Interim finding: FEMA worthless
Went to Dumas yesterday and have written in detail about it and FEMA for Saturday's column. For this purpose, let me say that I left with these conclusions: (1) Dumas will be all right because the swath was narrow and the affected people and businesses were responsible adults, fully insured and self-starting. (2) People aren't dead and it's all because of the warning systems and, franky, those TV weather people. Forty-eight shoppers and workers at the Mad Butcher knew to get in the freezer for safety because of a TV report that said plainly: If you're in Dumas right now, take cover. In a few seconds the store came down where those people just been. (3) Emergencies like this require local people and local services. FEMA's worthless, on which I'll elaborate column-wise.