Opinions

Drew contingent had the right idea

Friday, March 9, 2007 10:22 PM CST

Our neighbors in Monticello and Drew County are well known for their kindness and hospitality. They are also observant and can readily see beyond smoke and mirrors.

A dozen Drew County residents were in Washington on a lobbying trip earlier this week and sought a meeting with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials in a show of support to their storm-struck neighbors in Desha County, including Dumas, hardest hit by Feb. 24 storms.

The contingent of political and business leaders visited FEMA headquarters in the nation’s capital to seek a face-to-face meeting with FEMA Director David Paulison.

All they got for their trouble was a 25-minute meeting in the FEMA headquarters lobby with an agency spokesman and its director of legislative affairs. The two FEMA officials attempted to blame the state for the lack of an official federal emergency declaration.

“What was transmitted to me was they said that the governor had not yet declared (a disaster) and that we hadn’t asked for anything, which is bull****,” said David Maxwell, director of the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, who said he hoped that the Drew County group misunderstood what FEMA officials were telling them.

The observant folks from Drew didn’t misunderstand. It was just more of the “bull****” Maxwell cited.

Paulison finally denied Gov. Mike Beebe’s request for a federal disaster declaration, saying the state and local governments are capable of providing the needed relief.

Paulison wrote in a Thursday letter, released Friday by Beebe’s office, that the governor had specifically asked for federal assistance for Desha County and for private individuals, including those who need temporary housing.

“Based on our review of all the information available, it has been determined that the damage to the private sector was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state and affected local governments,” Paulison said in the letter. “We have determined that supplemental federal assistance is not necessary.”

Maybe the response has something to do with the water or air inside the Washington Beltway. Or, perhaps, you are required to check in your common sense at the border when crossing into the District of Columbia.

While the letter didn’t mention requests to send FEMA trailers stored at Hope to the storm-damaged area for temporary housing, Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., said FEMA has agreed to work through General Services Administration to obtain 30 travel trailers and mobile homes for Desha County residents.

The Feb. 24 storms injured 27 people in Dumas, destroyed or damaged 150 homes, and put at least 800 people out of work in the small town. They went days without electricity and residents had to boil their drinking water.

The residents of Dumas have suffered, are suffering and will continue to suffer for the foreseeable future. That apparently didn’t factor into FEMA’s decision.

Perhaps one of the unkindness cuts of all was an earlier FEMA reference to state government’s surplus of more than $800 million.

FEMA apparently didn’t check its map section: Dumas and Desha County are located in the Mississippi Delta, one of the poorest areas of Arkansas and one the nation’s poorest areas.

The agency has drawn the ire of U.S. Rep. Mike Ross, D-Prescott, who represents South Arkansas and has led efforts among Arkansas’ congressional delegation to secure a federal disaster declaration.

U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor described FEMA’s lack of aid as “outrageous ... inexcusable.” He was too polite.

The polite neighbors from Drew County were not as nice. They know how to recognize “bull****” when they see it.

FEMA obviously didn’t learn any lessons from Hurricane Katrina. They have forgotten that the words “emergency and management” are their middle name.

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