Hi all, back after a couple of days on travel, and I see we're still riled up with the Twin Trolls 28th Puppet and (Grand?) Wizard. Not my cup of tea. Let me ask something more serious.
Over the last two days I spoke with members of emergency reponse personnel at a few federal facilities, mostly Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams. Offhand we talked about the September 11th attacks. Several of them were deployed to assist at the World Trade Center. They relayed to me an experience I haven't seen printed elsewhere -- that the response and cleanup were tightly controlled by labor unions within the FDNY and others.
This came up because we were teasing them about their sundry jackets and patches with identifying marks. Apparently, those who made the trip from the West Coast originally showed up wearing FEMA jackets, and were either ignored or deliberately steered to the sidelines. "We've got all the help we can handle," they were told.
Being savvy people, however, they went back to their truck, ditched the FEMA gear for the classic yellow firefighter's coat, and were instantly drafted into the thick of the action.
If you were looking for a conspiracy, sorry, I don't have one. But this is still interesting to me if true. The above is just an anecdote -- has anyone heard something similar? Anything in the press? Thanks!
Over the last two days I spoke with members of emergency reponse personnel at a few federal facilities, mostly Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams. Offhand we talked about the September 11th attacks. Several of them were deployed to assist at the World Trade Center. They relayed to me an experience I haven't seen printed elsewhere -- that the response and cleanup were tightly controlled by labor unions within the FDNY and others.
This came up because we were teasing them about their sundry jackets and patches with identifying marks. Apparently, those who made the trip from the West Coast originally showed up wearing FEMA jackets, and were either ignored or deliberately steered to the sidelines. "We've got all the help we can handle," they were told.
Being savvy people, however, they went back to their truck, ditched the FEMA gear for the classic yellow firefighter's coat, and were instantly drafted into the thick of the action.
If you were looking for a conspiracy, sorry, I don't have one. But this is still interesting to me if true. The above is just an anecdote -- has anyone heard something similar? Anything in the press? Thanks!
