FEMA, Red Cross disagree on damage to Miami-Dade. Another mess.

[madfloridian]

Our county was the one who got the eye of three hurricanes, and FEMA is dawdling all over the place here in Polk. Miami gets lightly hit, and gets over 20 million already.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/9885887.htm

SNIP.."FEMA to review nearly 20,000 aid claims in Miami-Dade
Associated Press
MIAMI - Hurricane damage in Miami-Dade County has been light, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $20 million in aid requests from the county and plans to review nearly 20,000 claims.

Of the four hurricanes that hit Florida in rapid succession late this summer, Frances and Jeanne blew the closest to Miami-Dade, toppling some trees but causing only isolated power outages..."

SNIP.."Everyone from the National Weather Service to Miami-Dade County and city officials agrees that there is no significant damage. But as of Friday, FEMA had approved 9,801 claims for a total of $21.5 million.

"We have responded to about 100 calls ... all minimal assistance," in the county, said Annette Barket, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross of Greater Miami and the Keys. "There's a huge disparity there."

"Citing privacy laws, FEMA officials won't identify applicants or recipients or provide a breakdown more specific than the county of origin. FEMA sends a contracted inspector to verify damage before paying claims.."

[SoCalDem]

1. Swing voters??? Wavering voters???

If they are "sure"of the northerners and the die-hard repubes, they might be willing to bribe the less "sure" voters in the south.

[madfloridian]

2. Makes more sense than the amount of damage.

This is just so screwed up. They got the south side, the weaker side of the storms.... that is not that bad.

People here are starting to get angry. Our street still looks like a war zone, can't see the houses for the huge 20 feet high piles of debris is some areas. Only NOW this debris is all brown and ready to catch on fire so easily.

FEMA is in charge of debris pick-up caused by the storms. They are not doing their jobs here, but instead sending all that money to an area that the Red Cross disputes.

[Philostopher]

4. My thought -- Miami has higher population density than other damage areas.

Also, isn't there an Air Force Base still near Miami? Homestead, I believe. Probably also trying to win back some of the Cuban voters who seem to be wavering -- isn't there a fairly high concentration of them in Miami?

God, I hate to see even the behavior of FEMA as a GOP 'get out the vote' effort. It's cynical on my part ... but disgusting on theirs, if this really is just an effort to woo voters in an area of higher population density that's more likely to vote for the Naked Emperor.

I wish somebody would dump salt on these slugs. I'd love to watch them dissolve, if this really is a ploy.

[whistle]

3. FEMA has mailed thousands of letters to private home owners claims...

...in the Florida areas hardest hit by the four devastating hurricanes and are denying any support grants. Instead they are deferring those claims to the Small Business Administration after nearly 8 weeks, to apply for low interest loans. It's total bullshit for homeowners who are devastated and lost everything or sustained major damage and rebuilding, because without sound credit, the SBA will reject most cases after months of delay and red tape. So the visits by Dubya to Florida damaged areas was nothing than a stage show for the media and to give the impression that Bush cares and is helping families in distress. Nothing is further from the truth.