While recovering from the devastating losses in the wake of a hurricane must no doubt be a daunting challenge, it’s probably not very encouraging when promised relief never shows.  Sadly, many families and individuals that suffered the wrath of Hurricane Ike are still waiting for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) make good on it’s promise of moblie homes, over two months after the storm.  Part of the problem seems to be due to FEMA’s lumbering bureaucracy, which resulted in problems during and after Hurricane Katrina.  The New York Times spoke with  Jim Yarbrough, the chief executive of Galveston County, who explains:

“Sometimes you just have to change the rules and adapt to the environment and situation you are working in,” Mr. Yarbrough said, “and the FEMA system doesn’t have that flexibility. It’s not because they are not trying. It’s just that their red tape is so damn tough.”

takepart by supporting The Salvation Army continue to help Ike’s survivors.

Related: Inconvenient Truth of the Day

Photo:  Michael Stravato for The New York Times