Please forgive a naive question, but why can’t air drops be made to areas that don’t have accessible roads? A couple of my relatives used to fly both helicopters and small amphibious aircraft for rescues, supply drops, etc., going back 30 - 60 years. It’s difficult for me to fathom why something similar, but vastly improved on over time, can’t be done now.
The San Juan major has been printing up unique clothes (hats that say “SOS” and shirts that match) to wear on TV instead of figuring out how to get the supplies in her city to the people that need them.
She is throwing temper tantrums at someone that we all know will throw a temper tantrum right back.
She has also NOT BEEN ATTENDING ANY MEETINGS WITH FEMA.
The United States military is not legally allowed to take over U.S. territory.
@soccerguy315 AFAIK they don’t even have reporters on the ground in Puerto Rico. The whole scam rag is run by Tucker Carlson. They have been cited many times for disseminating fake stories.
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/daily-caller/
San Juan Mayor Cruz … as a mayor it was not in the scope of her responsibilities to declare a state of emergency. From what I’ve seen she has weathered some nasty tweets with dignity. I guess maybe she can’t see them because…no power.
The only media reporting that she isn’t attending FEMA meetings are Daily Caller, Washington Examiner, The Blaze; all echo chambers.
These people are without water and food.
A Chinook helicopter has a range of 300-400 miles and can carry ~10,000 lbs. These helicopters would have to be staged at the airport, which I believe is in very bad shape and most likely not capable of staging a bunch of large helicopters.
Blackhawks can fly further but can carry much less weight. A blackhawk carrying 2600 lbs could carry 2600 16oz bottles from the mainland. How many times do you have to carry 2600 bottles of water to make a dent in the need?
I’m sure they are doing what they can but “airdrops” are not a viable solution to the problem.
This story is from September 26th:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/09/26/fema-head-says-more-ships-and-troops-headed-to-puerto-rico.html
You also cannot airdrop electricity.
this article has some info on what the military is doing, and brings up a key point:
Disaster recovery is based on the following all working together: the federal Government (FEMA, US military, etc,) the local Government (State, county, city, etc), public services(utilities, water, sewage, etc.) and private companies (Cell phone companies, supermarkets, gas stations, etc).
All of these groups have to work together to get life back to normal as quickly as possible. The federal government can’t do it alone. The military has truck drivers but not enough semi drivers. These are two different vehicles in the military. I was in a 1000 man support battalion while in the army. We had over 700 qualified truck drivers but only 250 would be considered CDL qualified.
Another issue that will come up. Will the rules for CDL drivers be relaxed during this emergency. I read them but am still confused. https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations.
An example of utility companies helping each other.
San Antonio has sent storm crews to assist for Hurricane Harvey and Irma to help restore power.
https://www.cpsenergy.com/en/customer-support/storm-update.html?linkvar=hurricaneirma
An example of a private company doing disaster relief.
Here is why Texans love this grocery store, HEB.
https://www.ksat.com/news/heb-sends-trucks-supplies-to-help-aid-victims-of-hurricane-harvey
https://www.heb.com/static-page/article-template/heb-emergency-response-team-in-rockport-and-houston
Another thing Honore questioned was why no aircraft carrier deployed to the area. From there, aircraft can be staged. Radar systems on board.
He has also compared the number of ground personnel and aircraft versus Katrina, in x days.
We need to watch for spin in what we rely on, in forming opinions.
@Silpat I think the issue is proper distribution. Just dropping supplies doesn’t ensure that. I think that’s in Honore’s point about parachuting in the 82nd, to offer management.
“A Chinook helicopter has a range of 300-400 miles and can carry ~10,000 lbs. These helicopters would have to be staged at the airport, which I believe is in very bad shape and most likely not capable of staging a bunch of large helicopters.”
Commercial flights are going in and out now so if the airport is good enough for that, it’s good enough for Chinook’s which need a lot less space.
“Blackhawks can fly further but can carry much less weight. A blackhawk carrying 2600 lbs could carry 2600 16oz bottles from the mainland. How many times do you have to carry 2600 bottles of water to make a dent in the need?”
Better than what’s happening thus far for distribution which is pretty much nothing, correct? Don’t use the excuse that roads are unnavigable than create excuses why helicopters can’t be used. Again, this is the US Military. They are trained to handle such things.
