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FEMA is storing Gulf Coast ice in MAINE!
(WGME Channel 13 Report, September 20, 2005)
Portland [Maine] is still floating in ice. As we first reported Monday night, millions of pounds of ice is being diverted from the hurricane-devastated south to storage in Portland, with up to 200 trucks arriving. FEMA now says the ice ultimately may go back south for another disaster, but the truckers seem genuinely confused about what's going on. The truckers have been coming from all over the country, up to 200 of them in all, who say they tried to take ice to Alabama or Mississippi, only to be sent here. It's been a non-stop operation at the Americold Logistics warehouse in Portland, one of several locations the Atlanta-based company is using for emergency ice storage around the country, on orders from FEMA. FEMA admits it simply ordered more ice than it can use or store down south for Hurricane Katrina relief and at least some of those trucks have been sitting with the same loads of ice for more than a week. Add it all up, and the price tag for taxpayers could go into the millions. Many of the truckers declined to speak, saying they've been asked not to. But, those who did seem confused. One even believes he's here to help us after we got hit by our own hurricane! Of course, we did not have a hurricane here. Instead, the feds say its for a future emergency. And, with Hurricane Rita threatening Florida and the Gulf Coast, that ice could be needed very soon. Meanwhile, Portland is also getting another 100 truckloads of bottled water as well, which will likely end up stored at the Jetport or on the waterfront, with no clear picture about where that ultimately will end up either.

[COMMENT by Lorenzo: Gee, do you think those brilliant planners at FEMA could have stored that ice any farther away from where it is needed?]

posted by LoZo 5:26 PM