Katrina’s Devastation Anticipated Yet Residents Stayed

Despite all of the warnings hundreds of thousands of people stayed in their homes. You would have had to be living in a hut not to know the Category 3 hurricane was coming. City, State and Federal officials warned people to get out, yet they stayed. So where is the blame to fall?

Administration critic’s like Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La. Said:

"Despite the president's claims, the federal government was clearly not 'fully prepared' for this disaster. The administration was told what Louisiana already knew: that our federally constructed levees could certainly fail. But these concerns, and others made by disaster relief experts, fell on deaf ears," she said in a statement. "This is further evidence of the dysfunctional federal leadership that occurred before, during and after hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf Coast."

Enormous amounts of finger pointing have gone on concerning the response to the disaster. But why are not the people who refused to leave responsible? They created a far greater task to rescue units, police and aid givers. Why is the concept of personal responsibility so hard for liberals and Democrats to comprehend?

According to an ABC News article:

Though city and state government authorities were primarily responsible for evacuating people, the disaster plan notes that Louisiana "had identified a shortage in resources required to evacuate and support shelters."

…Under the disaster plan, preparations for the storm should have begun at least three days before it made landfall. With Katrina, New Orleans ordered a mandatory evacuation 20 hours before the storm struck. FEMA officials were supposed to have critical resources in place before landfall.

State and City officials had the primary responsibility for the safety and evacuation of the people, so why such harsh critics of President Bush and the Administration? And if people refuse to leave a disaster area with at least a 20 hour head start whose fault is it that they can’t all safely be evacuated?

Is it the governments fault? Why doesn’t personal safety fall on the one’s own shoulders? ESPECIALLY if you were told to evacuate? The government can only protect stupid people so far. Just like Tsunami people stood there and watched the waves crashing toward them staying in harms way to video tape the disaster. You are just asking for it.

Yes many of the people could not get out because of either economic or physical means, but that’s were help from FEMA rescue teams, police and fire fighters come in. They are there to help people who can not help themselves. NOT rescue people fully capable of getting out, or those that stayed to pillage the vacant homes and businesses.

Could things have been done differently? Yes! Can we learn from our mistakes and correct them in the face of future disasters? Yes! Can we continue to blame the government when we fail to take responsibility for our own personal safety? Especially when we have full knowledge of imminent danger? I say not!