between Katrina floods and California fires. In California, there are still phone service, open highways, transportation available for evacuees, first responders and rescuers, and vehicles/equipment not destroyed by the event. California evacuees can still be reached by ground transportation so they can receive supplies and help from outside immediately. They do not have to face days without contact/communication with the outside world, or food, water, medical assistance. That must make it a little more easy to maintain hope. I still believe the folks in New Orleans let themselves down by not organizing themselves in their shelters or cleaning up after themselves. They left so much litter and mess around them that the first arriving helicopters could not even land because of all the debris being sucked into the blades and hurled back onto the evacuees as they pushed forward and cried for help. And, don't forget that the lawless element had been shooting weapons during the flooding preventing the early rescuers from helping them. We all admire the Californians willingness and ability to help themselves and each other, but it is a bit easier with the infrastructure still existing.

I always think it's funny the way people feel they have to defend the Bush Administration's horrible response to Hurricane Katrina.

I always think it's funny the way some people still feel they have to defend the Bush Administration's horrible reponse to Katrina.

iI am glad that the response to the California fires has been far better and more efficient than twas the response to Katrina. I hope it is because much has been learned, but I cannot help to wonder if the immediate, caring response has something to do with the fact that a far larger percent of the victims of this disaster are white and wealthy.

The differences between these two disasters under comparison - Katrina and the SOCAL Fires - are solely the effect of leadership and a better sense of community. period.

The National Guard is a state organization. The Governor of each state is in direct command of their state's guard -- much like the president is commander-in-chief of the armed services. Blanco didn't need to plead with anyone -- she needed to ORDER things to happen but instead New Orleans with its own ineffective and some would argue corrupt executive structure was left to the consequences of inaction.

In New Orleans when some of the folks started walking across the Mississippi via a bridge to a neighboring parish they were turned back by police on that other side of the river? Can you imagine that happening in San Diego? They are posting on Craig's list offering their own homes as refuge for their neighbors -- not threatening them at gunpoint!

Maybe without Katrina as a guinea pig of current federal response SOCAL would have had a harder time dealing with the situation. But I think the general outcome would have been the same -- collective and pro-active leadership, responsible community reaction and effective resource management in SOCAL vs. reactionary leadership, dependence on aid/handouts and community in-fighting in New Orleans.

The fires are moving fast and they have and will burn most structures in their path, but they are but they are not like the levee waters, which flooded the city of New Orleans. There can be no comparation made between this disaster and that one. It is good to see all the governmental agencies working well together, but I for one will never forget the hopeless situation I viewed on TV of those people stranded in the SuperDome with only a camera man and a singer, Harry Connick, Jr. with the balls to go there and show the inhuman conditions. Never in my life did I ever think I would see what I saw on American soil.

RonR

I lived in both New Orleans and San Diego (I'm currently right between the two largest fires in San Diego):

Just a few notes: In the Katrina case, the locals and state people initially rejected federal aid and advice before and immediately after the storm. The conversation of Brown (From FEMA) talking to Blanco (LA Gov) is on tape and on several documentaries about Katrina. She clearly rejected, initially, any Fed help. Mayor Nagin was advised to start evacuations two days before he finally did. These are facts.

In San Diego, the fires started Sunday afternoon. Within a few hours full-scale operations were in effect to protect life and property. Over 500,000 people were evacuated. It's gone very smoothly. One poster stated it was easy since all the roads were open. Not true. All the major highways have been shut down one time or another.

During a fire situation like this there is almost no control; not during the Santa Ana winds, anyway. You can't fight the fire, can't use planes or helicopters to drop water, and firefighters on the ground can only get out of the way. The flames grow to over 100 feet, travel at 40mph, and jump over 200 ft wide freeways like it's nothing. You have to see it to believe it.

When I lived in New Orleans, I noted people there have a fatalistic attitude about hurricanes. It is what it is. Out here there's a fighting attitude. More of a get'er done attitude.

This is especially true withe the firefighters. They don't quit or run off their jobs like all those New Orleans cops did (Or steal and loot, either).

I love New Orleans and San Diego both, but the people overall in San Diego display a lot more courage and fortitude in these disasters. Sorry to say, but it's true.

It remains to be seen what kind of relationship will exist when the insurance companies start their all-to-familiar attempts to deny payment to claimants because of these fires. This is sure to be a multi-billion dollar disaster, and we all know how damn stingy the insurance companies can, and want, to be when being asked to satisfy claims. I sure hope everything goes smoothly. If not, I sure hope that the powers-that-be in our government take note of that, and pass some legislation that provides ome real incentive for these companies to treat their policyholders with fairness and speed.
That said, I want to let everyone out there in California know that, from Pennsylvania, my thoughts are with them.....

President Schwarzenegger 2012. It is good that he is working hard to help the people of his state and I hope everything goes smoothly over the next few days, weeks, and months for everyone.

I am not saying that he should be President, just that I think he has the right stuff to do the job. The biggest asset he has is a good group of intelligent people around him or within 'six-degrees.'

I must agree with Cerah - at least during a fire situation you have a certain amount of control - you have firefighters, etc. and eventually the fire is put out. During a hurricane situation, there is nothing to fight - all you can do is try to be as prepared as possible (difficult considering the unpredictability of hurricanes), and pray that when its over, there will still be someone and something to clean up and rebuild. New Orleans will never be the way it was pre-Katrina - the people there suffered in a way that cannot be imagined unless you have lived through it. I'm pretty sure though that by this time next year, So. California will be pretty much back to normal.

Let's get something straight. Almost half of the people in New Orleans that lost thier homes and lives were not black, but white. Furthermore, in a city that is over 70% black that is a disportionate number of "rich white people" affected by the hurricane. Just because the media keeps reporting from a single area of the city does not mean that the whole city was not affected. Wouldn't it be nice if they would just report the news rather than make it?

Although what is happening in California is truly sad however it pales in comparison to Katrina. For one New Orleans people were given no warning that the hurricaine was coming many of them did not make it out alive. Also I don't know if it is just me but I am so tired about hearing how the stars or the more wealthy people of California's homes are burning and how tragic it is for them, while it is truly devastating for anyone to lose a home I have a hard time feeling bad for people who have the means to rebuild and are not going to be as financially affected by these fires. Unfortunately many people involved in Katrina were not wealthy which is why many of them are still homeless now and without anything, I guess it just shows that the government will always be there wherever the money is at the time and back away from where it is not.

no

dingoblue cut rightto the heart of the differences between Katrina and CA fires: Individual responsibility; responsive local and state governments;quick and effective activation of a responsive federal relief effort. All are required; if one element is missing you have a Katrina situation.

Dingoblue cut right to the heart of the differences: Responsible local and state government; a strong sense of individual responsibility, people evacuating when they are told to, and a responsive federal level response. If any one of these is lacking, then you have a Katrina mess.

In CA its sad, people say they have lost their homes, they have lost everything. In LA they would say that, but they're dead.