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A Town Beseiged: Potrero Residents Battling Blackwater Now Suffer Ravages of Wildfire
Potrero, California, the town that has gained national attention for standing up against Blackwater Worldwide's plan to build a private military-style training camp in their pristine backcountry community east of San Diego, now faces an even more formidable force. The Harris wildfire which began outside Potrero early Sunday morning has ravaged the small rural community, where many residents remain trapped without supplies four days after the fire began.
"It's like the Kalahari Desert as you drive down Potrero Valley Road. There are sand dunes everywhere-dirt and ash," Jan Hedlun reported via cell phone on Tuesday. "We can't get in or out, and we are running out of supplies." This morning, however, Hedlun said food will be provided to beleaguered residents at the old Volunteer Fire Department Building. The County recently began initiating its fire consolidation plan, closing some rural volunteer firefighting departments. But here in Potrero, some residents complained that they never saw a single fire engine until long after their homes burned down.
Stretches where homes once stood along Highway 94 have been reduced to wasteland. Many homes have burned, although the town's store, library, and Post Office are still standing. "There is looting going on up here," said Hedlun. Another source described Potrero as a "moonscape with houses here and there."
Many Potrero residents never received reverse 911 calls warning them to evacuate. Some rely on cell phones, which were not included in the evacuation system.
"It's like Armageddon," said Jill Michaels, who had just four minutes to pack belongings before fleeing flames that singed her husband. She and her family tried to evacuate but found all roads blocked. She returned to witness her Potrero home burn to the ground.
Others suffered worse losses. Tom Varshock died trying to save his home on the Potrero/Tecate boundary. His son remains hospitalized with burns over 50% of his body.
Fires continue to burn on two sides of Potrero, blocking roads in and out. For the moment, Hedlun assured me this morning, she and others believe they are safe. Hurricane-force winds that howled through the mountain area on Sunday night have now calmed, giving firefighters cautious optimism to believe the fires may be contained by this weekend.
Portions of the Cleveland National Forest and Hauser Wilderness area adjoining the Blackwater site are believed to have burned, Hedlun said, though residents have not been permitted near the area yet. Hedlun said. Military C130 aircraft arrived late yesterday, dropping fire retardant onto the forest, which provides critical habitat for wildlife.
Blackwater's 824-acre site in Round Potrero Valley, which survived the initial blaze, may also have burned last night. "There is a haze of smoke rising above it this morning," Hedlun informed me at 10:00 a.m. today (Wednesday).
Brian Bonfiglio, vice president of Blackwater West, said Blackwater remains determined to build its planned facility despite the wildfire's devastation. Those plans include 11 firing ranges for small and large caliber weapons, an emergency vehicular training track, bunkhouses for 200 trainees, additional training facilities and a large armory to stockpile ammunition.
"I see a tactical operation center for East County fires," said Bonfiglio, noting that Blackwater's proposal includes water tanks capable of holding 35,000 gallons. "Can you imagine how much of a benefit it would be if we were operational now?"
Opponents of Blackwater have suggested that live-fire operations could heighten the risk of fire starting in the box canyon where Blackwater seeks to locate and note that fires have been started by live-fire at military bases in the past. The Courage Campaign has mounted a petition calling on Senators Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer to oppose Blackwater's base in Potrero for reasons including the proposed facility's location in a "fire-prone landscape http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/StopBlackwater
Bonfiglio maintains that shooting areas will have berms, cleared surrounding areas, and a standby fire watch person with fire equipment on hand. No flares or explosives will be used, he said.
But even a fire started off-site could become an inferno, critics contend, if it were to reach the armory full of ammunition at Blackwater's site.
Blackwater has sought approval for its project under the County's new "shelter in place" policy. The valley, which has only one road in and one road out, would include a 9,600 square foot facility equipped with sprinklers and surrounded by enhanced fire modification zone. Blackwater has offered to shelter townspeople in its facility in event of a future fire.
But one Potrero resident who remained in town despite evacuation orders observed, "There is no way in hell anyone up here would want to go there during a fire." Evacuation would have been required from the valley as fire leap-frogged across the area, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the blaze, one of several major wildfires now burning throughout San Diego County. Combined, the fires have forced evacuation of over half a million people - more than fled New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. With over a billion dollars in property damage and 1,500 homes burned countywide, the fires are now the worst in California history.
