HAS FEMA FALLEN? Has the Federal Emergency Mis-management Agency - well know as F.E.M.A or
"Fema"' (which was said with a uneasy sneer in most voices) during the troubled days of hurricane Katrina and the resulting floods, been discontinued?
Of course not. Federal government adjuncts never died; they don't fade away, either.
They go on and on and will continue to do so, until we get a sensible "Sunset Law" in force which would automatically pull the financial plug which promptly make it a governmental
memory - more of a nightmare, no doubt, for those persons who were the working crew in charge at the critical time. Government entities do not die, nor do they like General Douglas MacArthur's "old soldiers" just faded away. As long as nourishing sustenance remains at hand.
FEMA has, wisely, been keeping a low profile and the word “trailer” is a dirty word among both staff and supporters. Now in this Merry month of May the official start of the new hurricane season set to begin. Has FEMA been doing some house-cleaning? Have some of the hazardous points which made past performances rather clumsy to say the least? Pretty soon soon, some element of the media will wake up and start asking who is in charge of what at FEMA. Have needed reforms modified their potential so they can have a ready answer for the media when they start checking on is the capabilities of the new stormy season? A usual action of such times of crisis for some of entities to change name and this may well be something that can be done. A bad taste has lingered with many people who would rather no hear the offensive tag.
No doubt, FEMA did a great many needy people some good as it was started but it foundered badly in a time of crisis with administrative woes as yet undetermined, or a least, unpublished. There is some danger that we may, in any excessive remodeling, “throw
the baby out with the water.” FEMA, properly managed did work, it appears. It can be seen as a sick bush which needs pruning rather than excavation.
The worst path we could take is to simply let it all go as a bad dream. I haven't heard
much about FEMA in recent months. Hurricane season is with us. What changes have been made?
Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 5-23-06
[c407wds]
