Bush Signs Major Disaster Declaration

President Authorizes More Federal Aid For California Wildfire Victims

(CBS/AP)  President Bush continued to step up federal engagement in the California wildfire emergency Wednesday, signing a major disaster declaration that funnels money to people whose property losses aren't covered by insurance.

Mr. Bush said he wants the people of Southern California to hear a message loud and clear from Washington.

"Americans all across this land care deeply about them," the president said after a Cabinet meeting convened to coordinate federal efforts. "We're concerned about their safety. We're concerned about their property."

Mr. Bush had already declared a federal emergency on Tuesday for seven California counties, triggering short-term federal help. On Wednesday, responding to a late-night request from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mr. Bush went a step further and issued the broader major disaster declaration.

Such declarations set in motion long-term federal recovery programs, some requiring matches from state coffers, to help state and local governments, families, individuals and certain nonprofit organizations recover. The assistance varies from direct aid for uninsured losses to help with rebuilding infrastructure.

At the Cabinet meeting, Mr. Bush and a couple dozen top administration officials heard from FEMA chief David Paulison and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Mr. Bush had dispatched the two to the region on Tuesday and they gave the group an update from there.

"I believe the effort is well-coordinated," the president told reporters at the end of the meeting. "I know we're getting the manpower and assets on the ground that have been requested by the state and local governments."

Mr. Bush said Schwarzenegger had told him he has everything he needs so far from Washington.

"I assured him that if he needs anything and we're able to provide it, we will do so," the president said.

Mr. Bush is traveling to California on Thursday to see for himself how the disaster is unfolding and how Washington's efforts to help are working. Eager to avoid a repeat of the slow and spotty federal performance in the days immediately after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the president canceled a planned trip to St. Louis to respond to the wildfires.

Exhausted firefighters hoped fighting the blazes would become easier Wednesday with an expected slackening of fierce Santa Ana winds that have stoked the explosive blazes.

In several different ways, Mr. Bush emphasized the scope and speed of the federal response, and threw in a mention of how Mother Nature can upend the best-laid plans.

"I wish we could control the wind," he said. "The federal government will do everything it can to put out the fires."

Earlier Wednesday, Paulison promised that the federal government's response to the wildfires would be an improvement over its handling of Katrina. "This is a new FEMA," he said.

"We're going to make sure this operation runs as smoothly as possible given the size of this disaster," Paulison said.

Paulison said that people who lack paperwork to document their damage claims because they so hurriedly fled their homes should not worry.

"We can work through that," he said. "The same thing happened in Katrina."

He also disputed claims there were insufficient aircraft available to spray fire retardant in the afflicted areas, noting the obstacle that gale force winds were providing.

"There's quite a bit of resources on the ground right now. Part of the issue is the winds," Paulison told CBS' The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm. "The airplanes can fly in the winds, but when they disperse the fire retardant and the water, it dissipates so quickly that it's not effective."

White House press secretary Dana Perino said the federal government is applying lessons learned from the Katrina relief controversy that deeply damaged Mr. Bush's presidency, by talking more quickly with local officials and getting the word out to the public faster.

"There's increased coordination and communication and earlier communication and coordination between the federal, state and local governments," she said. "We have learned those lessons and those lessons are being applied."

[ziparmux]

I don''''''''t understand why so many posts are screaming the raciest card... "Oh it''''''''s rich white people%u2019s houses burning".

Posted by nkl66 at 01:12 AM : Oct 25, 2007

PS: During the BBC''s broadcast, who did they interview respecting the concerns of the local residents there, JOHN TRAVOLTA !! He stated something like , I flew over there this morning (like in one of his collection of private planes, I should imagine)and all his frinds are safe, well of course they bloody are, they all were helicoptered out !! If you''re that rich then that''s not a disaster it''s an inconvenience. You wonder why no one really takes interest of this most terrible disaster that seriously, in context respecting the ordinary (Non A list) residents affected there.