The Harris fire raises many troubling issues with regard to the fate of the Blackwater project.
Hedlun confirmed that Potrero residents will likely request a new Environmental Impact Report be filed, since much critical wildlife habitat and watershed areas have burned. The original EIR was expected to be completed in December, followed by a vote of the San Diego County Planning Commission and ultimately, the County Board of Supervisors.
Those votes would rely in part on an advisory vote cast by the Potrero Planning Group in favor of the Blackwater project. Angry residents had mounted a recall election of all pro-Blackwater planners. That election, set for December 11th, was slated to be a mandatory vote-by-mail election with ballots going out in early November.
San Diego's Registrar of Voters, Debra Seiler, has not yet responded to an inquiry asking whether the recall election may be postponed because of the fire, or how she intends to assure that voters who lost homes or have been displaced will receive ballots and be able to cast their votes. At least two planners facing recall have lost their homes. Fates of some candidates running on a "Save Potrero" anti-Blackwater slate remain unknown. Some voters now face divided loyalties, sympathizing with neighbors who lost homes and another planner facing recall who reportedly saved several houses from burning.
Residents in Potrero, scarred by internal strife and fire, now seek time to heal. Hedlun held out hope that Blackwater may yet decide to abandon its plan to open up a training camp in Potrero.
"For now," she concluded, "We are digging out, cleaning up, and looking to see what's left."
Stretches where homes once stood along Highway 94 have been reduced to wasteland. Many homes have burned, although the town's store, library, and Post Office are still standing. "There is looting going on up here," said Hedlun. Another source described Potrero as a "moonscape with houses here and there."
Many Potrero residents never received reverse 911 calls warning them to evacuate. Some rely on cell phones, which were not included in the evacuation system.
"It's like Armageddon," said Jill Michaels, who had just four minutes to pack belongings before fleeing flames that singed her husband. She and her family tried to evacuate but found all roads blocked. She returned to witness her Potrero home burn to the ground.
Others suffered worse losses. Tom Varshock died trying to save his home on the Potrero/Tecate boundary. His son remains hospitalized with burns over 50% of his body.
Fires continue to burn on two sides of Potrero, blocking roads in and out. For the moment, Hedlun assured me this morning, she and others believe they are safe. Hurricane-force winds that howled through the mountain area on Sunday night have now calmed, giving firefighters cautious optimism to believe the fires may be contained by this weekend.
Portions of the Cleveland National Forest and Hauser Wilderness area adjoining the Blackwater site are believed to have burned, Hedlun said, though residents have not been permitted near the area yet. Hedlun said. Military C130 aircraft arrived late yesterday, dropping fire retardant onto the forest, which provides critical habitat for wildlife.
Blackwater's 824-acre site in Round Potrero Valley, which survived the initial blaze, may also have burned last night. "There is a haze of smoke rising above it this morning," Hedlun informed me at 10:00 a.m. today (Wednesday).
Brian Bonfiglio, vice president of Blackwater West, said Blackwater remains determined to build its planned facility despite the wildfire's devastation. Those plans include 11 firing ranges for small and large caliber weapons, an emergency vehicular training track, bunkhouses for 200 trainees, additional training facilities and a large armory to stockpile ammunition.
"I see a tactical operation center for East County fires," said Bonfiglio, noting that Blackwater's proposal includes water tanks capable of holding 35,000 gallons. "Can you imagine how much of a benefit it would be if we were operational now?"
Opponents of Blackwater have suggested that live-fire operations could heighten the risk of fire starting in the box canyon where Blackwater seeks to locate and note that fires have been started by live-fire at military bases in the past. The Courage Campaign has mounted a petition calling on Senators Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer to oppose Blackwater's base in Potrero for reasons including the proposed facility's location in a "fire-prone landscape http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/StopBlackwater
Bonfiglio maintains that shooting areas will have berms, cleared surrounding areas, and a standby fire watch person with fire equipment on hand. No flares or explosives will be used, he said.
But even a fire started off-site could become an inferno, critics contend, if it were to reach the armory full of ammunition at Blackwater's site.
Blackwater has sought approval for its project under the County's new "shelter in place" policy. The valley, which has only one road in and one road out, would include a 9,600 square foot facility equipped with sprinklers and surrounded by enhanced fire modification zone. Blackwater has offered to shelter townspeople in its facility in event of a future fire.
