It is without a doubt that the gulf coast oil spill cleanup efforts are not going as well as they could. Of all the contributing factors, one major one has not been getting talked about: FEMA should have been here since day one. And, we still desperately need them.
Why FEMA should be here:
This isn’t rocket science. FEMA is simply better suited to mobilize and coordinate raw manpower. Gulf coast residents saw this after Katrina and Rita hit. Everyone knew someone who was working for FEMA. They were surely one of the largest employers in New Orleans for a number of months.
Why FEMA is not here:
Below is an excerpt from a television interview with Admiral Thad Allen, the man currently running the show. I underlined the key point.
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WALLACE: The question really is — the big question — who was really in charge in the first days, the first weeks, of this disaster, B.P. or the government? And if the government — and particularly the public — had known just how bad the situation was right from the start, would we perhaps — we the government — have responded faster?
ALLEN: Well, this started out as a search and rescue case. We had the explosion. We had the extraordinary tragic loss of 11 lives. And for 48 hours we were involved in search and rescue when the drill sunk. We mobilized every asset as if it were a catastrophic response.
After the Exxon Valdez, Congress passed legislation called the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, and the way we respond by designating B.P. as a responsible party and having them have contractors available to do the response is the structure that was mandated by Congress after the Exxon Valdez.
We are changing that as necessary to meet this very anomalous event we’re dealing with now, but the notion that B.P. is the responsible party and hires contractors is the structure that was created by Congress in 1990.
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So, BP is in charge of hiring contractors on a massive scale and making them available to the powers that be.
Problems with the current arrangement:
BP is not hiring the majority of these contractors directly. They are using staffing companies. And, some of those staffing companies are being supplied with workers from other staffing companies. This creates too many layers between potential workers and the task at hand.
Some might claim that BP is going this route in order to minimize liability. I think it’s simply an infrastructure issue. BP’s organizational structure simply wasn’t build to support a massive influx of contracted labor. FEMA, on the other hand, has already proven that they can hire, train, and mobilize contractors in an efficient manner.
After being hired and trained, the mobilization and coordination of these contractors is surely slowed since communication has to travel through an array of different companies. Again… Having FEMA here would peel back these layers.
Adding insult to injury:
Reading through some oil spill related job posts on craigslist is enough to piss anyone off.
Here’s some typical posts:
$10 an hour for hazardous materials removal workers. Wow. After Katrina, many of us had some nasty things to say about FEMA but I never heard anyone complain about what they paid contractors. And, that money was coming directly out of the pockets of tax payers! In this case, FEMA could simply pass the bills along to BP.
In short:
We need FEMA here so they can hire, train, mobilize, and coordinate contractors in a more efficient manner while paying out fair wages by cutting out all the middlemen.
Things you can do:
As explained above, we need to get FEMA down here ASAP.
So, how can you help? We simply need to make enough noise to get this no-brainer idea into the national discourse. Once there, logic and reason will take care of the rest.
- Use social media to bombard the mainstream media. Post links to this article all over Twitter, Facebook, etc. Twitter suggestions: #SendFEMA #oilspill @whitehouse @cnn @foxnews @msnbc
- Call into radio and television programs and tell them why FEMA should have been here since day one.
- Simply explain to friends and family why we should have had / still need FEMA here. Just getting people to think and talk about it will move things in the right direction.
- Call your representatives and ask that they work towards getting FEMA down here.
Go make some noise!
When will we ever learn ?
The BP oil spill is something that could have be prevented and we should learn from this so it does not ever happen again.
We have had some major disasters to help clean up and it would seem we should have learned by now how to provide help in a disaster such as this however it seems we are still not putting what we have learned to good use.
FEMA, Red Cross, Celebrity’s, any and All volunteers should already be helping in this clean up whether BP likes it or not, who gave BP the right to control how to clean up this mess?
This is a Sad day, We need to get off our butts and stop the oil leak, clean it up Today !
Just my thoughts
Im trying to premote a plan to use oil saturated soil to build a sea wall around New Orleans Wildlife area.The wall will be Hard foundation that will hold sedimentary soil to rebuild the sinking landscape.Erosion has been a problem but this sea wall can gather oil as it floats out too.Not to mention keeping it out.Until this sea wall is build the entire city of New Orleans is in danger of the same fate as Galveston Island.Amagine a Tidal wave or oil comming rite now.Do you think it might flame?.
