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Florida airboaters approved to help

rick

rick

Administrator
One hundred Florida airboaters were on their way to rescue disaster victims Friday after federal officials finally gave the group the official go-ahead.

As many as 500 airboat pilots from the state have volunteered to help, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency had refused to authorize the volunteers to enter New Orleans. Without that permission, they would have been subject to arrest and would not receive security and support services . . .

Here's the rest: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...0,5461523.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-state
 
Damn Swamp heads , They couldnt just stay home with the family and watch tv ! Army of life ,Doesnt get better than that! Thats cool, Thanks
 
WHO IS THIS THAT IS SENDING ALL THIS EMAIL ABOUT DEPLOYMENT, ROBERT??? AND WHO IS THIS GUY, GO GO GO THAT'S ALL I HEAR, FROM THIS MAN ROBERT WHO IS IN CHARGE AND SENT EVERYBODY TO GTO AIRBOAT'S, I'M JUST WANDERING IF ANYBODY HAS A CLUE ON THIS PERSON OR EMAIL NAME??? I'M SURE THAT THERE WAS ALOT OF PEOPLE THAT LISTEN TO HIM TO BECOME ONE OF THE THOUSAND'S THAT NEED TO BE RESCUED NOW, [ NO GAS ,NO FOOD, NO WATER], IF ANYBODY HAS THE INFO I'M SURE WOULD BE GLAD TO SEE IT!!!!!! :?: :?: :?:
 
Westside,

The gentleman that I spoke to earlier last week when deployment seemed evident was the Safety Officer from the Florida Airboat Association. His name was Robert, (don't know if this is the same individual that you are speaking of or not)?

As the F.A.A. is the organizing body of practically all the airboats in Florida it would seem only right for them to represent us as a whole.
With no real "Airboat club" here in my neck of the woods I look forward to Southern Airboat becoming affiliated with the F.A.A. to keep us in the know and to keep the "loco Trudy's" at bay!

Basketcase
 
Westside

I will attempt to answer your questions concerning the who, what, and why voiced in your post.

The web address AirboatKatrina@aol.com , was created for the sole purpose of distributing information in a timely and efficient manner by Robert Dummett Safety Officer and resource contact for the Florida Airboat Association (FAA) . After this crisis subsides the web address will no longer exist.

As a result of a request for 300 + airboats to volunteer and be on standby status, received by the FAA website from Emergency Management folks in Louisiana, the FAA sent out a press release. The response to this news was phenomenal! Hundreds responded via phone non-stop. I was at work while fielding these calls, could not even hang up from one without there being 5 other missed calls! The phone mailbox remained full even when one message was taken off another took its place. The same occurrences were happening with the other FAA volunteers attempting to provide information to the masses.

For efficiency purposes and as a source for up to date information to be disseminated to those who had expressed an interest in responding to the disaster with their airboats, the FAA Safety Officer created the AirboatKatrina website. Since Robert is and has been in contact with congressmen, senators, FEMA, Texas Equusearch Deployment Resources, and Resource Development who directly feeds the State Office of Emergency Management he is privy to current info and shares it via this website with those who requested to be informed.

It is important to note that all the efforts here by FAA members are totally volunteer. We had a mission and responded to a need as best we could as laymen who were also working other jobs. All those involved have given many, many hours of their own time as a service to our airboating community. Hope this answers your questions.

Lauren Brown
Florida Airboat Association Public Information Officer
 
well that tell's me a little bit on who some people are, but i'm a little mad cause of robert [airboat katrina] too take the time and word the email's the way it was to Go Now,GO NOW, cause we have orders to DEPLOY NOW!!!!!!!!!!, AND THEN YOU CALL AND GET THAT INFO WITH ALL THE PAPER WORK IS EMAILED TO YOU NOW AND THAT IS YOUR TICKET TO GET THERE!!!!, WELL IT DIDN'T happen like that did it???. All I no is that if the group we had together would have went [ by what verbal conversation's with robert]out there with out this contract that robert said was there and everything was set like he said was there I think somebody would have got hurt or killed because somebody did not have his FACT'S straight ,and who would have took the responsibility for that person's loss?????, all I know is that a person that is a resource, contact, or what ever, needs to get together and be more resourceful for the FAA, I'm not bashing but I'M VERY UPSET the way this was all handled, and now it's all he said she said cause nobody want's to be responsible for there action's.
 
