Who delayed body collection: Blanco, FEMA, or Kenyon?
Tags: kathleen blanco, fema, kenyonLa. Gov. Blamed for Slow Removal of Bodies
Bodies of people killed by Hurricane Katrina went uncollected for more than a week in the New Orleans area as the federal government waited for Louisiana's governor to decide what to do with them, according to memos released Thursday by a Republican-led House committee.
The 38 pages of e-mail between FEMA representatives and Pentagon officials contradict the contention by Louisiana's Democratic Gov. Kathleen Blanco, two weeks after Katrina hit on Aug. 29, that the federal government was moving too slowly to recover the bodies…
The memos indicate that morgues were not ready to receive bodies until Sept. 7 — two days after the first memo complaining about Blanco's inaction, and nine days after Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast…
…"This issue must be addressed, and frankly, there is operations paralysis at this point," [Army Col. John J. Jordan, the military assistant to former Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael Brown] wrote [in a Sep 5 email]. "FEMA is pushing state to see what they want to do, and indications are that governor is involved in some of the decisions," especially regarding burial.
"Believe organized collection must begin today once morgue is operational or it will become evident to media that plan for collection is not in place," Jordan wrote in the e-mail, which was sent to Brown and Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honore, the military coordinator for the disaster.
But the morgue did not open until two days later, according to the Sept. 7 e-mail from Jordan.
"First morgue site is fully operational," Jordan wrote to the Pentagon officials. "…Believe media and family member interest will continue to cause security concerns."
Nearly a week later, on Sept. 13, Blanco lashed out at the federal government, accusing it of moving too slowly in recovering the bodies and saying it was disrespectful to wait so long.
Blanco spokesman Bob Mann said Thursday it was FEMA's responsibility for removing bodies, which was delayed because the agency failed to sign a contract with Houston-based Kenyon International Emergency Services to do so.
Blanco "was almost literally jumping up and down and screaming about FEMA's failure to execute the contract with Kenyon," Mann said. "There were few things during that period that were more important and more urgent to the governor than doing something about this body removal. It was important to her that these people be treated with dignity, that these bodies not be allowed to lay out in the street."
"Yes, there was paralysis, but it was on the part of FEMA," Mann said.
Kenyon International's president Robert Jensen said in a telephone interview Thursday night that it was his company's decision not to sign a contract with FEMA. He declined to give reasons, other than to say that money was not the issue. Kenyon later accepted a contract with the state…
December 4th, 2005 at 2:12 am
AVII-BLUES
New Orleans may have a lucky streak or its just that God Loves somebody other than Ray Nagin. What this boils down to is the case of how America is going to be hit by the avian flu more commonly known as a Influezema Virus Epidemic all over the world from China where many deaths have resulted to Thailand where the first human to human migrated strains are now occurring. The conclusion is that even with the special deal that the Federal government made with Canada on the vaccine another migrated strain could start within hours making the decision on which distribution route might have to be stopped is a serious matter of which strain is attacking whom with only a diagnosis of known cases to make the momentous choice I see how there will be needless deaths more so than any hurricane that has approached the Gulf Coast Shores in the past or more recent. The service Americans give to bring this momentous effort is a serious matter of whom is going to help fullfill the needs and from what I see New Orleans has dropped from a successful story of supporting others to a seroius negative rating and thats not procrastinating the past events or name calling. Theres a route to remanage any city that must be followed without distractions and some folks are just to distracting and down right ignorant of the sriousness of the situation that America faces depending highly on a magic solution somewhere written to make it better. It just does not pan out that way and to rebuild is a decision of major commitment and dedication. Theres no comparison to Avian Flu if you get that or aid in spreading that or other diseases then the doom of a great momentous effort will become shadowed with failure. I hate to see that your failing in regards to the world successful commitments. Kings are not Kings but mere humans failing to yield to their own supporters when they fall they bring down the walls of the kingdom with it. Is it that the kingdom canot support itself without having a dependancy on a Federal government destined to be some of the many that will die as a result of the Avian Flu because they contacted a migrated strain they were not protected against attempting to follow through with some lunatics request for something they could have gotten their own selves faster and more effectively. The end is a beginning see that the curtain rises when it falls. The world is depending on everyone to know the truth. Don't think your a stupid bird out to wing a new nest while others are working seriously to keep the nest they have regardless how filthy or how poor it has become it is and that condition exists in some prisons around the world.