Comparing 9-11 to Katrina

Lets compare the leadership

9-11:  Rudolph Giuliani and George Pataki come out right away and took charge.  They were right in the thick of things; they were role models to look up to.  No one heard them whining and complaining about anything.  They had a job to do, and they did it.  Maybe it is just a coincidence that they are Republicans.

Hurricane Katrina:  Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin did not follow their evacuation plans, were not heard from for days, and when they were heard from they were whining and crying like losers that that George Bush was not helping them fast enough.  Maybe it is just a coincidence that they are both Democrats.

Hear is why the local government failed:
The primary responsibility for dealing with emergencies does not belong to the federal government. It belongs to local and state officials who are charged by law with the management of the crucial first response to disasters. First response should be carried out by local and state emergency personnel under the supervision of the state governor and his emergency operations center.
The actions and inactions of Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin are a national disgrace due to their failure to implement the previously established evacuation plans of the state and city. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin cannot claim that they were surprised by the extent of the damage and the need to evacuate so many people. Detailed written plans were already in place to evacuate more than a million people. The plans projected that 300,000 people would need transportation in the event of a hurricane like Katrina. If the plans had been implemented, thousands of lives would likely have been saved.
In addition to the plans, local, state and federal officials held a simulated hurricane drill 13 months ago, in which widespread flooding supposedly trapped 300,000 people inside New Orleans. The exercise simulated the evacuation of more than a million residents. The problems identified in the simulation apparently were not solved.
It must be noted that:
The difference between 9-11 and Katrina is that even with the terror attacks, most of the city was able to function…after Katrina the whole city was under water.  All the supplies and rescue equipment was unable to be used.
Lets not forget another reason for a slow rescue effort:
9-11:  Everyone was helping each other
Katrina:  people were looting and shooting at rescue workers.

So, who is to blame?
My opinion:
Local officials:  They showed no leadership, no strength, they whined and complained….they didn’t even follow their own evacuation plans, so many, many more people died than needed to.
FEMA:  I don’t know how fast they are supposed to respond, but local groups are suppose to respond first.
Federal government:  Not great, probably could have been there a day earlier.  Now they have taken over the lack of leadership and are doing a great job.