[ziparmux]

I don''''t understand why so many posts are screaming the raciest card... "Oh it''''s rich white people%u2019s houses burning".

Posted by nkl66 at 01:12 AM : Oct 25, 2007

I totally agree and posted a comment stating very similar input as you have posted. I would like you to understand that many people here within the UK also have that image of the rich Californians etc, but as posted in my comment a few days ago the BBC perpetuates this myth, and we only ever see images of mansions in Malibu burning to the ground. Here in the UK a lot of people say "well they''re rich and have insurance and have loads of money" etc. You would have to be an idiot to believe that out of the huge number of peoples affected there, that there''s obviously going to be huge number of dare I say ordinary people, who have lost everything they have. I wonder how many of them had insurance?

[nkl66]

I don''t understand why so many posts are screaming the raciest card... "Oh it''s rich white people%u2019s houses burning". Obviously you have never been to San Diego. San Diego is a very large melting pot with quite a bit of Hispanics and Asians. In fact probably a lot of illegal immigrants too. So drop the chip off your shoulder and pray for all the people that are being affected by the California fires %u2013 be they are rich, poor, black, white, or purple. Democrat or Republican. They all have lost a lot. Not just the structures they live and work in, but so many memories and mementos that have been handed down from their family - a grandfather handing down his baseball mitt he had as a child to his grandson or a women that wore her great grandmothers wedding dress. All these things burned. So stop with the BS. These are our own American people that have suffered.

[sgtrds]

Hey chimp! Just drop the check in the mail. Don''t deliver it in person! You are NOT welcome in California.....ever!

[sgtrds]

So.... when does Bush show up for the cameras dressed as a firefighter?

Posted by logicanada at 05:01 PM : Oct 24, 2007

As soon as he can find a big rolled up sock to stuff in the crotch for the camera......

[calmyoursel1]

Simon, perhaps you should look at the list of CREW''s founders before you post that list...let me play the highlight reel for you:

Melanie Sloan - Worked for Chuck Schumer, John Conyer and Joe Biden in various capacities.

Naomi Seligman Steiner - Media Matters For America - need I say more?

Ryan Jham (this is one of the best ones) - worked for the DCCC before working for CREW.

But I''m sure there''s no partisian bias there...none at all. Use your rational mind to deduce the reasoning behind the listing - there are just as many corrupt democrats as republicans. I personally dont like either party all that much - tax and spend or borrow and spend...either way they want to spend more of MY money, rather than cut spending. Stop being a party puppet and think for yourself man.

[speakinup]

simonsez40 - so where''s Ted Kennedy name ? He should be guilty of vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a crime - but he never spent a day in jail or prison - just be cause he''s a Kenndy.


So much for the unbias report of names below.

[logicanada]

So.... when does Bush show up for the cameras dressed as a firefighter?

[simonsez40]

This is what we have RIGHT NOW - the majority are Republican and this report comes out yearly by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

4 Democrats in there and the rest are Republican....you want 4 more years of that?

The 22 most corrupt members of Congress
Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-NM)
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK)
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-CA)
Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)
Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA)
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA)
Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-LA)
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
Rep. Gary G. Miller (R-CA)
Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-WV)
Rep. Timothy F. Murphy (R-PA)
Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA)
Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM)
Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ)
Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY)
Rep. David Scott (D-GA)
Rep. Jerry Weller (R-IL)
Rep. Heather A. Wilson (R-NM)
Rep. Don Young (R-AK)


Dishonorable mentions
Sen. Larry E. Craig (R-ID)
Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

[speakinup]

Some stupid liberal was saying today that it is because of race that the rich whites in San Diego were being helped. While in New Orleans, the people at the superdome weren''t helped because they were black.

So, I don''t know if any of you readers have been in a hurricane, but they aren''t very predictable, and while fire isn''t either - this fire is no where near the people being helped in San Diego, where as the Supedome was not only in the thick of it - all roads to it were under water.

It is such irresponsible statements as this that lead to people hating each other. And all because some liberal commentator wanted to make a name for himself.