Westside has a point. I have been recieving plenty of email updates from airboatkatrina@aol.com and I remember the one that pretty much said GO Now..Go Now!!!. Everything was coordinated and told me where to go and whatnot. Now, I wake up this morning and read one that says stand down...alert level:none...the situation is too dangerous since we've recieved reports of no gas and no support....well NO S%$T!!! I haven't been in contact with anybody over there and I could have told you that. I REALLY like the little disclaimer at the bottom too. You are so hopped up to get everybody organized and sent off but don't want to take responsibility for any of it.

Look, I understand that many of the people responsible for the stuff that goes on in FAA are volunteers. My hat goes off to them for there work. I know how hard it is to work and try to volunteer your free time to do this stuff. But, that work also comes with a certain level of responsiblity. They (FAA) obviously need to start this thing over. That isn't a bad thing. Take a break from Katrina and figure out how this can be done better next time. There will be a next time and we need to be prepared. We need to come together as a communtiy and organize and prepare better. Plain and simple. I am not out to bash anyone. I am just telling it like I see it.

Next, I will be followed by.........
 
followed by Jim on his soapbox,

Look folks, let's try and put this thing in perspective. Some of you got your feelings hurt and maybe even felt victimized somehow. My feeling is that I am ultimately responsible for my own safety and well being.

Let's not forget that people have died in the disaster area and are still trapped and dying. What is your injury compared to that? Some of the local cajun outdoorsmen went in there with their boats and trucks and just started pulling people out. They slept in their trucks and waded in the filthy water and they are not complaining.

The posts you make on this site are not just read by a few of your friends, they are available to the whole world via the world wide web.

Some of you have thanked Rick for this site in the Labor day thread. If you really want to help him then help him, by providing positive help to the organization of your choice.

Jim
 
You are right Jim, You are ultimately responsible for your own safety and well being. This is where accurate information comes in. It is much harder to make an informed decision when the info is so screwed up. That is not Robert's fault, I understand. We need to figure out a way to improve this next time.

As far as the locals going and helping, right on. I would hope that they would. However there is a big difference in travelling a hundred miles or so and being able to help versus driving 800 and getting stranded for lack of fuel. I know it is scarce, that's why I'm home. I don't have the means of carrying enough to be fully self-sufficient. Some people did and they went, right on.

I think the issue boils down to dissemination of information. I know that Robert was having to rely on others for his info, be that from CAT5 or other agencies. It is not his fault that this got messed up. I'm not sure that it is any one person's fault. That is why we should step back and reevaluate our response. How can we do this better in the future?

As far as my feelings being hurt....not so here. Am I aggravated at the frequent flip-flop of info? YES. But I have been in the military to long to let that hurt my feelings. The rumor mill runs overtime in times like these, but it still gets pretty old after a while.

Adam
 
all these year's of airboater's and still no chain of command on are behalf, shame on us, in order to show people how good we are, we need to step back and regroup as a group and choose wisely who we have speaking for certain alliance's and i'm sure everybody know's what i'm talking about!! they didnt have these problem's back in the day's, when i was growing up and airboating is still the same, boats still being built the same , waters still the same, fish and game still the same, it's the people we got that change all this and sometime's it's not all for the good
 
Jeff,

What do you mean by 2 years later and no smarter?

It would appear to me that those who have chosen to advance and organize have done just that advanced and organized. If I am missing your point (entirely possible) please explain your position.

The group of airboaters now under the command of the Orange County Sheriff's Dept. have followed steps that were envisioned over 4 years ago, thanks to forward thinking of the former Airboat Safety Chair of the Florida Airboat Association. His dreams of organization are now bearing fruit. We have made miles of positive strides in the right direction. We are on the map in Central Florida.

