hokiewolf said:
SmaptyWolf said:
CoachCase said:
Good points, but up until the late 90s - NC did not experience the widespread flooding that it is subject to today. And to the state's credit - whether Dem or Rep leadership - the state has made great strides in its public safety response to catastrophic flooding. I know this first hand because (#1) I am the fire chief in a flood prone county and (#2) I have worked firsthand with state officials to improve my fire department's water rescue capability. I did not post after the flooding in the mountains re FEMA, response, etc because it was for the most part an unprecedented event. Not everyone understands how FEMA is set up to work (that is a discussion for another day). I will tell you that once money is sent to the state level from the Feds that it can be become political because the state then releases the money to the local level. My parents house has been flooded twice and my county was one of the last to receive FEMA funding (the buyout process can take several years - another discussion at another time) while predominantly Democrat counties (Robeson) under Cooper's watch received money first. This is fact.
As for California, it is a tragedy that in some ways cannot be prevented but it is not unprecedented in regards to the state's history. There are ways in which a FD trains, equips and responds to these types of incidents. The FD's hands were tied. The problem in LA is that there appears to be clear evidence that the FD was being denied reasonable requests for assistance but apparently turned down because funding was going elsewhere including millions to assist with housing/caring for illegal immigrants. That appears to be fact as well and anyone with common sense can see that the governor and mayor have been negligent to taxpayers they are suppose to serve for essential services while making it political.
Here's the part where you veer off into right wing disinformation land.
Apparently Dems are the only ones who still believe that natural disasters shouldn't be turned into hyper-partisan sh** shows. That's why you didn't see Dems on the ground in Chimney Rock going after Republican leaders looking for all of the ways things didn't go flawlessly (even during an election year). Instead they just rallied to get NC help.
Meanwhile, every disaster in a red state is an excuse for you guys to go after FEMA and the federal government (conveniently absolving the local Republican government of any responsibility for the mess), and every disaster in a blue state is turned into a referendum on local Dem leadership. Every time.
Pretty despicable stuff, honestly.
around 20k damaged or structures destroyed vs 150k. One a historic 500 year flood the other wildfires in a state that SHOULD be more prepared for them. I see a difference even if you don't.
Also to your point on budget. What was cut was overtime, which is when the FD would go and cut brush and inspect properties and train
Please check the link I posted above from a Southern Californian about controlled burns, brush clearing, etc. You have no idea what you're talking about. (Here, I'll post it again:
https://jabberwocking.com/why-dont-we-do-more-prescribed-burning-an-explainer/ ).
And of course you know that it wasn't lack of training that caused this fire to get out of control. Expecting them to stop a wildfire in 70 mph winds is like expecting emergency personnel in NC to stop the flood water as it's raging down the mountains. You're expectations are ridiculous.
It's an incredibly challenging situation, and the only "planning" that's not already being done that would really make a difference would be to not have built many of these nature-adjacent neighborhoods in the first place that global warming has turned into an even bigger tinder box than they used to be. But that free market ship sailed ages ago.
