A WAR PRESIDENT RESPONDS TO KATRINA

Feel SAFER after watching the how our self-proclaimed WAR PRESIDENT and his brigade have bumbled the response to the KATRINA's human tragedy????

Amidst this horrific human toll and crisis-level human need that we continue to watch deteriorate now for five days and counting, the "most powerful leaders" in the world have not been able to deliver WATER and FOOD to the most vulnerable people in this catastrophe. They have treated our neighbors by their actions, behavior and incompetence with the utmost of disregard and disrespect. There is no defense to explain it. This is our PUBLIC SHAME being shown to the whole world---this time in our country instead of theirs.

Our senior leaders have time for photo ops, patting on themselves on the back for a crisis they might have avoided, making excuses, having meetings, talking and taking tours. What our most senior leaders have done is expose themselves to be incompetent by their own actions and poor judgment. They have clearly demonstrated to all of us, just how unprepared they are to execute in response to an emergency or disaster in the United States, which makes us even more vulnerable. The harsh reality is that our government has let us down ---- and our neighbors in Katrina’s path are bearing the burden. WAKE-UP America!!! Amidst the human suffering is a wake-up call for all Americans.

KATRINA was an emergency that our president and senior leaders had warnings about ----- they ignored them. They had several days advanced notice for this disaster ----- and it has been bumbled at every turn. IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THERE WERE NO ADVANCED NOTICE? IMAGINE IF THEY HAD TO RESPOND TO A MULTIPLE CITY DISASTER? It makes one shutter.

Unfortunately, it took George Bush several days to curtail his vacation of historic length, making sure he got headlines for his sacrifice of the two days, while thousands of citizens were without food, water, shelter, and medical care. Then upon return to the White House with major fanfare, we have all watched the absolute leadership and management incompetence in executing a human relief effort in our own country. This is not to take away from the amazing good deeds that have been done, but the leadership for this effort is inexcusable.

"They don't have a clue what's going on down there," Mayor Ray Nagin told WWL-AM Thursday night. "They flew down here one time two days after the doggone event was over with TV cameras, AP reporters, all kind of goddamn — excuse my French everybody in America, but I am pissed.

We should all be angry. No one is in charge. Poor judgment is abound. Critical time is being wasted. Plans are ineffective. The situation even in Houston is chaotic and disgraceful. Even this morning, BUSH chooses to tour, using valuable resources, time, energy and $$$, instead of making FOOD and WATER and SHELTER for the victims his first priority. Five days into this, BUSH says, "There's a lot of aid "surging toward" the affected areas." After thanking those working on the ground, he also topped it off with his proclamation that "The results so far is not acceptable." No hint that that he and his brigade are taking any personal responsibility for this appalling execution of a disaster relief effort. No apology to our neighbors, who are enduring the unimaginable.

CNN has just reported that “the president is vowing to take control of the situation and get assets to the people in need.” Hmmmm! Hasn’t this been the goal for five days?

Pray for our neighbors. Do what you can do to help.

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center

What are the leadership lessons of the Katrina tragedy?

Comments

[Steve Cody]

When will business and government organizations finally wake up and realize that crisis preparedness is not something you deal with after the fact?
The cataclysmic debacle in New Orleans is just the latest example of a management team not anticipating and planning for the worst case scenario. I see this "it can't happen here" mentality in business all the time. In fact, we recently partnered with a trade publication called Business Continuity Insights to survey hundreds of readers, all of whom are top corporate security and risk managers, about crisis preparedness. We asked two questions: Did they have a crisis plan in place? More than 80 percent did. Had they ever simulated a crisis? More than two-thirds hadn't.
Crisis planning isn't a nice to have. It's a MUST for every single business, government, sports, entertainment, for-profit and non-profit organization.
How many more times do we have to see an egregious planning and preparation faux pas a la New Orleans before the people in charge finally wake up?

[debbe kennedy]

Steve,
Perhaps, we are reaching a tipping point.
Read this:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10343799

There is also a great full-length interview to see the inside scoop of what has happened this week on my latest post:
http://globaldialoguecenter.blogs.com/perspectives/2005/09/bush_8_days_to_.html

Thanks for stopping by to share your thoughts. You are right on!

Debbe