Volunteer firemen's first assignment: pose with Bush
Astounding story from today's Salt Lake paper. Volunteer firefighters are still undergoing 'training' on how to help on the Gulf Coast. Their anticipated mission: to pass out fliers. Couldn't the administration have hired people who work for pizza delivery restaurants and cut out the middleman?
But some volunteers were dispatched to Louisiana yesterday. Their cities will be footing the bill for their absence, but at least they're doing important work, right?
Also of concern to some of the firefighters is the cost borne by their municipalities in the wake of their absence. Cities are picking up the tab to fill the firefighters' vacancies while they work 30 days for the federal government.
"There are all of these guys with all of this training and we're sending them out to hand out a phone number," an Oregon firefighter said. "They [the hurricane victims] are screaming for help and this day [of FEMA training] was a waste."
Firefighters say they want to brave the heat, the debris-littered roads, the poisonous cottonmouth snakes and fire ants and travel into pockets of Louisiana where many people have yet to receive emergency aid.
But as specific orders began arriving to the firefighters in Atlanta, a team of 50 Monday morning quickly was ushered onto a flight headed for Louisiana. The crew's first assignment: to stand beside President Bush as he tours devastated areas.
Suddenly it isn't so surprising that first responders find themselves quitting in sheer frustration that they aren't being allowed to do their job. Or, like the NOPD, that they're being expected to do the work of ten even though their own lives are as shattered as everyone elses there. This article is a must-read.
Meanwhile, CNN reports today that fires are cropping up across New Orleans.
But some volunteers were dispatched to Louisiana yesterday. Their cities will be footing the bill for their absence, but at least they're doing important work, right?
Also of concern to some of the firefighters is the cost borne by their municipalities in the wake of their absence. Cities are picking up the tab to fill the firefighters' vacancies while they work 30 days for the federal government.
"There are all of these guys with all of this training and we're sending them out to hand out a phone number," an Oregon firefighter said. "They [the hurricane victims] are screaming for help and this day [of FEMA training] was a waste."
Firefighters say they want to brave the heat, the debris-littered roads, the poisonous cottonmouth snakes and fire ants and travel into pockets of Louisiana where many people have yet to receive emergency aid.
But as specific orders began arriving to the firefighters in Atlanta, a team of 50 Monday morning quickly was ushered onto a flight headed for Louisiana. The crew's first assignment: to stand beside President Bush as he tours devastated areas.
Suddenly it isn't so surprising that first responders find themselves quitting in sheer frustration that they aren't being allowed to do their job. Or, like the NOPD, that they're being expected to do the work of ten even though their own lives are as shattered as everyone elses there. This article is a must-read.
Meanwhile, CNN reports today that fires are cropping up across New Orleans.
posted by Matt Sandwich | 7:50 PM
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