On August 18,
a huge tornado struck a community in my area. It devastated a good chunk of a small city, destroying homes.
It was one of 18 tornadoes to hit Wisconsin that day.
Today is Day 36 since that disaster - and guess what ?
President Bush has not responded to the Wisconsin governor's request for federal disaster aid. FEMA is giving the governor and one of our US Representatives the silent treatment. 36 days.
Yet 10 days after a tornado struck Wyoming, Bush delivered the routine declaration of a federal disaster area, opening the door for federal aid.
The FEMA director position for our region ( Region V, covering Illinois, Wisc, Minn, Mich, Ind, Ohio ) is VACANT.
What's going on here ?
Sidenote : Gov Doyle is a ( D ) in a state that has gone ( D ) in presidential elections for two decades. The last time Wisc went for a ( R ) in a presidential election was Reagan '84.
STORY below the jump . . . < update > With some photos too . . .
No word from Bush on twister aid here
The Capital Times ( Madison WI ) Sep 22 2005
. . .Frustrated officials in Wisconsin are still awaiting word from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the White House if federal disaster relief will be coming here in the aftermath of the tornadoes that struck more than a month ago.
Gov. Jim Doyle sent a request to President Bush on Aug. 25 to have Dane, Vernon and Richland counties declared disaster areas so residents, businesses and local governments could become eligible for federal aid.
< snip >
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, has staff calling FEMA every day.
"I don't know what to tell you," said Baldwin press secretary Jerilyn Goodman.
< snip >
What makes the situation more frustrating is how fast a similar disaster declaration was made out West in August, before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.
According to FEMA reports on its Web site, Bush declared Wright, Wyo., a disaster area on Aug. 22, 10 days after the town of 1,500 people was struck by a tornado.
< snip >
Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal requested the emergency declaration Aug. 17 and got it from Bush five days later.
< snip >
Getter said if no action is taken on Doyle's request within a month after the request is made, the request is disallowed. The one-month deadline is Saturday.
< snip >
The Capital Times contacted FEMA headquarters, asking about the delay in the president's declaration for the Aug. 18 tornadoes in Wisconsin. FEMA's news desk said it "will reply as soon as possible," but had not done so two days after the question was posed.
FULL STORY
< update > Some thumbnails from the Stoughton tornado, one of 18 to hit Wisc that day :
Similar to what I saw that afternoon :
This tornado was heueuege :
One subdivision nearly obliterated :
MORE IMAGES, incl links to full-sized photos
