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Syne
Oct 5, 2024 08:18 PM
(This post was last modified: Oct 5, 2024 08:18 PM by Syne.)
Reports are that FEMA personnel are sitting idle because higher-ups aren't telling them what to do... and apparently government morons have no initiative of their own... other than harassing volunteers who do.
If you live in the UK, you should be keenly aware that government doesn't do anything effectively. But then, maybe you don't have enough private enterprise to contrast.
And maybe you feel the need to make excuses about "political maliciousness" due to denial of your own local issues.
I remember when FEMA massed supplies for Puerto Rico... and much of it ended up abandoned and ruined alongside an airstrip:
Thousands of bottles of FEMA water abandoned in Puerto Rico on unused runway for months
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C C
Oct 5, 2024 09:16 PM
(This post was last modified: Oct 5, 2024 10:02 PM by C C.)
It's a done deal that bureaucracy isn't going to help any citizen individually until the latter has filled out the proper papers, been processed and scrutinized, and received official approval as qualifying.
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Syne
Oct 6, 2024 02:03 AM
(Oct 5, 2024 09:16 PM)C C Wrote: It's a done deal that bureaucracy isn't going to help any citizen individually until the latter has filled out the proper papers, been processed and scrutinized, and received official approval as qualifying.
Whereas we don't even need to be able to properly identify you, as an immigrant, in order to heap aid on you.
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Yazata
Oct 6, 2024 07:30 PM
(This post was last modified: Oct 6, 2024 07:32 PM by Yazata.)
The federal government isn't totally useless. Here's a bit of positive news
SpaceX says
"SpaceX and @TMobile have been given emergency special temporary authority by the @FCC to enable @Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capability to provide coverage for cell phones in the affected areas of Hurricane Helene.
The satellites have already been enabled and started broadcasting emergency alerts to cell phones on all networks in North Carolina. In addition, we may test basic texting (SMS) capabilities for most cell phones on the T-Mobile network in North Carolina.
SpaceX’s direct-to-cell constellation has not been fully deployed, so all services will be delivered on a best-effort basis."
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Syne
Oct 6, 2024 07:44 PM
Except that the FCC is the only barrier to Starlink already doing that. Typical. Government solving a problem it created.
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Yazata
Oct 7, 2024 03:20 AM
(This post was last modified: Oct 7, 2024 04:17 AM by Yazata.)
SpaceX engineer Mike Coryell has been in NC for the last week. He says that they have already distributed about 1,000 Starlink kits (dishes and power supply) and estimates that each one provides communications for approximately 10 people as nearby residents visit what are already being called "Starlink houses" to use the wifi. He says that they are working on about 8,500 additional requests and says that SpaceX will remain there for as long as they are needed.
In other news, there are as many as 50 private helicopters locating people who are totally cut off and delivering supplies (I've heard that drinkable water is a priority). I don't know the legality of this, since the FAA had announced a no-fly TFR over the whole area, ostensibly to clear the skies for official relief aircraft. Hopefully the FAA air traffic controllers have allowed these aircraft to do this, since violating a TFR without authorization can result in loss of a pilots license.
And today several Air Force reserve Blackhawks were observed flying search and rescue, so official aircraft are starting to belatedly arrive.
Just learned that Elon has contacted transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg (the FAA is part of the transportation dept) and managed to get the FAA TFRs relaxed to allow the private helicopters to do their work. Elon praised Buttigieg for his quick work getting that straightened out.
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Yazata
Oct 9, 2024 04:09 AM
(This post was last modified: Oct 9, 2024 04:33 AM by Yazata.)
Not only is SpaceX sending thousands of Starlink kits to the Southern Appalachians, Tesla is sending Powerwalls, batteries made in Tesla's rapidly expanding factory outside Reno NV that can power entire buildings. These Powerwalls will be charged by solar power and don't need gas generators. The first two delivered today went to a pediatrician's office and to a grocery store in an area with no electricity and no prospect of power returning for some time.
SpaceX engineer Mike Coryell, Elon's point man on the scene, is also preparing immediate response teams to go into areas of Florida where they are needed after hurricane Milton passes.
A deserved shoutout is due to Generac, the backup power generator company, which has a storm response team on the ground getting portable generators out to people who need them.
https://x.com/ajtourville/status/1843372195126620398
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Yazata
Oct 9, 2024 11:34 PM
(This post was last modified: Oct 9, 2024 11:37 PM by Yazata.)
Less than a week ago Elon had arranged for ~500 Starlink kits to be sent to the Southern Appalachians. Today that number is above 10,000. And arrangements are being made to provide similar aid to Florida, should that be necessary.
https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1843797123420303789
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