But one Potrero resident who remained in town despite evacuation orders observed, "There is no way in hell anyone up here would want to go there during a fire." Evacuation would have been required from the valley as fire leap-frogged across the area, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the blaze, one of several major wildfires now burning throughout San Diego County. Combined, the fires have forced evacuation of over half a million people - more than fled New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. With over a billion dollars in property damage and 1,500 homes burned countywide, the fires are now the worst in California history.
The Harris fire raises many troubling issues with regard to the fate of the Blackwater project.
Hedlun confirmed that Potrero residents will likely request a new Environmental Impact Report be filed, since much critical wildlife habitat and watershed areas have burned. The original EIR was expected to be completed in December, followed by a vote of the San Diego County Planning Commission and ultimately, the County Board of Supervisors.
Those votes would rely in part on an advisory vote cast by the Potrero Planning Group in favor of the Blackwater project. Angry residents had mounted a recall election of all pro-Blackwater planners. That election, set for December 11th, was slated to be a mandatory vote-by-mail election with ballots going out in early November.
San Diego's Registrar of Voters, Debra Seiler, has not yet responded to an inquiry asking whether the recall election may be postponed because of the fire, or how she intends to assure that voters who lost homes or have been displaced will receive ballots and be able to cast their votes. At least two planners facing recall have lost their homes. Fates of some candidates running on a "Save Potrero" anti-Blackwater slate remain unknown. Some voters now face divided loyalties, sympathizing with neighbors who lost homes and another planner facing recall who reportedly saved several houses from burning.
Residents in Potrero, scarred by internal strife and fire, now seek time to heal. Hedlun held out hope that Blackwater may yet decide to abandon its plan to open up a training camp in Potrero.
"For now," she concluded, "We are digging out, cleaning up, and looking to see what's left."
For more information:
http://www.calitics.com/showDiary.do?diary...
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Friday, October 26, 2007
Who is responsible for the California Fires?
Are the fires in Southern California a result of terrorism as some on Fox News have suggested? Fox News quoted a 2003 FBI memo that alerted law enforcement agencies that an al-Qaeda terrorist being held in detention had talked of masterminding a plot to set a series of devastating forest fires around the western United States. Of course, "al Qaeda" is always the operative word when Fox refers to terrorism, but what if there is someone else behind these fires, someone who could clearly benefit from getting rid of problematic neighbors and getting big government contracts from disaster relief operations?
I recently got two emails that are pretty disturbing. The first one links to the National Terror Alert Response Center and is sourced from ChicoER (although ChicoER's link is now down). It describes suspicious activity by men with cameras visiting various Northern California Fire Stations and running off when detected. see http://www.nationalterroralert.com/updates/2007/09/20/suspicious-activity-at-california-fire-stations-terrorism-center-issues-watch-request
The second one is about the town of Potrero where the citizens were planning a major fight against Blackwater, the mercenary company that is planning to build a 824-acre facility in in their community. This article describes how the citizens of Potrero saw no firetrucks until long after their houses burned down, found all roads blocked, and heard no reverse 911 calls warning them to evacuate.
Obviously, we don't have enough information to come to any conclusions as to what this might mean, maybe we never will, but these are very suspicious stories that need some examination.
Here's the first story:
SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY AT CALIFORNIA FIRE STATIONS
Posted on September 20th, 2007
During the last week of July, fire officials in the Bay Area city of Campbell reported that two men had been seen videotaping routine activities at a fire station.
The men were reportedly in their 20s or early 30s, and one was using a sophisticated news media-style camera.
When firefighters attempted to talk with the men, they reportedly jumped into a waiting car and sped off.
The incident prompted the Sacramento Regional Terrorism Threat Assessment Center to send out a request for Northern California fire stations to watch for similar incidents, and report them immediately.
The day the request went out, Sept. 6, a second, similar incident was reported at a fire station in Yuba City.
According to officials, a fire captain encountered two men parked outside the city’s main fire station. One of the men got out and allegedly began taking pictures of the fire station’s administration building. When the captain approached the men, to tell them they were in a no-parking zone, the photographer jumped in the vehicle and the men left.
The man who took the photos was described as being between 30 and 40 years of age.
On Sept. 12, Fresno Fire Department officials spotted two men in a vehicle allegedly observing activities at a fire training center. When questioned, the driver reportedly said they were just checking things out, then left immediately.
