Quote Originally Posted by Total_Blender
FEMA should have been ready and mobilized before that hurricane even hit so that they could go in and get their job done ASAP.
FEMA cannot step in until the President makes a formal declaration of disaster. The president cannot declare a disaster until the local and state govts do the same. It took 3 days for the LA gov to declare a disaster.

Quote Originally Posted by Total_Blender
I will agree with you that no one handled the situation correctly at any level. But to assume that the whole city has the ability to just up and leave at will is a stretch.
No FEMA didnt handle it well, but their shortcomings were small compared to those of state and local authorities.