Disappeared News

I suppose it's a good thing for Hawaii, but still wonder if the flood of FEMA folk might just possibly stop off in Louisiana since there's not much for them to do here. They should be able to wrap up quickly, take a few dips in the ocean or the hotel pool, and still have time to see what they can do to help restore New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward.

What the Big Island needs is federal assistance to rebuild. Few people had earthquake insurance. But according to Big Island Mayor Harry Kim (see below), that may not be FEMA's responsibility.

First it was 50, then 75, then 90, then 100. FEMA folk keep coming, yet Mainland newspapers report FEMA storms Hawaii, finds no catastrophe

Federal experts flown to the Big Island on a rented jet see minimal earthquake damage.

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii -- The earthquake that jolted the Hawaiian Islands over the weekend set off one of the biggest FEMA deployments since Hurricane Katrina, including a planeload of about 100 federal experts who arrived here to find no catastrophe

I suppose it doesn't make sense to complain about the flood of FEMA executives. It's better that they learn to respond promptly.

But Big Island homeowners may discover that there's no repair money for them from FEMA--they will likely have to take out loans to carry out repairs. For infrastructure needs, let's hope that FEMA comes through for the state.

Tonight's Town Square program on Hawaii Public Radio featured a 20+ minute interview with Big Island Mayor Harry Kim. In the interview, Kim cautions that those without insurance, which is most everyone, shouldn't expect that their losses will be covered by FEMA or any other agency. It was a clear, direct explanation. I so wish that Harry would have run for governor this year... [The HPR link may go dead in a couple of weeks, if you'd like to listen to the program, download it somewhere on your hard disk for safekeeping.]