TX Wild Fires, Perry calls for Federal Aid, Local FireFighters told to go home.

[Razmear]

http://www.gonzalescannon.com/node/6410

Feds to assume control of Bastrop Co. fire; volunteer firemen turned away

By Dave Mundy/manager@gonzalescannon.com
Posted September 6, 2011 - 12:51pm

BASTROP — Firefighting-trained volunteers from around the state converged on Bastrop and Smithville Tuesday to lend a hand to the beleaguered local firefighters battling the Bastrop County Complex Fire, only to be sent away as federal officials arrived at the scene and took command.
“We were at the station getting set up into strike teams, and this guy came up and said that the U.S. Forest Service had ‘assumed control of the situation, and that ‘If you don’t have a vehicle that squirts water, go home,’” said Gordon Greer of Kirbyville, who drove all night Monday to arrive in the town beset by the worst wildfire in Texas history. “You’ve got guys who had driven all night long from Corpus Christi and Brownsville on their own dime, and they turned them away. He was really a (bleep) about it.
“There was a whole line of beige cars that came in this morning, tinted windows and such,” Greer said.
A spokesperson with the U.S. National Interagency Incident Center, Jennifer Jones, confirmed that federal group of several different agencies would be assuming command in Bastrop County around 1 p.m. Tuesday, but had not done so when the firefighting volunteers were told to leave. April Saginor with the Texas Forest Service said her agency had not made any such order, to her knowledge, but promised to provide an update later in the day.
Several of the volunteers voiced their displeasure at federal agents taking charge at the scene after appeals by Texas Gov. Rick Perry for federal aid following another series of wildfires earlier this year was turned down.
“They’re willing to sacrifice the lives of the people of Bastrop just so they can come in here and pull rank,” said Daniel Miller of Nederland, who had led a group of Texas Nationalist Movement members who were certified firefighters to Bastrop from the Beaumont area. Miller said he and several other members of the group would remain in the Bastrop area to aid with civilian relief efforts.

This is the first time I've heard of the NIIC, more alphabet groups screwing up the nation.

eb

[CaptainAmerica]

Maybe FEMA will buy and ship millions of trailers down there to be unused too and hand out checks to people .

[RedLightning]

Are these people they're sending back part of some sort of fire dept (volunteer or paid)? Or is it just a bunch of people with no equipment wanting to help?

[libertyjam]

The call last night was for retired and volunteer firefighters across the state as the local FD's did not have enough personnel. So all the responders should have been trained and likely have some gear. Local phone numbers went out to coordinate with local agencies and the Forest Service.

[Matthew5]

Are these people they're sending back part of some sort of fire dept (volunteer or paid)? Or is it just a bunch of people with no equipment wanting to help?

Does it really matter if they have equipment? Men and women need water, food, and rest breaks...have volunteers jump in on the front lines.

[Matthew5]

I'm sorry, but this really makes my blood boil as a Texan. And it's not just the Federals...sure, they're going to be inefficient idiots. But for Perry to campaign across the country and deride the Federal government and then to go back crying for their help is the epitome of asinine behavior. How can anyone trust such an arrogant fool?

[acptulsa]

New Orleans redux. Joplin redux.

FEMA is beyond useless. They're at least a nuisance, and often downright dangerous.

[Paul Revered]

Are these people they're sending back part of some sort of fire dept (volunteer or paid)? Or is it just a bunch of people with no equipment wanting to help?

I'm new to this area; but it's my understanding that the fire departments in this area are all volunteer. I stopped to talk to a family that had been evacuated from their home in Cedar Creek, before the Feds were brought in. I asked if they knew whether or not I, as an average Joe, could help with the fire. They told me that that they wanted to help; but that even with their own property in jeopardy, that they were not allowed to help firefighters. I suspect that what we're talking about here, are trained volunteer firefighters, being cut loose by the Feds.

[RedLightning]

Does it really matter if they have equipment?

Depends on what they're volunteering for. My fire dept (volunteer) won't let people we don't know use our equipement(a lot of it is insurance issues). Therefore if they don't have equipment or supplies they might just get in the way. A fire I was at Monday(no Feds involved) we let volunteers in to help if they had some sort of equipment (such as bulldozers) or to supply water etc. to firefighters.

[Napoleon's Shadow]

take this with a grain of salt

[reillym]

Let's be honest here guys. Perry GUTTED the fire budget of texas. So he had to call in the feds.

And let's also be honest here, local volunteer firefights have a hard time fighting a fire that is raging across miles and miles.

[libertarian4321]

$#@!, the Feds are in charge of fighting the fire?

I wasn't too worried about it, but with these clowns in charge, the entire state might burn...

[libertyjam]

09-06-11-how-to-help-the-victims-of-the-texas-wildfires-whether-youre-in-austin-or-not/

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192402117497248

News:
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/09...h-urban-sprawl

In Pictures:
http://www.csmonitor.com/CSM-Photo-G...exas-wildfires