Alarming? or Not?

DebS · #1 07-26-2009, 10:29 PM

Anyone else concerned about this FEMA Drill?

FEMA gives a rather non-specific explanation.

Homeland Security should be running a drill like this, not FEMA.

A drill this size is RARE for FEMA. If it's 'anti-terrorism' it should be run by Homeland Security. FEMA is for disaster recovery, not 'anti-terrorism'.

For them to spend these kind of resources right now, something had to trigger it. It leads me to believe that the Gov't is aware of a potential large scale terrorist attack that we are not yet aware of...

It looks from the location of the drills... perhaps Dallas or Houston could be targeted NBC attack?

Weird deal.

HootmonSccy · #2 07-26-2009, 11:42 PM

IF FEMA does NOT do high level training, then WHEN terrorism strikes again in this country and FEMA does a Katrina level response, everyone will be bitchin' at them for not being prepared via training on a high level..
I think the article is sensationalized stating that FEMA was masking the 9/11 attacks, etc..
I think Canada and Mexico have some stake in this as our border neighbors, and we have no greater allies than Great Britain and Australia..
Does this type of an event need watch dogs? Sure..
Is this type of exercise needed? WAY over due
Does this type of rhetoric on everything that the government does help? No, it masks the the few things that are really troublesome.. By everything being a conspiracy, it only makes true concerned citizens seem like nuts.

VERY few people that send this type of thing around in e-mails, without any real thought (as if they had any thoughts of their own) and without doing some investigation before forwarding to ALL make it very hard to see the real problems because of all the clutter.. (Crying wolf all the time)..

IMHO

HK4U · #3 07-26-2009, 11:58 PM

Yes anytime foreign troops train here it bothers me. Am I paranoid? Sure. Things that have been done over the years make me that way. Being paranoid keeps me from being complacent.

gdcleanfun · #4 07-27-2009, 12:55 AM

Talk about spouting high level alarmist political terrorism viewpoints! That is what the "political junkie" does. Some people bitch about anything and everything just because they can. Give it up and give me a break!

OUTTAHERE · #5 07-27-2009, 12:44 PM

I agree that FEMA needs to prepare for all types of emergencies, natural or man-made. Coordinating with neighboring countries and allies does make sense and the overall premise sounds good and plausible, but keeping an eye on what is actually being done and for what reasons just makes good sense. Do so with an open mind and watchful eye while requiring
full accountability as to how our money is being spent and for what. I don't have a problem with that.

OUTTAHERE · #6 07-27-2009, 12:45 PM

I agree that FEMA needs to prepare for all types of emergencies, natural or man-made. Coordinating with neighboring countries and allies does make sense and the overall premise sounds good and plausible, but keeping an eye on what is actually being done and for what reasons just makes good sense. Do so with an open mind and watchful eye while requiring
full accountability as to how our money is being spent and for what. I don't have a problem with that.

HootmonSccy · #7 07-27-2009, 01:00 PM

Sounds like you are taking the President Reagan approach...

"Trust, but Verify!!!"

MikieTaps · #8 07-27-2009, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DebS

Homeland Security should be running a drill like this, not FEMA.

FEMA is operated inside the DHS.

I participated in a similar drill, not this size, but mutli agency, federal, state, local, and military law enforcement, and emergency response teams, in a mutli county drill in Illinois when I was in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. These types of things are generally very organized, and hardly impact citizens at all...

Marine1 · #9 07-27-2009, 04:17 PM

I too, have participated in these types of drills. Except, not on this scale. I have been involved in City, County and State wide drills. Many times, we had people from other countries working with us so we can learn from each other. We also send our people to other countries when they have their drills for the same reason (to observe and participate). Depending on the roll of the foreign troops, this potentially could cause me great concern.

We never trained ONE scenario we did not think would happen.

These drills are normally run by the agency in charge. In this case it would DHS, not FEMA. (I do know that FEMA is apart of DHS).

Reading the FEMA link, to me it sounds like FEMA’s role is changing. If FEMA is responsible for the Exercise Focus and Objectives why do we need DHS? FEMA could provide the people with better information of this drill. This could be used to educate people on what their government is doing for them. Instead they choose to limit the information. This always causes concerns and mistrust, and rightfully so.

DHS needs to do a lot of large and small scale training. The training is normally developed from a likely terrorist attack scenario. One question I have, is information on a planned attack being used to plan this training?

If I was from one of the state involved, that have been loudly voicing their opposition to the Fed, I would question if this is a show of Federal force? I am not saying it is, yet this thought would and has cross my mind.

The level of distrust of our government is very high and in my opinion it is warranted. Sometimes there are conspiracies and sometimes just smoke and mirrors. We must stay vigilant to protect our hard won freedoms… even from our government.

A correction: This post was an article, not an email.

Forum Concern: Do not slam people for posting information, questions, concerns, ideas, or opinions. Our differences give us balance and perspective. I hope some of the comments I have seen on this thread were not directed at anyone posting.

HK4U · #10 07-27-2009, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marine1

I too, have participated in these types of drills. Except, not on this scale. I have been involved in City, County and State wide drills. Many times, we had people from other countries working with us so we can learn from each other. We also send our people to other countries when they have their drills for the same reason (to observe and participate). Depending on the roll of the foreign troops, this potentially could cause me great concern.

We never trained ONE scenario we did not think would happen.

These drills are normally run by the agency in charge. In this case it would DHS, not FEMA. (I do know that FEMA is apart of DHS).

Reading the FEMA link, to me it sounds like FEMA’s role is changing. If FEMA is responsible for the Exercise Focus and Objectives why do we need DHS? FEMA could provide the people with better information of this drill. This could be used to educate people on what their government is doing for them. Instead they choose to limit the information. This always causes concerns and mistrust, and rightfully so.

DHS needs to do a lot of large and small scale training. The training is normally developed from a likely terrorist attack scenario. One question I have, is information on a planned attack being used to plan this training?

If I was from one of the state involved, that have been loudly voicing their opposition to the Fed, I would question if this is a show of Federal force? I am not saying it is, yet this thought would and has cross my mind.

The level of distrust of our government is very high and in my opinion it is warranted. Sometimes there are conspiracies and sometimes just smoke and mirrors. We must stay vigilant to protect our hard won freedoms… even from our government.

A correction: This post was an article, not an email.

Forum Concern: Do not slam people for posting information, questions, concerns, ideas, or opinions. Our differences give us balance and perspective. I hope some of the comments I have seen on this thread were not directed at anyone posting.

Some very good points. Thanks for posting.