PLEASE READ!! ** KEEPING UP MORALE **

[bvigal]

When I think of how much effort and resources are going into criticizing, second-guessing, speculation, etc., it seems important to point out that we can all do better. In the last few days, I've caught myself doing it several times. As of today, I'm resolved to only tell the good things I'm seeing, and demonstrate my unshaken faith in the good of the American people - the best in the world!!

****** Keeping Morale Up *******

Benefits:
1. Helps rescue efforts - more volunteers, better performance of emergency personnel, better cooperation among agencies
2. Helps victims on scene hold on for help, and perhaps even makes the difference between living and dying
3. Helps fundraising - more will be collected if people feel their money is being used effectively

Conclusion:
Criticism and finger-pointing DOES have a negative effect upon rescue/recovery efforts. Distractions of listening to, talking about, or instigating discussions regarding "what's wrong" with the ongoing efforts is non-productive. Anyone with that much time on their hands, please call your Red Cross and go donate blood. Or take your vacation and go to Texas or Louisiana and volunteer at a shelter. Plenty of help is needed. Plenty of time to criticize later.

Prescription:
FEMA BRIEFING- find it on CSPAN
I'm currently watching this morning's emergency briefing. NONE OF THE MAJOR MEDIA choose to carry this - as usual, they would rather shape "reality" for us, rather than let us hear for ourselves and form our own opinion. (schedule for briefings in press release, next post)

This briefing is INCREDIBLY uplifting, and explains SO MUCH about what is happening, and the chain of events since before Katrina struck. The sick feeling in my stomach is gone, and I can now understand what has taken place. There are heros, working tirelessly, officials dealing with unimaginable obstacles, unseen in modern history of rescue efforts. So many have been evac'd. More are crawling up out of the devastation by the thousands, unaware of what's going on, showing up at the nearest gathering point: SuperDome, Convention Center, etc. It's not that they haven't "yet" evacuated those places, it's that they continue to fill!!!

Please, we all need to demonstrate hope, patience, and compassion, from the depths of our hearts, and with every ounce of resolve during this difficult time. And we need to continue to pray: for the victims, survivors, families, rescuers, volunteers in the shelters, Red Cross, Salvation Army, religious relief funds, officials with so much weight on their shoulders, and yes, even for the President. His shoulders hold the heaviest weight, it is beyond my imagination! Pray for his endurance and good judgement.

[bvigal]

Under Secretary Brown To Continue Daily Operational Briefings On Hurricane Katrina


Release Date: September 3, 2005
Release Number: 05-194



BATON ROUGE, LA - Michael D. Brown, Department of Homeland Security’s Principal Federal Official for Hurricane Katrina response and head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will continue to host field briefings, Saturday, September 3 at 9:00am CDT/10:00am EDT and 3:00pm CDT/4:00pm EDT. These twice-daily federal coordination briefings will continue each day.

Under Secretary Brown will be joined by operational representatives from state and federal government partners and voluntary agencies to provide updates on the overall coordinated federal response efforts in the field for all affected states.

WHO: Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security

WHERE: Unified Area Command Center
Louisiana State EOC Media Room
7667 Independence Boulevard
Baton Rouge, LA 70806

WHEN: Saturday, September 3
9:00 a.m. CDT/10:00 a.m. EDT


The media briefings will be fed live via satellite uplink, with the feed window opening at 8:45 am CDT/9:45 am EDT for the AM briefing, and at 2:45 pm CDT/3:45 am EDT for the PM briefing. AMC 3 (at 87 deg. W), Transponder 22 - Slot 1, Digital Ku, Downlink: 12153.5 Vertical, Symbol Rate: 3.9787, FEC: 3/4.

Those who cannot attend the news conference may listen in by telephone. To connect to the audio feed, call 1-800-320-4330 and enter pin 051397#. Please note that this is a listen-only line, and callers will not be able to submit questions to participants.