Two days later, on Sept. 14, personnel from the Sacramento Metro Fire Department noticed two men taking photos of a fire station. A third man sat in the back of a car, and appeared to be drawing or taking notes. When fire officials walked toward them, the two taking pictures jumped in the vehicle and sped away.
The men allegedly took pictures in front of the station, and in the rear. They ranged in age from late teens to about 60, officials recalled.
Tim Johnstone, a commander with the threat assessment center in Sacramento, said all of the incidents are being investigated, but there is no indication they might be related.
“We aren’t considering this a specific threat at this time; we’re just asking our public safety partners to be on the watch for suspicious activity,” he said.
He said the threat assessment center was formed to act as a collection point for homeland security intelligence, and disseminate it appropriately.
Jay Alan, deputy director of communication for the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is concerned about security agencies sharing information, and has made it a top priority.
Local officials said no suspicious incidents involving videotaping or photos have been reported at fire stations.
Fire department personnel are being asked to take note of vehicle descriptions, descriptions of suspicious subjects, and complete license plate numbers. Citizens who witness suspicious activity, near fire stations or elsewhere, should do the same, and report it to their local law enforcement agency.
Citizens should not attempt to contact suspicious individuals."
http://www.nationalterroralert.com/updates/2007/09/20/suspicious-activity-at-california-fire-stations-terrorism-center-issues-watch-request
The second story is from award-winning journalist Miriam Raftery:
Potrero, California, the town that has gained national attention for standing up against Blackwater Worldwide's plan to build a private military-style training camp in their pristine backcountry community east of San Diego, now faces an even more formidable force. The Harris wildfire which began outside Potrero early Sunday morning has ravaged the small rural community, where many residents remain trapped without supplies four days after the fire began.
"It's like the Kalahari Desert as you drive down Potrero Valley Road. There are sand dunes everywhere-dirt and ash," Jan Hedlun reported via cell phone on Tuesday. "We can't get in or out, and we are running out of supplies." This morning, however, Hedlun said food will be provided to beleaguered residents at the old Volunteer Fire Department Building. The County recently began initiating its fire consolidation plan, closing some rural volunteer firefighting departments. But here in Potrero, some residents complained that they never saw a single fire engine until long after their homes burned down.
Stretches where homes once stood along Highway 94 have been reduced to wasteland. Many homes have burned, although the town's store, library, and Post Office are still standing. "There is looting going on up here," said Hedlun. Another source described Potrero as a "moonscape with houses here and there."
Many Potrero residents never received reverse 911 calls warning them to evacuate. Some rely on cell phones, which were not included in the evacuation system.
"It's like Armageddon," said Jill Michaels, who had just four minutes to pack belongings before fleeing flames that singed her husband. She and her family tried to evacuate but found all roads blocked. She returned to witness her Potrero home burn to the ground.
Here you can read the rest of the story:
http://www.calitics.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4175
So, as the people of Potrero were preparing for an intense recall election on December 11 to kick out the planning group who approved Blackwater's base this fire breaks loose and devastates their community. And, then we have an alert regarding the men filming fire stations in Northern California?
Do these two events connect in anyway?
Time and investigation may tell.
(And this just in: FEMA says sorry for faked briefing:
Three days after staging a televised news briefing defending its response to the California wildfires, FEMA apologized and said it wouldn't happen again.
http://www.miamiherald.com/519/story/286350.html)
Who is responsible for the California Fires?
Are the fires in Southern California a result of terrorism as some on Fox News have suggested? Fox News quoted a 2003 FBI memo that alerted law enforcement agencies that an al-Qaeda terrorist being held in detention had talked of masterminding a plot to set a series of devastating forest fires around the western United States. Of course, "al Qaeda" is always the operative word when Fox refers to terrorism, but what if there is someone else behind these fires, someone who could clearly benefit from getting rid of problematic neighbors and getting big government contracts from disaster relief operations?
I recently got two emails that are pretty disturbing. The first one links to the National Terror Alert Response Center and is sourced from ChicoER (although ChicoER's link is now down). It describes suspicious activity by men with cameras visiting various Northern California Fire Stations and running off when detected. see http://www.nationalterroralert.com/updates/2007/09/20/suspicious-activity-at-california-fire-stations-terrorism-center-issues-watch-request
The second one is about the town of Potrero where the citizens were planning a major fight against Blackwater, the mercenary company that is planning to build a 824-acre facility in in their community. This article describes how the citizens of Potrero saw no firetrucks until long after their houses burned down, found all roads blocked, and heard no reverse 911 calls warning them to evacuate.
