FEMA Goes High-Tech for Storm Preparedness

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency has a live video network to allow officials in Washington to assess disasters and has equipped trucks with GPS devices so the agency can see when supplies are delivered to stricken areas, officials said Thursday.
...
FEMA plans to reduce delays by sending relief supplies before a storm hits to cities close to the expected damage area, including generators and search-and-rescue and medical teams, said Ron Cooper, who supervises six of FEMA's nine logistics centers nationwide.

The streaming video system has been added to one of FEMA's mobile command units, officials said. The cameras can be hand-held or mounted on trucks and helicopters, and the images will be transmitted to the nation's capital via satellite.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-fema-preparedness,0,5545821.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

One camera has been added to one truck? Making us safer *one* camera angle at a time.

FEMA has actually been very good at spending money lately. Lots and lots of it.

Cameras aren't going to do a damn thing for me.

They want to help? Invest in the power companies so that they can move power lines underground. The absolute WORST part of the hurricane's aftermath is having no power anywhere, for weeks at a time. You can't bathe without freezing to death, can't keep any perishable foods, choking darkness inside your house 24/7, etc.

Now they can watch all their favorite movies when the next one hits the shores.

Any chance of reopening the New Orleans office or is that too much to ask?

instead of letting KKKarl Rove approve delivery of supplies based on politcal affiliation and voting lines.

Seems they forget that in the aftermath of katrina. The only people who had enough range to transmit out were local hams. The high frequency that is used to transmit video doesn't have much range without repeaters.