FEMA runs out of water, solicits bids from private sector.

[Quantum Windbag]

It seems FEMA didn't have enough supplies on hand to give everyone water, much less food, despite the fact that they had lots of notice, and actually prepositioned supplies. They just finished asking for bids for those supplies on Friday. For those of us that actually understand the federal government, this is about as surprising as the sun rising in the East.

For those who think Obama personally flew down and saved the day, did he forget that people need water?

FEMA's vaunted "lean forward" strategy that called for advanced staging of supplies for emergency distribution failed to live up to its billing in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

In fact, the agency appears to have been completely unprepared to distribute bottled water to Hurricane Sandy victims when the storm hit this Monday. In contrast to its stated policy, FEMA failed to have any meaningful supplies of bottled water -- or any other supplies, for that matter -- stored in nearby facilities as it had proclaimed it would on its website. This was the case despite several days advance warning of the impending storm.
FEMA only began to solicit bids for vendors to provide bottled water for distribution to Hurricane Sandy victims on Friday, sending out a solicitation request for 2.3 million gallons of bottled water at the FedBizOpps.govwebsite. Bidding closed at 4:30 pm eastern.

For 336thF15E, neener neener.

 

[WillowTree]

Go Mitt Romney!

 

[depotoo]

this I do not understand. Why were bids not asked for when they knew the storm was gonna hit?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

this I do not understand. Why were bids not asked for when they knew the storm was gonna hit?

It is the government.

 

[rdean]

He should have sent the trailers Bush paid his friends to make. Except for the carcinogenic formaldehyde, they were perfectly "safe". I'm sure Mitt thinks they are "fine" for the "little people". Mitt thinks the "little people" eat "food from cans". I'm sure he's OK with them "living in cans".

 

[Mad Scientist]

The solution is obvious: FEMA needs more money!

 

[paravani]

this I do not understand. Why were bids not asked for when they knew the storm was gonna hit?

What I don't understand is why there aren't warehouses full of emergency water supplies already positioned throughout the country.

Water is absolutely essential for life. An adult human being can survive for weeks without food, but only three days without water -- then your kidneys shut down and you die. 1/2 gallon per day is the recommended minimum for drinking and hydration.

Disaster can strike anywhere, and in most cases there is little to no warning. Having sufficient water supplies on hand is the single most important thing a government can do to save lives in the aftermath of any major disaster, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, or storms.

Since we cannot rely on the government to save us in every disaster, it's wise for all families to have a month's worth of clean water stored, plus a water filter or water purifying tablets to last another month -- more if you live on the West coast, which is way overdue for a major earthquake (9+ Richter "Subduction Zone Event").

We live on the West Coast, so we have water stored at our inland house plus water and portable filters in our vehicles as well as other emergency supplies like comfortable walking shoes, backpack, food, and sleeping bags.

What kinds of preparations have all of YOU made?

-- Paravani

 

[Rozman]

All I hear is the tremendous job Obama did cleaning up the mess made by Sandy.

 

[Quailman]

It seems FEMA didn't have enough supplies on hand to give everyone water, much less food, despite the fact that they had lots of notice] Sounds kind of like the dumb asses that they supposed to be helping.

 

[AmyNation]

"November 3: There have been recent blog posts and social media traffic expressing that FEMA is out of bottled water.* This is FALSE.* We are providing water to our state partners for distribution."
Hurricane Sandy | FEMA.gov

.

 

[rdean]

this I do not understand. Why were bids not asked for when they knew the storm was gonna hit?

It is the government.

Look at the post above. You got spanked and it wasn't by me, for once.

 

[mudwhistle]

It doesn't matter who is president......Sandy would be the same for anyone.

How a president acts after a disaster like Sandy is a good indication to what he will do with any crisis.

Obama got his photo-op with Christie. That's all the libs on MSNBC would talk about. (They also took time to mention Romney hates fudge-packers. Went out of their way to mention it. To be honest just because you don't choose to pack fudge it doesn't automatically mean you hate them, but that's the left's argument. Small things rather than the big things matter to them.)

Obama has washed his hands of Sandy. He's campaigning like it never happened. He refuses to answer questions about it. He's done with it. He got his bounce and so it's back to business as usual. Too bad for them. He's already written them off. I think he could lose New York because of his careless attitudes on the storm. His careless attitude on Benghazi illustrates the metal of this president. The EPA is set to hammer us win or lose, Obama is set to unleash anti-gun legislation as soon as the election is over with. The next 6 months are going to be hell regardless who wins. The media will start covering the news once again in a responsible manner and the truth they hid from you will become obvious.

If Obama wins you'll be saying to yourself "What was I thinking????"

If Romney wins you'll see an anger from the left you've never seen before....and we've seen quite a lot.

