Blanco Declared State of Emergancy On August 26th

Ok all you who have been falling prey to the White House spin machine. Kathleen Blanco declared a state of emergency on Saturday, August 26th, two days before the hurricane made landfall. She requested federal assistance from the President in that letter and asked him to declare a federal state of emergency.

Note: I had to make a correction. It was August 26th that Blanco asked for help from Bush, not the 27th.

August 27, 2005

The President
The White House
Washington, D. C.

Through:
Regional Director
FEMA Region VI
800 North Loop 288
Denton, Texas 76209

Dear Mr. President:

Under the provisions of Section 501 (a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5206 (Stafford Act),
and implemented by 44 CFR § 206.35, I request that you declare an emergency
for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina for the time period
beginning August 26, 2005, and continuing. The affected areas are all the
southeastern parishes including the New Orleans Metropolitan area and the
mid state Interstate I-49 corridor and northern parishes along the I-20
corridor that are accepting the thousands of citizens evacuating from the
areas expecting to be flooded as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

In response to the situation I have taken appropriate action under State
law and directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on August 26,
2005 in accordance with Section 501 (a) of the Stafford Act. A State of
Emergency has been issued for the State in order to support the evacuations
of the coastal areas in accordance with our State Evacuation Plan and the
remainder of the state to support the State Special Needs and Sheltering
Plan.
Pursuant to 44 CFR § 206.35, I have determined that this incident is of
such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the
capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that
supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect
property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a
disaster. I am specifically requesting emergency protective measures,
direct Federal Assistance, Individual and Household Program (IHP)
assistance, Special Needs Program assistance, and debris removal.

Preliminary estimates of the types and amount of emergency assistance
needed under the Stafford Act, and emergency assistance from certain
Federal agencies under other statutory authorities are tabulated in
Enclosure A.

The following information is furnished on the nature and amount of State
and local resources that have been or will be used to alleviate the
conditions of this emergency:

. Department of Social Services (DSS): Opening (3) Special Need Shelters
(SNS) and establishing (3) on Standby.

. Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH): Opening (3) Shelters and
establishing (3) on Standby.

. Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP): Providing
generators and support staff for SNS and Public Shelters.

. Louisiana State Police (LSP): Providing support for the phased evacuation
of the coastal areas.

. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (WLF): Supporting the
evacuation of the affected population and preparing for Search and Rescue
Missions.

. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD):
Coordinating traffic flow and management of the evacuations routes with
local officials and the State of Mississippi.

The following information is furnished on efforts and resources of other
Federal agencies, which have been or will be used in responding to this
incident:

. FEMA ERT-A Team en-route.

I certify that for this emergency, the State and local governments will
assume all applicable non-Federal share of costs required by the Stafford
Act.

I request Direct Federal assistance for work and services to save lives and
protect property.
(a) List any reasons State and local government cannot perform or contract
for performance, (if applicable).

(b) Specify the type of assistance requested.

In accordance with 44 CFR § 206.208, the State of Louisiana agrees that it
will, with respect to Direct Federal assistance:

1. Provide without cost to the United States all lands, easement, and
rights-of-ways necessary to accomplish the approved work.

2. Hold and save the United States free from damages due to the requested
work, and shall indemnify the Federal Government against any claims arising
from such work;

3. Provide reimbursement to FEMA for the non-Federal share of the cost of
such work in accordance with the provisions of the FEMA-State Agreement; and

4. Assist the performing Federal agency in all support and local
jurisdictional matters.

In addition, I anticipate the need for debris removal, which poses an
immediate threat to lives, public health, and safety.

Pursuant to Sections 502 and 407 of the Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5192 &
5173, the State agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the United States of
America for any claims arising from the removal of debris or wreckage for
this disaster. The State agrees that debris removal from public and private
property will not occur until the landowner signs an unconditional
authorization for the removal of debris.

I have designated Mr. Art Jones as the State Coordinating Officer for this
request. He will work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in
damage assessments and may provide further information or justification on
my behalf.

Sincerely,

Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
Governor