Lauren
 
A big thanks to Jim Brown executive board member the FAA. Some of us are working hard to ensure Airboaters future and we thank Jim for sticking it out through thick and thin and working hard to make this happen.>News from OCSO Orange County Sheriff’s Office unveils volunteer airboat team LOCAL AIRBOAT SKIPPERS STAND READY TO SERVE CENTRAL FLORIDA IF A DISASTER SHOULD STRIKE Captain Tim Cannon and Sgt. Joe Carter, from the Sheriff’s Homeland Security Unit, and Team Leader Mr. Jim Brown, president of the Lake County Airboat Club, were on hand for the team’s first public introduction. Sheriff Beary realized a need for such a unit after responding to the tragic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The team is comprised of 21 volunteers and their airboats. Team members have gone through a thorough background check and are credentialed as a “Volunteer” with the Orange County Sheriff's Office. All team members do not live within Orange County. They were chosen in part by home county to distribute them throughout our region of the Domestic Security Task Force. The team is able to aid in the search, recovery and transport, in conjunction with other RDSTF personnel, to any man-made or natural disaster site that requires specialize transport vessels (airboats). Each member’s boat and equipment meets the standards set for by the team and our Marine Unit and the United States Coast Guard.” June 23,2007 Saturday’s meeting, training and inspection, was the first official gathering of the team. Remember quitters never win so keep up the good work just a reminder other FAA affiliates are involved in this thanks to them someone else's dream can come true
Bishop
 
It took a long time & a lot of work to get to this point. FWC blew HOT AIR years ago saying they wanted to see this type of team assembled. They dropped the ball & OCSO picked it up & ran with it.
I'm sure the team will prove to be an asset to OCSO and the citizens of Florida.

Polk County Sheriff's Office is organizing a similar team, with similar criteria for applicants. Rest assured that the team will only consist of solid citizens of good character of whom you will be proud to be associate with. Contact Sargent Charlie Fountain of the PCSO at 863-534-6200 for more information.
 
Lauren,

I do have to commend Mr. Jim Brown and his 20 comrades for "getting er' done" :wink:

Just don't see the reasoning behind....
Rest assured that the team will only consist of solid citizens of good character of whom you will be proud to be associate with.
Click to expand...
This stereo-typing via background investigation will prevent a lot of airboaters from helping!

In a time of a national emergency it's always been the "good-ol-boys" that also pick up and pitch-in. Why have a pre-requisite of a background investigation for someone who is willing to drag dead bodies around on thier airboat? I've been in these exact situations several times before and welcome anybody's help who is graciously willing to give a hand!!!


Especially as a commadiered volunteer!

Seems like a lot of willing airboaters will be "waiting on the call" again and not get it cause they got a speeding ticket? Gotta be a way for ALL airboaters to help if they are willing :roll:

Basketcase
 
Basket wrote:
Why have a prerequisite of a background investigation for someone who is willing to drag dead bodies around on thier airboat?


This stereo-typing via background investigation will prevent a lot of airboaters from helping!


Gatorstick:
Lets see............ After Katrina, a few of the "Volunteers" were caught stealing & looting. A few bought boats & promptly sunk them. Many did not possess adequate equipment, were knowledable in operation or have safe vessels. I read reports of "coolers of beer & whiskey."A Broward County Deputy (at their airboat training class, Jan 05) told me of one "volunteer" after a plane crash that showed up drunk with his girlfriend. They started arguing & he beat her. The Deputy had the duty of arresting this outstanding example.

Examples as these is what FWC's top Commander used against us for a volunteer team. I responded then BE SELECTIVE and weed out the undesirables and not allow a few bad apples to reflect upon the majority.

Any team is only as strong as it's weakest link. If you want a strong team, you need solid players. If someone shows up & really wants to play, they have to make an effort to RISE to the selected criteria, not lower the bar for everyone. If someone want to make the effort, I'm confident they will receive what they give. If they don't make the effort, then the question becomes "How low do we lower the bar?" Does any of this sound like "Affirmative Action?"

I will consistently seek reputable, eager to learn, bright stock to associate with in any endeavor. In a potential dire situation, I think that anyone in their right mind would do the same. If not, an act of Darwinism may occur.

BTW, to the best of my knowledge, no one was turned away for a "speeding ticket."
 
"The FEW, the proud, the Marines" ....... any questions ?

These people have been deputized to act in behalf of a Florida law enforcement agency.
I for one am glad that they were asked to pass a screening process. That makes them a very unique group of individuals ....... worthy not only of the respect of all of the folks they may encounter in a true disaster, but also worthy of the confidence of those same folks that they may be called to help.

In my mind, the fact that they have been screened and found qualified only helps to raise the esteem of airboaters everywhere. :headbang:
 
Thanks Art! Your one shot is on target.


Basket wrote:
Why have a pre-requisite of a background investigation for someone who is willing to drag dead bodies around on thier airboat?


I passed this earlier. If you think it's about dragging around dead bodies, you have the wrong group. You might consider forming an "all comers" group for that purpose.
 
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