Ether way the next year will be one of the worst in our history. 1968 won't even hold a candle to it.

 

[Katzndogz]

this I do not understand. Why were bids not asked for when they knew the storm was gonna hit?

What I don't understand is why there aren't warehouses full of emergency water supplies already positioned throughout the country.

Water is absolutely essential for life. An adult human being can survive for weeks without food, but only three days without water -- then your kidneys shut down and you die. 1/2 gallon per day is the recommended minimum for drinking and hydration.

Disaster can strike anywhere, and in most cases there is little to no warning. Having sufficient water supplies on hand is the single most important thing a government can do to save lives in the aftermath of any major disaster, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, or storms.

Since we cannot rely on the government to save us in every disaster, it's wise for all families to have a month's worth of clean water stored, plus a water filter or water purifying tablets to last another month -- more if you live on the West coast, which is way overdue for a major earthquake (9+ Richter "Subduction Zone Event").

We live on the West Coast, so we have water stored at our inland house plus water and portable filters in our vehicles as well as other emergency supplies like comfortable walking shoes, backpack, food, and sleeping bags.

What kinds of preparations have all of YOU made?

-- Paravani

While disaster can strike without warning, Sandy wasn't that kind of disaster. Everyone knew exactly what kind of disaster it would be, how big, how long it would last, and where it would hit. Of course FEMA had plenty of time to prepare themselves.

In the case of Sandy, we don't know that the people were unprepared because everything was gone. Extra batteries, food, blankets, everything, and all preparations too were washed away or certainly spoiled by water. Since you said you lived on the West Coast, you have absolutely described the correct preparations to prepare for a disaster, as long as that disaster is an earthquake. Or, perhaps a wildfire. Naturally, none of your preparations would be adequate in a flood. And, of course it is the kind of disaster that strikes without any warning at all, unlike Sandy.

The mistake the Sandy victims made was in not getting out when they had adequate warning to do so. The reasons for not getting out are likely varied. Some might have thought that it wouldn't be that bad, because they had Irene not long ago that didn't live up to the warnings. Some might have had no place to go, and the shelters were overcrowded. After all, there isn't anyplace to take the survivors now, there's nothing to indicate that there was someplace they could go when the evacuation was taking place. Some might have elected to stay to take their chances to protect their property from looters. Especially if they evacuated for Irene only to find that looting did what Irene did not.

The Sandy lessons following the Katrina lessons is that FEMA should be dissolved. It doesn't help. The worst thing FEMA does is give people a false sense of security. It allows people to hand their personal safety off to a governmental agency that won't be there. I live on the West Coast and the best thing about the safety warnings is to start and end every PSA on safety with the words "you will be on your own".

 

[Ravi]

"November 3: There have been recent blog posts and social media traffic expressing that FEMA is out of bottled water.* This is FALSE.* We are providing water to our state partners for distribution."
Hurricane Sandy | FEMA.gov

.

Figures. Notice that the windbag didn't link his op. Too easily proved phony.

 

[peach174]

FEMA is over 17 billion in the hole for it's flood insurance.
They only have 3 billion left.
They don't have the money.
The people are the ones who have helped out the victims in certain areas not FEMA.

 

[Katzndogz]

"November 3: There have been recent blog posts and social media traffic expressing that FEMA is out of bottled water.* This is FALSE.* We are providing water to our state partners for distribution."
Hurricane Sandy | FEMA.gov

.

Figures. Notice that the windbag didn't link his op. Too easily proved phony.

There is some reason why the water isn't getting to the people because that's what they are complaining about.

If it wasn't for AT&T sending in trucks that help people charge telephones, they wouldn't even have that much.

 

[AmyNation]

There is a difference in distribution problems, and lack of water. From everything I've seen, and heard from those I know who live in the effected area, the government has done a decent job of responding to sandy.

Sandy isnt Katrina.

 

[Katzndogz]

Every interview of people who are actually suffering through this, is that the government is completely absent, right along with the Red Cross. The Red Cross is in Red Hook today. What they are doing depends on who you ask. The Red Cross says they are distributing meals. The residents say they are getting two cookies and a cup of hot chocolate. I suppose to the Red Cross this might count as a meal.

What assistance that is leaking through is coming from private donations of food and supplies of the kind that Romney gathered up. FEMA is absent, the National Guard is absent. The residents are arming themselves with whatever they can find.

Don't forget, obama says we're in this together. The looters are only helping the victims share what they have.

 

[4Horsemen]

Leave it to FEMA to royally fuck up something again..lol..

Gotta love the incompetent twats who run that agency.

 

[AmyNation]

I'm going to have to remeber threads like this.

Government shouldn't get involved, and people should rely more on charities and neighbors, except right before an election.