--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On 9/2/05 8:19 AM, "authfriend" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Sorry, but it's NOT being distorted by the media. > > Yes it is. There are reporting on the areas they have access to-- > esp. The convention center and the Superdome. What you're not > seeing is the hospitals where the people in medical distress are > and other such places. How about the bayous? Where's the footage of > the people there?
I agree, the coverage is probably "distorted" in that it isn't showing how bad it really is. But I was responding to a comment suggesting that the media were showing it as *worse* than it really is. > Keep in mind you have numerous HOSPITALS which lost electricity and > some are completely surrounded by water. In such a situation, these > people will take first priority to people standing around. No, sorry, but there's no damn reason why evacuating hospital patients should mean an inability even to do an air-drop of water and food to the people who are "standing around." > From the perspective of the disaster teams, the largest problems > are access and lack of communication. I don't buy it. Communication-wise, if somebody were just watching the tube, they'd know about some of the worst problems. And again, if access on the ground is a problem, do air-drops of food and water. The biggest problems here are lack of organization and preparedness, complicated by COMPLACENCY. > You also have to consider the basic nature of > triage--the people who are in imminent danger are going to get first > attention and the people standing around who are merely displaced You aren't paying attention. They aren't "merely displaced," they haven't had any food for days and some of them are dying of dehydration. There are people among them who are just as sick and in need of emergency medical attention as those who are being evacuated from hospitals. The triage teams themselves are overwhelmed; they aren't getting any reinforcements and they're running out of medical supplies. > will get > attention when transport arrives and as facilities for them becomes > available. Just because the media is pointing their cameras at a > bunch of people standing around doesn't mean there isn't > significant efforts underway and happening right now. Uh-huh. They've been "standing around" since WEDNESDAY. As far as the Convention Center situation is concerned, there should have been significant efforts underway and happening "right now" as soon as it became evident they were gathering there. The help should have been not just "underway" but *BEING DELIVERED* long since. In general, the media isn't in the areas where the > real work is being done. That's for sure. The question is, why isn't there "real work" being done WHERE THE MEDIA ARE? > > I'm listening to a tape of the mayor of New > > Orleans being interviewed by phone from last > > night on CNN, cussing a blue streak about what > > is NOT happening. > > Maybe he should take more personal and administrative > responsibility for the shortcomings of his own planning and > foresight and appropriate response infrastructure in an area that > as recently as two years ago was hit by a major hurricane. Maybe, but there's plenty of time for him to do that later. Taking responsibility is not going to help the people who are in extremis and not receiving any help NOW. > > Somewhere between 15,000 and 50,000 people are > > marooned at the Convention Center in New Orleans > > with no food, no water, no sanitary facilities, > > no medical attention, no INFORMATION. Most of > > them have been there since Wednesday; the media > > has repeatedly reported on their plight. Babies > > and old people and sick people are dying of > > dehydration because they don't even have WATER. > > This is not true, they are receiving water and food. Maybe they are *now*, but if so it's only in the last few hours. Bush is quoted as having just said they're "trying" to get food and water and medical help to the Convention Center. > The critical people > are/were being lifted out. Remember, the rules of triage apply. Don't tell me to "remember." Get food and water to the people who don't have any so they won't die before they make their way to the top of the evacuation priority list. > > And the head of FEMA last night claimed the feds > > didn't know anything about them. > > > > That is just *criminal* incompetence. > > The city of New Orleans and the state of LA should carry the burden > in terms of incompetence. Bullshit. The incompetence of the feds is happening NOW, and people are dying as a result. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/JjtolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
