FEMA suspends Phoenix team

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TunnelRat
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FEMA suspends Phoenix team

Post by TunnelRat »

FEMA suspends Phoenix team
Armed escorts during hurricane rescues broke rule

Judi Villa
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 4, 2005 12:00 AM

The Phoenix Fire Department's Urban Search and Rescue team has been suspended from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for deploying armed police officers to protect firefighters in violation of the agency's rules.

As a result, Phoenix officials now are threatening to refuse some of the most dangerous deployments in the future or possibly even pull out of the federal agency altogether, unless the rules are changed to allow teams to bring their own security, even if that means police with guns.

FEMA has been the target of widespread criticism for its perceived slow response to Hurricane Katrina. Assistant Phoenix Fire Chief Bob Khan said his department also is questioning the federal agency's ability to manage working conditions, security and communications.
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"Our priority has to be the safety of the firefighters we're sending," Khan said.

At issue is a rule in FEMA's Code of Conduct that prohibits Urban Search and Rescue teams from having firearms. Phoenix's team that deployed for Hurricane Katrina relief and again for Hurricane Rita included four police officers deputized as U.S. marshals.


Firefighters say: "No Gun; no go"...
More at:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... ema04.html#
TunnelRat

"Applying the standard that is well established in our case law, we hold that the Second Amendment right is fully applicable to the States." ~ McDonald v. Chicago

When your only tools are a hammer and sickle, every problem starts to look like too much freedom.
NavyChief
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Post by NavyChief »

From another forum I frequent...
Sis in law works for the Corps of Engineers - they were all called into a meeting soliciting for "volunteers" to go help with disaster relief. But when the FEMA folks were asked the following questions - and provided the answers they did...well the result was as one would expect.
1- Where will we be housed?
A-You will have to be able to fend for yourselves, live from your car or truck during this operation.
2- What food and water will be available?
A- Again you will have to bring your provisions with you.
3. What about our safety - what measures will be taken to protect the voluteers from the looting gangs?
A- We do not have the available resources to assign armed protection to you.
4. Can we provide our own protection and bring our own firearms?
A- No. We cannot authorize you to bring firearms across state lines.
5. Then what about bows and crossbows, many of us have the equipment used for bow hunting?
A- No we cannot authorize that either.

No one volunteered. There were mutterments of reprisals and forcing federal employees to "serve" in the area, but when the entire group responded to those "mutterances" with the resolve to quit before being FORCED to go unarmed and unprotected into what is essentially a war zone no repercussions seem to be forthcoming.
Many WERE willing to go, until the foolhardy conditions were revealed.
It's post #18 here...
Total repeal of ALL firearms/weapons laws at the local, state and federal levels. Period. Wipe the slate clean.
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