Federal Emergency Management Agency officials over the weekend issued a letter denying Gov. Pat Quinn’s request for disaster aid for the five counties hardest hit by the tornado, meaning residents and communities will not be eligible for federal dollars for the costs of repairing the damage.
The news was yet another blow to the region, which had been designated a major disaster area just last year after floods damaged the area. The 170-mph winds of the recent twister damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes and killed seven people, said Harrisburg Mayor Eric Gregg.
According to statists we need agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist people in areas rocked by natural disasters. Yet when an area is actually hit by a natural disaster FEMA effectively says, “LOL, sucks to be you!” I’m sure FEMA has a damned good reason for not helping the region out though:
FEMA officials determined that assistance from state and local agencies, combined with volunteer groups and private insurance, would be enough for the five counties to rebuild on their own, spokesman Mark Peterson said Sunday.
In other words we should turn to mutual aid. Huh. In that case I guess we don’t need FEMA then, do we?
I find it funny that the state demand we pay them a tithe for the use of providing services but then doesn’t provide those services and tells us to rely on one another. If we rely on one another, if we practice mutual aid, then we don’t need the state. Effectively the state is once again doing my job for me by making my argument for me.