Obviously, we don't have enough information to come to any conclusions as to what this might mean, maybe we never will, but these are very suspicious stories that need some examination.
Here's the first story:
SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY AT CALIFORNIA FIRE STATIONS
Posted on September 20th, 2007
During the last week of July, fire officials in the Bay Area city of Campbell reported that two men had been seen videotaping routine activities at a fire station.
The men were reportedly in their 20s or early 30s, and one was using a sophisticated news media-style camera.
When firefighters attempted to talk with the men, they reportedly jumped into a waiting car and sped off.
The incident prompted the Sacramento Regional Terrorism Threat Assessment Center to send out a request for Northern California fire stations to watch for similar incidents, and report them immediately.
The day the request went out, Sept. 6, a second, similar incident was reported at a fire station in Yuba City.
According to officials, a fire captain encountered two men parked outside the city’s main fire station. One of the men got out and allegedly began taking pictures of the fire station’s administration building. When the captain approached the men, to tell them they were in a no-parking zone, the photographer jumped in the vehicle and the men left.
The man who took the photos was described as being between 30 and 40 years of age.
On Sept. 12, Fresno Fire Department officials spotted two men in a vehicle allegedly observing activities at a fire training center. When questioned, the driver reportedly said they were just checking things out, then left immediately.
Two days later, on Sept. 14, personnel from the Sacramento Metro Fire Department noticed two men taking photos of a fire station. A third man sat in the back of a car, and appeared to be drawing or taking notes. When fire officials walked toward them, the two taking pictures jumped in the vehicle and sped away.
The men allegedly took pictures in front of the station, and in the rear. They ranged in age from late teens to about 60, officials recalled.
Tim Johnstone, a commander with the threat assessment center in Sacramento, said all of the incidents are being investigated, but there is no indication they might be related.
“We aren’t considering this a specific threat at this time; we’re just asking our public safety partners to be on the watch for suspicious activity,” he said.
He said the threat assessment center was formed to act as a collection point for homeland security intelligence, and disseminate it appropriately.
Jay Alan, deputy director of communication for the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is concerned about security agencies sharing information, and has made it a top priority.
Local officials said no suspicious incidents involving videotaping or photos have been reported at fire stations.
Fire department personnel are being asked to take note of vehicle descriptions, descriptions of suspicious subjects, and complete license plate numbers. Citizens who witness suspicious activity, near fire stations or elsewhere, should do the same, and report it to their local law enforcement agency.
Citizens should not attempt to contact suspicious individuals."
http://www.nationalterroralert.com/updates/2007/09/20/suspicious-activity-at-california-fire-stations-terrorism-center-issues-watch-request
The second story is from award-winning journalist Miriam Raftery:
Potrero, California, the town that has gained national attention for standing up against Blackwater Worldwide's plan to build a private military-style training camp in their pristine backcountry community east of San Diego, now faces an even more formidable force. The Harris wildfire which began outside Potrero early Sunday morning has ravaged the small rural community, where many residents remain trapped without supplies four days after the fire began.
"It's like the Kalahari Desert as you drive down Potrero Valley Road. There are sand dunes everywhere-dirt and ash," Jan Hedlun reported via cell phone on Tuesday. "We can't get in or out, and we are running out of supplies." This morning, however, Hedlun said food will be provided to beleaguered residents at the old Volunteer Fire Department Building. The County recently began initiating its fire consolidation plan, closing some rural volunteer firefighting departments. But here in Potrero, some residents complained that they never saw a single fire engine until long after their homes burned down.
Stretches where homes once stood along Highway 94 have been reduced to wasteland. Many homes have burned, although the town's store, library, and Post Office are still standing. "There is looting going on up here," said Hedlun. Another source described Potrero as a "moonscape with houses here and there."
Many Potrero residents never received reverse 911 calls warning them to evacuate. Some rely on cell phones, which were not included in the evacuation system.
"It's like Armageddon," said Jill Michaels, who had just four minutes to pack belongings before fleeing flames that singed her husband. She and her family tried to evacuate but found all roads blocked. She returned to witness her Potrero home burn to the ground.