Do you see the importance of it?
first off FEMA doesn’t know the difference between a sand dune and a dune buggy. Are you seriously praising FEMA after Katrina???????? Give me a break FEMA is the most inept governement bureacy out there. And yes that includes congress! FEMA badly botched Hugo, Andrew and especially IVAN!!!!!
Stay the hell away FEMA we dont need or WANT YOU!
Now then ad for the oil cleanup crews yes some are making $10 others are making $18 for just labor, supervisors make more and they WERE HIRED OUT FROM BP! I cannot speak for other companies but BP is inisiting on local workers in each county where the spill is at or is going. The main problem with the hiring process is that half of the people applying are either boozeheads or DRUG ADDICTS!!!!!!!
You put the answer in your post. After the Valdez Congress enacted legislation to make the responsible party take the lead in the cleanup. I think this is ridiculous and agree the Fed’s should be hiring every unemployed person in the south and put them to work. Set up tent cities for them to live and pay them a living wage. 10/hour is less than unemployment pays in California! Sit on my ass and get unemployment or do toxic work and make less! Easy decision for me!
This is just the beginning for the Obama war on American people.The oil spill was an accident as far as I know.Other similar accidents have been cleaned up with out all the heckling from the white house until the spill had been cleaned up. BP doesn’t stand a chance nor will the Government let BP shine by doing what it’s trying to do.
Obama will not be happy until All the oil companies are under his rule like the weak auto dealers were. We as Americans need to stand behind the oil company and allow them to clean up their mess and shine like a proud father.
Re: Cody
I’m anything but a FEMA fan. They are simply better suited to handle contractors in this case.
Re: Mickey
I’m not even going to bother…
$10.00 / hr to clean up hazadrous waste material…you gotta be kidding me. BP should be hiring these people direct and paying a decent wage for their efforts, like the $18.00 / hr some direct hire workers are making…for $10 / hr you get bozos and kids…for $18 / hr you will get much more responsible, mature people participating in the efforts.
Why would I be willing to put forth my efforts for $10 / hr when others doing the same job are earning $18 / hr. D-DE- DEE, I won’t ! ! ! Nor will other people. It is a horendous situation, and I feel sorrow for those living it, but I won’t jeoparidize my health for $10 / hr.
That being said, I don’t think FEMA is the answer. Top wages would bring people in droves, and in this situation being willing or able to pay the wages (good wages) should not be an issue. I’m in Michigan and have been unemployeed for nearly 3 years now…if you offered me $18 / hr I’d be there before the next sunrise…for $10 / hr…I’ll sit here in my unpolluted waterfront home and fish…
FEMA is up to there same old scam.They will never git the hang of what there job is.
FEMA is well equipted – personnel wise – and they are used to working with other agancies such as the EPA and the Coast Guard. They have a basic plan in place that is very flexible and can be tailored to the disaster.
The said part is that this was not reconized almost two months ago….that this is a manmade disaster that can and will effect not only the economy but the eco system.
True, this is the first experience with off shore drilling major oil spills….. but instead of finger pointing, FEMA needs to step in, work with BP to use the infrastructure and basic plan for disasters to fix this mess before it gets worse.
Call FEMA and have them work with BP, the Coast Guard, and anyone else that needs to be involved. Many thousands of well paying jobs on off shore drilling sites are at stake. Do WE Want To Add To The Already HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT?
This is the first disaster of it’s type… why not just jump in… work coorperatively for the good of all…. and let all the other oil rigs do business as usual. Maybe instigate additional inspections, requirements, etc. if needed….. and let this be a learning experience should this type of thing ever happen again…. We, as a government, should have NEVER let this get out of hand.
We should have never turned down help from other countries in cleaning this up in the early days.
Wake UP! Wake UP! This has major Economic implications in many areas on Americans,…. loss of income from the fishing industry, increased oil prices, loss of the shirmp, oysters, fish,wildlife…prices of these items as well as oil will most likely go up at a time when americans are suffering economically . UNEMPLOYMENT of many thousands of people on top of current high unemployment rate.
