here is the shorter newspaper piece: I used to get paid in 60s/70s per column inch not words.....lol Emergencies: Katrina versus Pensacola by Dr. Jim Gschwind The Despondent Correspondent My doctoral dissertation dealt with crisis situations leadership, and emergency management as it transcribes to the brain process. This recent crisis in my hometown of Pensacola Florida reiterates my findings. It is best describe the situation as it is today. We had a train stuck in downtown Pensacola; train tracks are destroyed; roads are washed away (some were rivers); we have power outages; cars are washed into neighbors yards; at least two sinkholes of 30 feet; schools are closed; state of emergency has been declared; federal aid has been requested (dont hold your breath); the state was first to respond, with national guard deep water vehicles and troops. We received 27 inches of rain and 24 hours with 6 in just one hour. Homes were flooded, people climbed out of their attics, and businesses in other offices and schools closed for two days possibly three. We had people stranded just like Katrina. While I am proud of my own mitigation efforts, I am proud of my fellow citizens. During Katrina, we heard residents of New Orleans quickly asking where was the government helping us. The citizens of Northwest Florida, Mobile and the Mississippi Gulf Coast even after Ivan, especially in Mississippi where everything south of I-10 was completely destroyed, never asked for any help, and went about helping each other as neighbors. Im sure, some ill advised individuals are desperately seeking federal help. Our citizens and our local governments stepped up to the task. We are quite frankly used to holding out, because FEMA doesnt show up sometimes in outlying areas for 3 or 4 days and we expect that. For those of you who think large centralized government is the answer to everything, I will remind you what president Reagan said, big government, is not the solution, it is the problem. As a conservative, tea party member, and perhaps what some might call a libertarian, all I can say is this current crisis, proved that local individuals and government, are the key to American greatness. Congratulations my fellow Pensacolans, you have restored my faith in local can-do attitude, rugged individualism. As my studied showed, the longer we think about something, the more we begin to wonder what other people would think of our decision. Thats why long-term decisions are often very selfish whereas instinctive and natural gut decisions are most likely to succeed. Is there any wonder, why this town has produced so many athletic greats such as Roy Jones Junior Danny Warfield, the snake, our latest golf pro two-time winner, Bubba Watson(Kenny Stabler), Emmitt Smith, and many others. This is because sports teaches them not only to become a team player, but also to display rugged individualism and personal pride. For you Northern elite, progressives and quasi-socialists who think that those of us in the South are unintelligent or subpar to you, I pose this question to you; how would you act? how would Christ act? We are confident in our faith in God. We dont need the Democratic progressive party or false politicians to tell us how to behave to each other. We do it because we are Christian, we do it because we are good. Seeing my fellow citizens, act the way they did, caring for each other, not expecting the government to step in fills me with pride. Carry on Pensacola, youve been through a lot, and have risen above it without and sometimes in spite of the Federal Government. I didnt have a home before I came here, I was military bounced around, and you have shown that my neighbors and friends here are the best Ive come across. We will get through this with Gods help, not the governments.
Posted on: Sun, 04 May 2014 20:32:42 +0000
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