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Comment by macinjosh | Hacker News Reader

I live in Longmont, one of the more heavily affected areas. This makes me absolutely livid. Local officials have handled the situation extremely well, I don't even understand why FEMA was needed in this situation.

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Because if they don't exhaust their budget they won't get as much funding next year. Got to put some boots on the ground and make it look like they're busy!

EDIT: Seriously, though. It occurs to me that I'm being a smart ass around a terrible situation (even if there is truth in what I said). I hope all is well with you and yours. If I was religious I would pray for you!

Thanks, I actually appreciate your initial comment. Luckily I live up on the highest hill in town!

Yeah - I was surprised to see FEMA and federal funding getting involved so quickly. As I recall, Longmont officials in particular and Boulder Country in general are extremely efficient when it comes to major blizzards, etc. and I expected that to transfer over well to flood relief. I've been hearing nothing but good things about efforts were being managed.

This disaster is well beyond the planning and action efforts of the state government, let alone local. Federal assistance in the form of FEMA ect was really the only way to keep things rolling.

You've seen the National Guard around right? They run ~$1 million a day to operate. Not really something the local government or even the state can afford to utilize for the time needed to help with evacuation and cleanup efforts.

I'm glad to see FEMA step in, if only for the funding.

I won't say we can't use the money but along with that money comes the requirement to do things the Feds' way which as this case points out isn't really ideal.

I'm as annoyed as anyone by this turn of events (FEMA intervention in utilizing UAVs). I've even passed along the article to some high level people at the state to rabble rouse.

Generally speaking, the local organizations have to do things the feds' way too. In the past 10 years or so a lot of rules & regulations have been established to try to improve disaster response & management, and this applies to local government just as it applies to FEMA.

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