What is the government going to do? They shouldn’t just point fingers…. HELP HELP HELP
Again, call in FEMA….this is a national disaster that happened in national waters.
At Cody Maverick. FEMA got rid of the old director. The new one is one of the Best. Hails from Florida. Don Fuguae took over FEMA. This man should have been given the chance long ago. It is the Unions working Obama to keep FEMA and the Jones Act out. FEMA is not the same with the new director……………Obama is too scared to use them due to the Katrina failure…………! Lost oppurtunity.
Having worked a number of disaster response and recoveries as a consultant, with a good understanding of the public law that governs how FEMA works, each governor has to make a formal request for a declaration to the President.
I AM AT A TOTAL LOSS AS TO WHY NON OF THE GOVERNORS HAVE DONE THIS CAN ANYONE ANSWER WHY?
This disaster began over two months ago and we’re no closer to getting the oil cut off. I think it is very sad that while our environment is being destroyed and the vast amount of coastal civilians suffering in it’s wake, our president plays rounds of golf and attends baseball games. This has gone on long enough and the time is now for the human race to join together and force these over paid officials to finally solve this problem. So that we can begin the process of cleaning up the mess for the years to come.. My heart breaks for the animals and the earth, man kind has become so distructive and the environment may never bounce back :(
It seems to me that the powers that be are only interested in saving the oil and being able to use that well. You would think that our government both state and federal would have responded to the disaster a lot faster. What do they think they are doing? This problems is not going to just go away. It is going to impact Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and many other places before it is done. ENDANGERED MARINE MAMMALS ARE DYING. Does anyone think the sea turtle population can survive this devastation? I am in Florida that has the most coastline to be impacted. BP should be hiring every available worker to help with the clean up. Not only do they have to stop the well but they have got to help the sea life that is being slaughtered. BP has got to realize that this is not a problem that you can simply throw money at. Without massive rescue efforts we stand to lose entire ecosystems. Yes it is tragic that people will be out of jobs and fishermen will have to change their way of life but it is even more tragic if we cause the extinction of entire species of animal, fish, and marine mammal. Why isn’t Obama doing something more than making idle promises about how the people will be helped? It is like I hear our officials talking but as far as making a difference I have yet to see this situation get anything but worse. I ask the officials to DO SOMETHING ACTIVE to help the wildlife. DO SOMETHING ACTIVE to stop this from ever happening again. I don’t see Obama or the Execs of BP wearing hazmat suits and scrapping oil off of our beaches. I don’t see them trapping and washing our remaining sea turtles, sharks, dolphins, and birds. I don’t even see them donating some of their large salaries to help the effort or commending Dawn dish detergent for their efforts. What I do see is them standing around watching our gulf die and the people it supports starve. You know what I vote, my friends vote, and everyone on the street I speak with I encourage to vote. Obama and Crist I voted for both of you now it is time for you to live up to your offices.
From my perspective, FEMA is an agency whose chief mission is controlling people. That’s why they have FEMA camps and swat teams. They are not set up to handle oil cleanup or mitigate any disasters that I know of.
You are 100% correct. FEMA should be coordinating all of the activity. In not putting FEMA in charge, Obama is effectively putting blocks in place to slow the well getting capped and the clean up being done. I believe this is being done to improve his position for his carbon fuel cap and tax. The worse the spill gets, the more people that it affects, the better his chances of getting support for the bill. It does appear as if he stands to make a profit personaly from the creation of a carbon credit commission.
FEMA should be managing the show and reporting directly to the White House.
Stop the leak. Clean up the Mess. Do it now.
And yes MR. President, if the only way you can come up with to clean up the mess is to suck it up with a straw, you need to get busy doing it.
I am having difficulty understanding why there is not a comprehensive all out effort to first stop this oil leak and two why we seem to be dragging our feet to get this cleaned up. If the four story stucture they dropped over the leak was not enough to stop the leak then why not two four story stuctures. Also 22 countries around the world expert in oil clean up with special ships and equipment are not being engaged to help. Why not? We seem to be focused on placing blame than addressing the problem. This bungling President and his commie administation have got to go