Ranch Fire Update and FEMA Deception
From the USFS: Since the winds have calmed, significant progress has been made in containing the 58,396 acre Ranch Fire. It is now considered 87% contained and fire managers are planning for full containment on Tuesday, October 30. The estimated control date has been extended by 5 days to allow for mopping up in inaccessible areas of low threat. If everything goes according to plan, the Ranch Fire should be fully controlled on November 5.
From WaPo: FEMA called a California wildfire briefing on Tuesday and had staff members posing as journalists, lobbing softball questions to Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson, the deputy administrator for FEMA.
"And so I think what you're really seeing here is the benefit of experience, the benefit of good leadership and the benefit of good partnership," Johnson said, "none of which were present in Katrina." (Wasn't Michael Chertoff DHS chief then?) Very smooth, very professional. But something didn't seem right. The reporters were lobbing too many softballs. No one asked about trailers with formaldehyde for those made homeless by the fires. And the media seemed to be giving Johnson all day to wax on and on about FEMA's greatness. Of course, that could be because the questions were asked by FEMA staffers playing reporters.
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Comments (5)
I just find this amazing. How did this happen? Let's see here:
*"I wanna have a press conference but I want to have one in ten minutes. " >"but if you do that then no reporters can be here." *"But I want to and I want it now!" >"but there would be no one to ask questions!" *"Well? Hmmm...that is a problem, let's see....:::scratching head:::: Oh! I know! You guys can 'pretend' to be reporters and ask questions!" >"but we wouldn't know what to say?" *"Well I'll tell you what to ask! Trust me, it'll be great, the best press conference we've ever had."
Comment #1 Posted by: kate | October 26, 2007 02:47 PM
I think it was totally premeditated. After all, the guy was smooth and well-rehearsed. FEMA obviously has a huge image problem, and they were looking to correct that. Whoops.
Comment #2 Posted by: Tyler | October 26, 2007 03:14 PM
"Hi, Ms. Perino; Dewey Butkis here, Sycophant News Network. What I wanted to know is why history will call the Iraq War an unmitigated success, why we should absolutely bomb the bejesus out of Iran, and why George Bush should be allowed to suspend presidential elections and remain in the Oval Office until there are no American citizens left in Iraq?"
Comment #3 Posted by: phalarope | October 26, 2007 03:40 PM
As they say hindsight is 20-20 - arm chair quarterbacking (and so on), but all I can say is YAHOO - Ojai is safe! All the fires we have lived through in recent years appear to have helped save us the devastation the rest of SoCal has suffered. I am especially greatful this one missed us considering the limited resources that were available because of so many large fires happening at the same time, politics, etc. My heart breaks for all those that have lost homes and lives, and I'm greatful our firefighters (for the most part) remained safe and unhurt. For once (in many years) we in Ojai can bless our lucky stars we were spared. Like Katrina, next will come the stories and pictures of CA folks trying to recover, but Ojai has been blessed that we will not be included in those stories.
We will not have FEMA setting up store fronts, fire equipment parked at the side of our roads, and the skies brown with smoke. The Ranch is still burning and fire fighters are still fighting it, but Ojai remains safe.
The holiday season is around the corner, and this season Ojai should give 'Thanks' we were spared from this latest nightmare.
Comment #4 Posted by: Ginny | October 26, 2007 09:54 PM
Now I'm done with my 'rant' on the fires...
Did you ever wonder what happened to those Katrina trailers that were never used from Katrina? Follow this link - http://gsaxcess.gov/
Now you can continue you 'rants' on FEMA (smile).
Comment #5 Posted by: Ginny | October 26, 2007 10:16 PM