BRAD BLOG: Worse Than Katrina: Burned-up Residents Fault Officials for San Diego Devastation

[BradBlog]

Worse than Katrina: Burned-up Residents Fault Officials for San Diego's Devastating Fires
Earlier Recommendations Ignored by Governor; Equipment, Personnel Unavailable, Undeployed, Late in Coming
Failures of County Supervisors Also Cited as 'Too Little, Too Late'...

Special to The BRAD BLOG by Miriam Raftery from San Diego, CA

“It’s like Armageddon,” Jill Michaels said, after watching her home burn to the ground in the Harris fire. In the early hours of the worst fire in California history, the Michaels family received no evacuation warning and found exit routes blocked, forcing them to turn back to their home in Potrero. Now, the Michaels are among half a million evacuees who have fled four raging wildfires, the worst fire disaster in California history. Worse even than the 2003 Cedar fire, which until now held that shameful record.

San Diego County now has more refugees than New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. While reported loss of life thus far remains low, hundreds of thousands of acres have been scorched and countless people will soon return home--only to find themselves homeless.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and local officials have made media appearances claiming credit for swiftly responding to the disaster. “There is much more equipment available, more manpower is available, quicker action,” Schwarzenegger said, according to the Associated Press.

What the Governor failed to mention is that he vetoed four bills that would have increased staffing and fire resources after the Cedar Fire, at a cost of tens of millions of dollars...



COMPLETE COVERAGE: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5202

[aquart]

1. But far fewer deaths and no family has been separated.

I'm seeing that as a major improvement.

Other than that, I COMPLETELY AGREE.

[BradBlog]

8. You are right...

While Miriam Raftery (the San Diego resident who wrote the story linked above) headlined it as you see it above, and was referring to the number of evacuees, I believe you -- and the other critics here -- are right in suggesting that the comparison to Katrina, by including it in the headline, are (currently) overstated.

I've removed the "Worse Than Katrina" part from the headline on the original post at The BRAD BLOG, along with a note as to the reasons.

The input is always appreciated!

[msongs]

2. only 1% are refugees, others will all be back in their homes in a few days

1 million evacuated divided by 5000-10000 at most now homeless = 1% have lost their homes and are refugees.

while it is a major disaster, it is not really comparable to Katrina

Msongs

[pitohui]

3. that is just completely and totally untrue -- wow, that's how to lie with statistics

katrina did not affect just new orleans, it affected over 90,000 square miles of louisiana, mississippi, and even into alabama and a tiny bit of florida

over 2,000 people were killed -- 1,578 just in new orleans alone

i don't have the number to hand any more of how many were evacuated from the region, but it was around 2 million -- way more than the 1 million being reported for san diego county -- you can only pretend that fewer people evacuated from katrina if you pretend that only people from new orleans evacuated, when in reality virtually every parish and county on the gulf coast in southeast louisiana and gulf coast mississippi was evacuated

he basically just distorts the statistics and tries to pretend the fire is a bigger disaster by blatantly ignoring the fact that katrina hit a much larger area than just new orleans, one of the smaller "major" cities

why is this a contest anyway?

why would you WANT your disaster to be "bigger than katrina?" this is just sick, sick, sick

[global1]

4. Because As Disasters Go The People Affected By It Fared Much Better.....

than the people of NO and the Gulf Coast. Just look at the festive atmosphere at Qualcomm Stadium. Any politician would like to take credit that it was because of their brilliant handling. That's why Chertoff, FEMA and *Co are mugging the camera and doing the interviews and photo ops.

Look 9/11 may get Guiliani a run for the presidency.

Ha, Ha - My disaster is bigger than your disaster - Ha - Ha.

Arnold is no dummy.

[Devlzown]

5. My thoughts are with those affected by

this fire, but to say that it's worse than Katrina is worse than foolish and a bit of an insult to those of us who went through the storm.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. I hate to say this, but as somebody who did this for ten years

the critical phase of the disaster has been amazing.... and they have done a good job

I don't think it will stay this way... but in the early hours and first twenty four to forty eight hours... they did a very good job

So bite me!

And yes I live in this town...

And the numbers of people killed tell the story...

[Jacobin]

7. This dude needs to watch his comparisons

1300 homes burned and that's awful. The 500,000 out of their houses for a few days is very inconvenient and I'm sure the worry over losing their homes was not a good feeling.


But to compare this to Katrina where 1,500 plus DIED and hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed is simply pathetic and shameful.

The American Red Cross estimates that more than 350,000 homes were destroyed by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, while an additional 146,000 had major damage. Overall, 850,791 housing units were damaged, destroyed or left inaccessible because of Katrina. Even if all those homes are not rebuilt, the task dwarfs the 28,000 homes lost when Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2005-10-05-katrina-housing-usat_x.htm

[Sequoia]

9. Oh, look at Arnold.

He is not kissing that baby...TRUST ME!!! (His catch phrase for the "positive" fire response.)

[SaveAmerica]

11. Sorry! Your post wasn't there when I started my response

That's what I get for editing and re-writing my thoughts so much! Anyway, I don't think the Mom in the picture has any idea! Politicians have babies lifted to them, or they hold them up like a trophy and kiss, he's just gross!

[Sequoia]

12. I'm surprised no one else posted it right at the start.

He's no friend of firemen. I remember how he bad-mouthed them and the nurses a couple years ago. He's a real class act bastard.

[SaveAmerica]

10. I don't know, but Arnold sure is getting an eyeful while pretending to kiss that baby!

We need to compare: what support is given to a Republican governor after this fire, and what was given to a Democratic governor after Katrina. They (the bush administration will try to use this tragedy and their 'response' as a way to undo public sentiment for them after Katrina).

[Liberty Belle]

13. I was quoting public officials here actually who used the term

"worse than Katrina" in a press conference this morning in reference to the number of evacuees, and my article clearly indicated the comparison was to New Orleans, not the entire Gulf Coast.

However I did not mean to suggest that the loss of life is on a scale with Katrina, and while I stated that in the story, i agree with Brad that changing the headline is appropriate.

That said, the impact on San Diego cannot be understated here. There will likely be well over 2,000 homes destroyed by the time they get in and assess damage in areas not accessible now. Of the half million who evacuated, based on past fires, hundreds or even thousands of those will suffer some form of damage to their homes, properties, animals or health. Besides the fatality count (which will probably rise as they find bodies of people trapped) there are people with severe burns, respiratory problems, or other fire-related conditions. Some lost cars that burned. There is damage to schools and other important buildings. Many people are taking in refugees. Everyone in the county is affected, or has family or close friends who are. This is NOT just a few isolated areas - it is virtually county-wide in the 6th largest city in America. This is the worst wildfire in California history.

The land is scarred for decades, especially given the destruction wrought by the 2003 Cedar Fire, which burned over 99% of Cuyamaca State Park, our entire pine forest, for example. Vast neighborhoods in almost every city and community within San Diego County look like war zones. Two of three major electrical lines into the city are down. In some areas people have no drinking water or must boil water supplies.


After the last fire, half the people in the County have still not been able to rebuild, many because of under insurance issues. Many left the area. The same may happen here again. Last time, depending on which count you use, there were 50,000 to 100,000 evacuees. This time, well over half a million - and that number continues to rise. Remember that for every home burned, there are often several people left homeless, and some will never be able to afford another home. Recovering from such a loss is traumatic at best.

So no contest with New Orleans, but please have sympathy for the people of San Diego - and by the way there are many, many poor people hear who are burned out - the news media focuses on the rich homes, because reporters aren't interested in showing you the burned out trailer parks or poor people in small homes in the mountain towns who are now reporting looting, too.