Brown Out, Paulison In
Now that we realize there is a serious problem in Homeland Security, specifically FEMA, it's time to get on the problem and get it fixed. FEMA has been a disaster waiting to happen since 9/11. And it finally came to a head with Katrina.
I haven't read a lot about Michael Brown, the now former head of FEMA. Brown resigned today after two weeks of criticism of his agency. In an interview Monday with The Associated Press, Brown said he resigned "in the best interest of the agency and best interest of the president." He said he feared he had become a distraction."
A distraction? I'd say that was an understatement.
"The focus has got to be on FEMA, what the people are trying to do down there," Brown said.
Sure, put the focus back on FEMA and Katrina so that no one will look at you. Some smart investigative reporter looking to make a name should look into our Mr. Brown and see just what what he did prior to FEMA, what he's done since becoming the head of FEMA, and just why he was supposedly capable of doing a job he was so obviously incapable of doing. From what I've heard, his resume was padded, and he wasn't what he purported to be. I don't know who recommended him for the job, or when he got the job (I haven't looked yet). I have no idea why Bush left him in charge. Officials close to Brown said he would probably resign as Brown "had been planning on leaving the administration late this fall to go into the private sector." Maybe he knew his time was limited and thought he could get out and on to something sweet before FEMA came apart at the seams.
FEMA needs to be headed up by someone who knows what they are doing. R. David Paulison has been picked to take over as Director. Sounds to me like someone has already been looking over the list even before Brown's resignation and had Paulison in mind.
Paulison is a career firefighter from Miami. He was an emergency responder to both Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and the 1996 ValuJet Flight 592 crash in the Everglades. He was chief of the 1,900 strong Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department with a $200 million operating budget, and was in charge of the county emergency management office. Since 2001 he has led the US Fire Administration.
Will Paulison be able to drag FEMA out of the muck and mire that it's been led into? Time will tell. I usually give people the benefit of a doubt, but, like all of America, I'll be watching to see just what Paulison can do. With the possibility of another terrorist attack looming over us everyday, we need someone who is up to the job.
Paulison would do well to solicit help from cities, counties, and states that have experienced disasters of some sort. How about asking Rudy Giuliani or Governor Frank Keating about disasters resulting from terrorism or Jeb Bush about hurricane relief? Say what you will about Jeb being GWB's little brother, Florida has an experience to offer after last year's four hurricane season.
The FEMA director has to be someone who know what he (or she) is doing, much have experience in emergency managment (it is part of the aconym FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency), and must be able to know when and how to properly distribute funds or material goods. Otherwise, you have an agency giving money away for hurricane claims where there was no hurricane, or the Red Cross being turned away from places where people need food and water to live.
Now that we realize there is a serious problem in Homeland Security, specifically FEMA, it's time to get on the problem and get it fixed. FEMA has been a disaster waiting to happen since 9/11. And it finally came to a head with Katrina.
I haven't read a lot about Michael Brown, the now former head of FEMA. Brown resigned today after two weeks of criticism of his agency. In an interview Monday with The Associated Press, Brown said he resigned "in the best interest of the agency and best interest of the president." He said he feared he had become a distraction."
A distraction? I'd say that was an understatement.
"The focus has got to be on FEMA, what the people are trying to do down there," Brown said.
Sure, put the focus back on FEMA and Katrina so that no one will look at you. Some smart investigative reporter looking to make a name should look into our Mr. Brown and see just what what he did prior to FEMA, what he's done since becoming the head of FEMA, and just why he was supposedly capable of doing a job he was so obviously incapable of doing. From what I've heard, his resume was padded, and he wasn't what he purported to be. I don't know who recommended him for the job, or when he got the job (I haven't looked yet). I have no idea why Bush left him in charge. Officials close to Brown said he would probably resign as Brown "had been planning on leaving the administration late this fall to go into the private sector." Maybe he knew his time was limited and thought he could get out and on to something sweet before FEMA came apart at the seams.
FEMA needs to be headed up by someone who knows what they are doing. R. David Paulison has been picked to take over as Director. Sounds to me like someone has already been looking over the list even before Brown's resignation and had Paulison in mind.
Paulison is a career firefighter from Miami. He was an emergency responder to both Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and the 1996 ValuJet Flight 592 crash in the Everglades. He was chief of the 1,900 strong Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department with a $200 million operating budget, and was in charge of the county emergency management office. Since 2001 he has led the US Fire Administration.
Will Paulison be able to drag FEMA out of the muck and mire that it's been led into? Time will tell. I usually give people the benefit of a doubt, but, like all of America, I'll be watching to see just what Paulison can do. With the possibility of another terrorist attack looming over us everyday, we need someone who is up to the job.
Paulison would do well to solicit help from cities, counties, and states that have experienced disasters of some sort. How about asking Rudy Giuliani or Governor Frank Keating about disasters resulting from terrorism or Jeb Bush about hurricane relief? Say what you will about Jeb being GWB's little brother, Florida has an experience to offer after last year's four hurricane season.
The FEMA director has to be someone who know what he (or she) is doing, much have experience in emergency managment (it is part of the aconym FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency), and must be able to know when and how to properly distribute funds or material goods. Otherwise, you have an agency giving money away for hurricane claims where there was no hurricane, or the Red Cross being turned away from places where people need food and water to live.
And if by any chance the person who heads the agency isn't up to what is required, they need to be smart enough to surround themselves with people who are. These people get the job done and make the head honcho look like they know what they are doing. If you can't do the job, find someone can and who will make you look good.
I thought all government bureaucrats knew that?
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