FEMA , Florida, funding the floods and pork barrels.

Here is an article you must read - FEMA Chief Brown Paid Millions to Florida Residents Unaffected by ‘04 Hurricane to Help Bush Win State by Jason Leopold - www.dissidentvoice.org - September 10, 2005

Hurricane Frances hit Hutchinson Island, Florida about 100 miles north of Dade County on September 5, 2004. Miami-Dade officials described damage there from heavy rain and winds of up to 45 mph as “minimal”.

By May 2004 stories of excessive payments and arguments about National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather reports prompted a complaint from Democratic Sen. Robert Wexler and a call for Brown’s resignation. The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) investigated and reported in May about overpayments to Miami-Dade residents. His report was damning.

“The review found waste and poor controls in every level of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's assistance program and challenges the designation of Miami-Dade as a disaster area when the county “did not incur any hurricane force winds, tornados or other adverse weather conditions that would cause widespread damage.”

Senator Susan Collins, Rep -Maine, Blackberry addict and chairwoman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, (who called for management changes to DHS in Jan 2005) said during May committee hearings that Brown “approved massive payouts to replace thousands of televisions, air conditioners, beds and other furniture, as well as a number of cars, without receipts, or proof of ownership or damage, and based solely on verbal statements by the residents, sometimes made in fleeting encounters at fast-food restaurants.”

“It was a pay first, ask questions later approach,” Collins said. “The inspector general's report identifies a number of significant control weaknesses that create a potential for widespread fraud, erroneous payments and wasteful practices.” (pic Collins in Kuwait 2004 meets the Army)

The most serious charge was that Brown speeded up payments in Florida by purposely bypassing FEMA’s lengthy review process for distributing funds - to help Bush secure votes in the state during last year’s presidential election.

For example –

The DHS audit report found that, under Brown, FEMA erroneously distributed to Miami-Dade residents:

$8.2 million in rental assistance to 4,308 applicants in the county who “did not indicate a need for shelter” when they registered for help. In 60 cases reviewed by auditors, inspectors deemed homes unsafe without explanation, and applicants never moved out.

Etc., etc., to the tune of $31 Mn taxpayers dollars.

Drownie Brown may have left the bodies floating in Louisiana but he knows where the bodies are buried in Florida – what’s the betting he keeps the job ?


So how hard did Katrina hit Florida ?

Interestingly Force 10 TV reports on Sept 8th Gov. Jeb Bush requested the assistance from FEMA on Aug. 26. FEMA said on 31st August that individual assistance was not eligible for residents in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties . On Tuesday FEMA approved eight more counties to receive public assistance. The counties were Bay, Collier, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton.

W. Craig Fugate, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director, said in a letter to Michael Brown, (with other letters from county officials detailing damage) that the Federal government did not fully consider "the severity, magnitude and impact of the disaster and erroneously analysed the need for assistance to individuals..."

(In awarding the Florida National Guard's Distinguished Service Medal to Fugate earlier this year for the impressive handling of 4 massive hurricanes which hit the Sunshine State last year, Gov. Jeb Bush said: "Director Fugate gave the Guard exceptional flexibility in the way Florida mobilized our 6,000 soldiers to meet the needs of those affected by the storms. This sustained flexibility and his unique leadership allowed us to have soldiers in the right places at the right times in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane." – this man will go far - keep an eye out for his name)

Frances Marine, a FEMA spokeswoman confirmed that the appeal was received.
"I'm sure that it will be evaluated and we look forward to continue to aid Florida," Marine said.

The county governments are eligible for public assistance programs, which would help pay to repair damaged roads and bridges, public buildings and parks and recreational areas , the state will be fully reimbursed for aid its providing to other states struck by Hurricane Katrina. That would include search and rescue teams, security and shelters.

Interestingly the Congress award of $50 Bn for Katrina (all of it for FEMA to spend) specifically included Florida for assistance…. So it goes on.

Fox News reported damage from the 80 mph winds (gusting 97) in Southern Florida on Friday as Six dead , 3 by falling trees, 2 people were found dead in Davie from Carbon mnonoxide poisoning from running a petrol powered generator in the living room. ) 1.3 million without power which Florida Light and Power had running by Monday.

Street flooding after 11 inches of rain, leading to a boiled water alert and the need to use bottled water. There was no evacuation plan put into operation and 500 people used shelters on Friday. The fruit and plant nursery and tropical fish farm industry was hit by winds and floods, avocado growers lost 50% of fruit and claim 2 days of standing water can destroy trees, DOA officials put total damage at $400 Mn.

Three mobile home parks were damaged with one person trapped in Davie. Ports and airports shut for 24 hours but were re-opened Friday. Schools closed Friday as a precaution but were open again Monday.

Finally and most worrying, MTV called off the pre-awards festivities for the Video Music Awards – however it went ahead as scheduled on Sunday night in Miami – Green Day cleaned up 7 awards out of 8 nominations …. The show must go on.