As far as radar, how about jerry rigging something? Aircraft carrier as mentioned above? Sounds like an enemy just needs to knock down some airport radar here and there in our country if they want to rule us ineffective. I’m pretty sure we’re better than that - if authorized on a timely basis.
Dos, yes, in times/places of war, we manage what we need to get going.
And the authorization issue…
We can lay down a temporary airstrip in a matter of a couple of days. We’re all about function in war conditions. If not now, when? I just hope to H that this is not an indication of our ability to address a war situation, as we slide further down that slope. Or is it “farther”?
"Lt. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan, the Department of Defense’s primary military liaison with FEMA, toured the damage in Puerto Rico for the first time Saturday during a helicopter ride from San Juan to Ceiba. After landing at a hangar in Ceiba with no power, internet or cellular service, Buchanan spoke with the PBS NewsHour’s Monica Villamizar.
“Sometimes we don’t know what’s going to happen until the storm actually hits, and this is the worst I’ve ever seen,” Buchanan said.
The trip occurred hours after President Donald Trump criticized San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz for “poor leadership” after she spoke of devastation and “horror” on the island in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria and pleaded for help and support from the government. “We are dying here,” she said during a news conference Friday."
Guess that’s the reason why folks are asking for help - not because they are unwilling to help themselves. Watch the 3 Star General’s comments on the videos for more info - his comments on what is going on from what he’s viewed. Watch both of the 2 videos. One is comments from him. The other is photo from a helicopter tour he took followed by a few more comments from him.
Too bad there was a week of delay from the WH to get Buchanan in and more resources. I’m sure if the 3 Star General had been sent in right away,seen the things he saw yesterday when this was filmed and formulated those opinions 10 days ago, things could have been further along by know because his assessment would have resulted in more organization and a call for more resources in a timely manner.
CNN reports that 12 days after hurricane Maria swept through Puerto Rico only 5% of the island has power.
Imagine 12 days with water purification plants, gas to run generators, communications, light, AC, refrigeration, or transportation.
The initial death toll for the hurricane was low but I can’t imagine it’s not going to climb as babies, the sick, and the elderly start to succumb to dehydration and an inability to get basic medicines. Last night I watched a report on CNN in which Dr. Sanjay Gupta was reporting from a local shelter. A diabetic woman there needed antibiotics and hospitalization but they couldn’t get her to the hospital. The CNN crew ended up taking her in their van. She later underwent surgery, although it sounds like the problem could have been resolved without it had she been able to get more medical help earlier.
sigh. nevermind.
Until today I didn’t know that Mayport NS no longer has any aircraft carriers and has not yet been properly dredged and prepped to handle nuclear powered carriers. It boggles my mind that there are no carriers currently stationed in the southern US, and that Mayport has been without carriers for about a decade.
Not being able to help everyone is no excuse for not making a greater effort to help some.
Assuming this is based on truth, not good optics for Red Cross. If you are giving $ to aid the disasters, best to give it local if possible.
http://newsofstjohn.com/2017/10/01/red-cross-planning-to-pull-aid/
a good article from a Navy person on the ships that were used for Puerto Rico and an explanation of what the mission of the Comfort is and why it wasn’t ready. I’m not a navy guy and don’t understand the capabilities of why a specific ship would be used over a different one. It also discusses what was planned before the hurricane.
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-09-30/no-trump-didn-t-botch-the-puerto-rico-crisis
She is a complete disgrace. So is the media for that matter.
To me, the point is that there’s a fair measure of disgrace (as we commonly use it, as our mothers may have,) going around. The mocking blows my mind, no matter what.
Crisis management benefits from focus, the right sort, aimed at the problem. It sets aside pettiness, especially the sort that’s self glorification.
You wait to make statements like “good job, good job,” until it’s backed up by results. I do think delays (and certain public statements from stateside) left this opening for criticisms.
It’s fruitless to stop to criticize a t-shirt or insist the real issue is media. Or to insist someone was pleased a few days earlier, so there’s something devious in subsequent calls to action. If the problem remains, it remains.
I don’t feel reassured by the Bloomberg bit.
I would like some info on actual actions and some trickle of progress.
But the media is the issue if they are manipulating the news coverage of this tragedy in order to fulfill a political agenda. People deserve the truth. And why the heck would you be making T-shirts at a time like this??? I mean really… it’s disgusting and entirely self-serving.