FEMA "slow" to accept help...

Apparently, Amtrak has offered assistance to the New Orleans area for evacuations, and the US Senator from Louisiana, Mary Landrieu, said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was "dragging it's feet."

This is from the Financial Times at FT.com:

But critics of the handling of the crisis by government agencies said they were slow in accepting offers of help.

Mary Landrieu, the Democratic US senator from Louisiana, accused the Federal Emergency Management Agency of having "dragging its feet" when Amtrak offered trains to evacuate victims.

"Offers of medicine, communications equipment and other desperately needed items continue to flow in, only to be ignored by the agency," she said.

Also interesting is that when Wal-Mart sent three trailer trucks full of water, FEMA turned them away.

This is from a story in the New York Times:

But local officials, who still feel overwhelmed by the continuing tragedy, demanded accountability and as well as action.

"Why did it happen? Who needs to be fired?" asked Aaron Broussard, president of Jefferson Parish, south of New Orleans.

Far from deferring to state or local officials, FEMA asserted its authority and made things worse, Mr. Broussard complained on "Meet the Press."

When Wal-Mart sent three trailer trucks loaded with water, FEMA officials turned them away, he said. Agency workers prevented the Coast Guard from delivering 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and on Saturday they cut the parish's emergency communications line, leading the sheriff to restore it and post armed guards to protect it from FEMA, Mr. Broussard said.

more info:
Federal agency 'slow' to accept business help (Financial Times)
After Failures, Government Officials Play Blame Game (NY Times)