Katrina is a test for Homeland Security.
- From: "Randy Cox" <randd49@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 07:19:13 -0500
We have spent billions on restructure. Now, Homeland Security will be
tested. I don't even know if Homeland Security is over FEMA. If it is not,
it should be.
Bush said all the Federal resources were waiting to be deployed. I think
everyone should be fair, and wait to judge until after this mess is over
with. Those of us that don't like Bush will be quick to find opportunities
to point our fingers, but we should hold our hands and our tongues until the
facts are in and the emergency has subsided.
In a disaster, there are always mistakes. The best of leaders make false
moves in times like this. The test will not be in their mistakes, but in
their quickness to adjust their mistakes. Will we see good quick decision,
or we will see indecision.
It already looks like someone (probably local) screwed up in not arranging
bus service and house to house pickup for those elderly and otherwise
homebound trapped in New Orleans. If you've ever been to New Orleans,
you'll know that there is not that many ways in or out. There is a lot of
swamp surrounding New Orleans. It is not an easy city to evacuate!
There is one thing, though that everyone everywhere (especially in disaster
areas) should keep in mind. The local and federal authorities should be
there when you need them....but intelligent people rely on themselves. You
have to trust the local authorities to some degree in a collective
sense...but individuals are not collective and must look out for themselves.
Every emergency I've ever been involved in had a good number of
"authorities" making stupid decisions and just being authoritative.
Once I was in a refinery fire in Ardmore, Oklahoma. We all evacuated up
wind as our training had prepared us. Then as we gathered at the designated
rendezvous point, leaders sent open bed trucks to pick us up. They then
relocated us to another point where we stood and watched the flames. The
fire was growing larger and larger, then I noticed we were directly downwind
from the fire.
I pointed this fact out to the guy in charge. He said we were to stay put.
He had a radio and was in contact with someone (presumed to be higher
authority).
I demanded he ask them why we were standing downwind from the fire.
He hesitated. I demanded again, and others hearing me began to gather
around and his authority was being openly challenged.
So he relented and asked. The voice on the radio came back very
authoritative saying, "Keep everyone right where you are!"
I processed the known information against what might be unknown. I could
see the flames growing higher and the firefighters were falling back. I
could see the wind sock pointing right at us and the black smoke headed our
way. I know there are really bad chemicals like Benzene and other stuff in
that plant. I decided I was "removing my permission for this guy to be in
charge of me" I had the authority of our training telling me "Upwind" and
no stated reason for an exception to that instruction. I announced I was
moving back toward our first gathering spot as it was upwind of the fire.
Others joined me and we began to move on foot, when the real authorities
from the plant got on the radio and screamed "Get those people out of there!
Now! Take them back to the parking lot on Northwest side of the plant."
So we didn't have to walk, but if things had been different we could have
all died because of bad decision making.
The collective mindset would believe it is duty to follow those in authority
whatever they might say. I understand the logic of that and agree to a
point, but long ago I decided to be a party to a social contract with the
option to cancel when I decided the price to pay for that revoking of
permission to rule was cheaper than the price to pay for following.
Had I or someone not challenged this bad decision, then perhaps the highest
authorities (who knew what they were doing" would not have heard the radio
exchange and then cancel the bad decision with a new and proper one.
When you are in the military, you have to follow orders. When you are an
individualist, you should give weight to authority, but in the end you are
your own ultimate authority. I am a law abiding and rule following person(I
don't liter, walk on the grass, or speed, but I always hold fast my right to
remove my permission from authority to rule over me.
Randy R. Cox
.
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