Yeah the Sheriff scored major points when he took the ice.  The biggest problem was the way he went about it, or so that was what FEMA said.  Basically they took it at gun point!!! Him and 2 deputies.  A good friend of mine was on duty at Camp Shelby at the time it happened and though he did not see it first hand the stories the soldiers told about it were priceless.  I will tell you one thing though, he is young for a Sheriff but he does not put up with much bull from anyone.  He is well respected in his county and by LEO’s in most counties in the state. 

Carl, you are correct. There was some news article when they were revamping FEMA that they were going to stop ice distrubution after storms because there was a surplus of ice after Katrina that was placed in some warehouse for like 2 years and run up a huge tab storing it and then they basically had to let it all melt or destroy it in FEMA’s words.  So there was some legislation that said that would save a large amount of money that was being wasted by FEMA….  Yeah, well I would like to see some of those in Washington come down here and survive without ice for days or weeks on end…  I can assure you they would change their mind about the ice distribution…

knowing the way most state governments work the towers will probably stand 15 mph winds and 15000 pounds of ice pressure.

i remember your sherrif hijacking that load of ice! it was so funny who would arrest him for comandeering federal ice. hattiesburg was just as devistated but didint get the attention it needed. bet he gets re elected forever. we need ice after a storm and you all are correct feme said they were getting out of the ice business. we’ll see. bet they do end up providing it. we need it

Actually, wasn’t there a story awhile back that FEMA HAD said they would stop distributing ice after a disaster? Seems I remember commenting I would rather them stop those nasty MRE’s than the ice!

ick:  I know for a fact that there were transport loads of ice setting at Camp Shelby and were not distributed to those in Central and South Mississippi, those who were in need.  I know that one of our Sheriff’s went and took one of the trucks with ice from Shelby and took it to his counties citizens.  As a result he was charged with criminal charges, however, they subsequently dropped the charges a couple years ago. But yes there was a very short supply of deliveries of ice even though it was relatively close to many places who were in desperate need.  I know in the town where I live we only received ONE (1) FEMA truck load of ice for our whole county….  I can assure you more went without than got the ice.  One thing that was overlooked was the immediate areas around were the resources were staged.  FEMA focused on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and New Orleans….  Granted they had needs but their needs should not have come at the expense of others in the State.  ICE is a special commodity and a basic necessity of life in the time of disaster and how someone could make the decision to withhold, order trucks to bypass certain areas, etc JMO

south? who and when did they say no more ice? thats the only thing that keeps you going after a hurricane?

Then again, the FEMA trucks kept driving past Pearlington and turned to miss the hundreds of people gathered for assistance and shelter in the KMart parking lot in Bay St Louis. Fema was here but they didnt know where to go.

BTW, I think it’s cruel and dangerous to stop the ice distribution. No one thinks it’s a good idea to store it for years. When it’s needed, it is needed for drugs and some foods. Besides that, remember how a little cool ice quells your discomfort and disbelief? Rethink this BIG WIGS!

your husband is EXACTLY what i was referring to, att being prepared for genertors to the cbo’s and refueling them til the power comes back up. anyway hoping we dont endure it again for a while. i am through there all the time, 98 to hattiesburg and 45 to meridian, they did have apretty rought time of it. but my point was this is the second ems system we have had since 2000 and that one didint work either, go back to ham radios or use a DOD drop in package. how do we know the new system will survive the next disaster whatever it is

AMEN Southfan!!!  Our County and the 2 neighboring counties were completely cut off from the rest of the State when Katrina hit.  We had no contact with MEMA, FEMA or anyone else.  On day 3 after Katrina one local man who had been assisting Emergency Management and Fire and LEO with the devastation, got in his personal vehicle with a chainsaw and made his way to Jackson to MEMA headquarters to let them know our fate.  I honestly beleive we should all be prepared to survive on our own for at least 72 hours if not longer in the case of major devastation.  Like I have said previously we have a home in Gulf Shores and basically when a Hurricane hits the Gulf we board up, secure everything, take momentos and head for higher ground and hope for the best but I honestly do not think ANYONE was prepared or expecting the POWER OF KATRINA.  We are all sit here and second guess what decisions our gov’t makes about emergency prepardness but the best thing we could have learned from Katrina is we have to take care of ourselves and our neighbors.

Seems to me that complete devastation could occur anywhere in this country knocking out local communication and response teams. I would think the Federal Gov would have planned that and had these needs stockpiled with the plans to be able to drop them anywhere needed. Why should every area use precious resources to LAYER expensive materials that may or may not make it through some disaster?

One thing we know from living down here, make sure you PREPARE to take care of yourself for several days, even if it means sheets stretched over blankets and sleeping on pine straw. Poptarts can be a treat!