FEMA Suspends Phoenix Rescuers Over Arms

[GutterRat]

Story

The Phoenix Fire Department's Urban Search and Rescue team has been suspended by a federal agency because it brought armed police officers for protection on hurricane relief missions.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's conduct code prohibits urban search-and-rescue teams from having guns.

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon called the reaction from FEMA "stunning, unbelievable, bewildering and outrageous."

Phoenix's team included four police officers who were deputized as U.S. marshals when they participated in relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. The team was credited with plucking more than 400 Katrina survivors from rooftops and freeway overpasses in flooded sections of New Orleans.

 

[HumbleMan]

FEMA is useless. Congress should do away with it and just give block grants to the states to better equip their own emergency management teams. It would also be helpful if neighboring state's National Guard units would ready to help without federal oversight.

 

[BrownCoat]

So they weren't out of their jurisdiction, but they're like "No guns for you!" Then the Arizona people are like "Fine! No rescue for you!"

Hrm. Gotta love them GFWs.