FEMA not providing ice for Ike victims. Not considered "essential"

Hurricane survivors are being put at risk in Texas and other hot weather states because the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is no longer providing ice in relief situations, say watchdogs, relief workers and local leaders in Hurricane Alley.

"It's frustrating that the government can deliver $85 billion to bail out AIG, and they can't deliver ice in Texas," said Ben Smilowitz, executive director of the Disaster Accountability Project (DAP), a nonpartisan organization that monitors the nation's disaster response system.....

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...Besides preserving food when electricity is out, ice is essential in maintaining temperature-sensitive medication and feeding formulas and keeping people cool in the aftermath of disaster, relief and support workers say.

"This isn't for their gin and tonics," said Elise Hough, CEO of the Houston chapter of United Cerebral Palsy, who says she encountered a lot of indifference when she started raising the issue of FEMA's ice policy last month. "This is for people who are extremely sensitive to heat, and ice has a huge impact on their health and safety."

FEMA says it instituted its new policy in July 2007, although those in disaster relief circles widely point to the National Hurricane Conference in Florida in April as the announcement of the change.

There, FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison told attendees that the agency would stop providing ice to disaster victims, except in the case of medical emergencies or life-threatening situations, according to media reports at the time.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5828158&page=1

Political patronage and the NeoCon agenda of less government have made it the joke it is today.

provide ice! Come on! And then to say "except in case of medical emergencies or life-threatening situations?".....What are you supposed to do in that case? Maybe mail in a form? Stupid!

Once all government services are privatized, they can drop items which do not make them a profit.

Pretty bad especially when compared to the AIG thing; you are so right. FEMA is useless.

Thank god for the Red Cross and other agencies which do provide ice. Also down here, usually the two major groceries - Publix and Winn Dixie were giving away ice in the last hurricane.

Just wanted to point that out.

As Dick Cheney would say.

Because they want survivors to HAVE TO ,go out and BUY new food, BUY the things to repair homes. BUY more clothes furniture etc.etc.This is because a lot of CORPORATIONS profit mightily from disasters and war you know.It's all about the SHOCK doctrine.
http://www.naomiklein.org/main
Capitalism is cannibalizing it's localized base now(people in American communities)because it has nothing to grow anymore.It has used up and poisoned the planet,and turned people into stuff addicted consumers doing retail therapy yet it cannot stop seeking more profits and 'growth', even if people die.Profit over people is the corporate capitalist way..Our profit driven privatized economy is really just like a cancer upon humanity and the world.And it has metastasized.