Why can't you just concede my points? It will make it easier on us all. Now, I have to pull a Brosz on you and push facts and figures in front of your face.

Here's the current FEMA efforts and activities at this time:

45 truckloads of water and 45 truckloads of ice and 25 truckloads of meals are pre-staging at federal facilities in Texas.

Over 400 medical team personnel and 14 Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces, almost 800 personnel, are pre-staging in Texas.

More than 450 Members of Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces are still working in Louisiana .

The U.S. Coast Guard is pre-positioning search and rescue, pollution response and aids to navigation assets inland for post-storm response.

Coast Guard Disaster Area Response Teams (DART) will be staged in Houston to provide relief in the event of a disaster.

The Department of Homeland Security's Infrastructure Protection division is working closely with private sector owners and operators to ensure protective measures are underway at local critical infrastructure sites.

The American Red Cross has resources to deliver 750,000 meals a day a day after Hurricane Rita makes landfall, while keeping appropriate resources in place to assist Katrina evacuees.

This is the best they can do - with the knowledge and experience of Katrina still fresh.

1) Almost 800 personnel are prepping and staging in Texas.
2) 750,000 meals a day from the Red Cross
3) 45 trucks of water, 45 truckloads of Ice, 25 truckloads of meals

"The third point is FEMA doesn't have the resources to evacuate a large city on its own and can't be held accountable for casualties incurred because of poor local emergency planning."

Bullshit. In the event of a nuclear attack from terrorists, they would be tasked with exactly that. Where do you get this crap?

800 people aren't anywhere near enough to deal with a non-evacuated city. FEMA is counting on local folks doing their jobs and evacuating as many people out of harms' way as possible.

You can't stage meals and troops for a nuclear attack unless you have some advance warning. If Rita displaces a million folks, 250,000 will go without meals. And if it weren't for the American Red Cross, they wouldn't have the 750,000 meals they are staging to the area.

This may come as a surprise, but the American Red Cross is NOT a government agency. From their website:

Is the American Red Cross part of the U.S. government?
The American Red Cross functions independently of the government but works closely with government agencies, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), during times of major crises. It is responsible for giving aid to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and to disaster victims at home and abroad. It does this through services that are consistent with its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement allowing the Red Cross to stay neutral and impartial.

What is the Mission of the American Red Cross?
The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers, guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

So if it weren't for the PRIVATE SECTOR 750,000 less meals would be delivered and most folks would starve for awhile if they had to wait for the Federal government to provide their meals - precisely what we observed from Katrina.

Its swell and fine to expect FEMA to deliver but my point still stands - they are not equipped to save everyone. They can only manage resources put at their disposal. FEMA, in military terms, is a glorified command and control center - not a supply warehouse.

I got a kick out of folks who were surprised that Wal-mart got on the scene first with supplies. Wal-mart has WAY more trucks than Uncle Sam! And they are strategically located nearly everywhere! It is EASY for Wal-mart to respond, when they have stores and food stocked in nearly every metropolitan region!

You're living in fantasy land if you think FEMA would be able to feed everyone after a nuclear attack. Millions would die. Most foodstuff would be contaminated and more than ever the Feds MUST RELY upon the PRIVATE SECTOR for emergency relief.

So your still living somewhat with that rosy cheeked, little kid view of the government as some all-powerful and omnipotent institution.

It isn't. It's a bunch of people executing a bunch of laws.

FEMA is a bunch of people managing resources.

Whether it be a hurricane or some other disaster, if FEMA had to be a first responder and the sole provider of assistance - nearly everyone would die.

The DHS is a command and control type institution:

Strategic Goals
Awareness -- Identify and understand threats, assess vulnerabilities, determine potential impacts and disseminate timely information to our homeland security partners and the American public.

Prevention -- Detect, deter and mitigate threats to our homeland.

Protection -- Safeguard our people and their freedoms, critical infrastructure, property and the economy of our Nation from acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies.

Response -- Lead, manage and coordinate the national response to acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies.

Recovery -- Lead national, state, local and private sector efforts to restore services and rebuild communities after acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies.

Service -- Serve the public effectively by facilitating lawful trade, travel and immigration.

Organizational Excellence -- Value our most important resource, our people. Create a culture that promotes a common identity, innovation, mutual respect, accountability and teamwork to achieve efficiencies, effectiveness, and operational synergies.

Source: DHS.GOV

"Lead, manage and coordinate the national response" that phrase tells the whole story.

It's lob is not to "provide" or "supply" a response. FEMA and DHS are managers.

Hopefully after reading this and seeing the facts, folks will see that FEMA can't be a first responder to emergencies - they can only manage others: The Coast Guard, The American Red Cross...and local resources like Wal-Mart.

;-)