[ziparmux]

Bush''''s handlers are sending him to California today...because they are low on retardants.

Posted by shanev137 at 02:00 PM : Oct 24, 2007

LOL & yes he alone is such a ''retardant'' surely the fires will go out even has Air Force One approaches California

[shanev137]

Bush''s handlers are sending him to California today...because they are low on retardants.

[mbcsmith]

Last week Chertoff was claiming that ''''IEDs'''' are a major threat to Americans here at home. Geez, what planet is this guy on?


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Posted by greco99 at 12:24 PM : Oct 24, 2007

The one that is trying to protect your worthless azz, you ungrateful piece of shiite. What have you done for your country in your lifetime.

[tflodeen]

FROM: Posted by ShaunC8262
We are the wealthiest nation on Earth, im sure we could find some planes somewhere to help.
STEP UP AND DO THE JOB WE PAY YOU TO DO THIS TIME!!!!!


MY COMMENT TO ShaunC8262:
I am not sure how to take this comment. I used to be a wildland firefighter and I don''t take lightly to those comments.

Did you read the comment by greco99

National Guard - deployed in Iraq...

National Guard Equipment - destroyed in Iraq...

Fire prevention funds - cut to fund Iraq war...

All the major firefighting agencies (USFS & BLM for starters) have had their budgets cut every year since Iraq has come to pass. LESS MONEY=LESS FIREFIGHTERS.
Not only that you can''t just throw more people at a fire and expect it to go out. There are a lot of factors involved in fighting a wildland fire that most people who have never done it know about. I am sorry, but I am not going to get myself killed to protect someones home--NOT EVEN MY HOME if it came to that and I wouldn''t expect someone else to do that for me. People keep building their homes in questionable areas and this kind of thing will keep happening.
Until this country gets its priorities straight and keeps sending billions of dollars (WE DON''T HAVE) to other countries wildland fires will get worse, the main problems are the fuels build up, people building their homes in the wildland urban interface and lack of funding. Talk to your representatives it''s not the firefighters fault.

[mbcsmith]

HEY BUSH .. THE GLOBAL WARMING WAS THE CAUSE .. BECAUSE OF YOUR OIL BUSSINESS -- THIS IS THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT... STUPID IGNORANT...


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Posted by V_1618 at 12:52 PM : Oct 24, 2007

How much oil do you burn in your daily life, idiot!

[mbcsmith]

What a dumpazz he is and that smerk on his face..makes you wanna slack the $hit out of him!


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Posted by luvNY at 01:14 PM : Oct 24, 2007

Just like reading your posts, you stupid fvck

[walt1944-2009]

The Great Emperor Bush, troubled by the sight of the mansions of the rich in Malibu burning to the ground, has promised disaster relief to those wealthy people who have lost their mansions and castles in the fires in California.

Of course, the Emperor is excluding anyone who makes BELOW $300,000/year from getting any government aid, leaving it up to ABC and its "Extreme Makeover, Home Edition" crew to help those poor people who lost their "castles". To those "lucky" enough to have their homes replaced by the "EM army" the Emperor has directed the IRS to collect income taxes on every length of lumber and nail used in the rebuilding.

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

[luvny-2009]

I wish we could control the wind.
President Bush

What a dumpazz he is and that smerk on his face..makes you wanna slack the $hit out of him!

[ziparmux]

Don''t know if I can speak for the majority of peoples here within the UK, but kinda have a feel for it so..we have a perception, well perpetuated I suppose by the BBC news here when we are shown images of huge mansions on fire, and we just think well they are rich and have insurance etc so, but I am not so inclined to this image and effect on ALL the people there affected by this most devastating fire within California. May I express my most sincere best wishes to all of those affected and hope your government helps all of those not so fortunate to live in mansions there to get help as did those in New Orleons, but have a feeling as the populace there is predominantly white, they wont get asked for the money back within 30 days as did so many of the people caught up in the floods in New Orleans.

[tejasdemo]

Mr. Empty Suit is at it again. Thanks for comin D ick