Here you can read the rest of the story:
http://www.calitics.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4175
So, as the people of Potrero were preparing for an intense recall election on December 11 to kick out the planning group who approved Blackwater's base this fire breaks loose and devastates their community. And, then we have an alert regarding the men filming fire stations in Northern California?
Do these two events connect in anyway?
Time and investigation may tell.
(And this just in: FEMA says sorry for faked briefing:
Three days after staging a televised news briefing defending its response to the California wildfires, FEMA apologized and said it wouldn't happen again.
http://www.miamiherald.com/519/story/286350.html)
For more information:
http://redpill8.blogspot.com/2007/10/who-i...
WASHINGTON
FEMA says sorry for faked briefing
Three days after staging a televised news briefing defending its response to the California wildfires, FEMA apologized and said it wouldn't happen again.
Posted on Sat, Oct. 27, 2007
BY SPENCER S. HSU
Washington Post Service
WASHINGTON --
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's No. 2 official apologized Friday for leading a staged news conference Tuesday in which FEMA employees posed as reporters while real reporters listened on a telephone conference line and were barred from asking questions.
''We are reviewing our press procedures and will make the changes necessary to ensure that all of our communications are straight forward and transparent,'' Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson Jr., FEMA's deputy administrator, said in a statement.
''We can and must do better, and apologize for this error in judgment,'' Johnson said, a view repeated Friday by a spokesman for the White House and the Department of Homeland Security, who criticized the event.
FEMA announced the news conference at its headquarters here about 15 minutes before it was to begin Tuesday afternoon, making it unlikely that reporters could attend. Instead, FEMA set up a telephone conference line so reporters could listen.
In the briefing, parts of which were televised live by cable news channels, Johnson stood behind a lectern, called on questioners who did not disclose that they were FEMA employees and gave replies emphasizing that his agency's response to this week's California wildfires was far better than its response to Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
''It was absolutely a bad decision. I regret it happened. Certainly . . . I should have stopped it,'' said John Philbin, FEMA's director of external affairs.
White House press secretary Dana Perino said Friday that ``it is not a practice that we would employ here at the White House.''
Department of Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said reprimands are ''very probable.'' FEMA is part of Homeland Security.
FEMA says sorry for faked briefing
Three days after staging a televised news briefing defending its response to the California wildfires, FEMA apologized and said it wouldn't happen again.
Posted on Sat, Oct. 27, 2007
BY SPENCER S. HSU
Washington Post Service
WASHINGTON --
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's No. 2 official apologized Friday for leading a staged news conference Tuesday in which FEMA employees posed as reporters while real reporters listened on a telephone conference line and were barred from asking questions.
''We are reviewing our press procedures and will make the changes necessary to ensure that all of our communications are straight forward and transparent,'' Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson Jr., FEMA's deputy administrator, said in a statement.
''We can and must do better, and apologize for this error in judgment,'' Johnson said, a view repeated Friday by a spokesman for the White House and the Department of Homeland Security, who criticized the event.
FEMA announced the news conference at its headquarters here about 15 minutes before it was to begin Tuesday afternoon, making it unlikely that reporters could attend. Instead, FEMA set up a telephone conference line so reporters could listen.
In the briefing, parts of which were televised live by cable news channels, Johnson stood behind a lectern, called on questioners who did not disclose that they were FEMA employees and gave replies emphasizing that his agency's response to this week's California wildfires was far better than its response to Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
''It was absolutely a bad decision. I regret it happened. Certainly . . . I should have stopped it,'' said John Philbin, FEMA's director of external affairs.
White House press secretary Dana Perino said Friday that ``it is not a practice that we would employ here at the White House.''
Department of Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said reprimands are ''very probable.'' FEMA is part of Homeland Security.
For more information:
http://www.miamiherald.com/519/story/28635...
Blackwater delivers supplies to wildfire victims in California
Found this tidbit in an article out of VA. No traction out west about Blackwater involvement in the CA Wildfires in CA media.
Excerpts below from article
The California wildfires have come within a quarter-mile of the property where Blackwater wants to build a West Coast training facility, but the company's on-site manager isn't worried. He says the fires won't deter Blackwater from moving ahead with its controversial plans
On the contrary, he said, the proposed facility would benefit the community if it is threatened by fire again. He said it could be used as a "command center" with bunkhouses for evacuees and water tanks with a 35,000-gallon capacity.
Bonfiglio said Blackwater has made three deliveries of food, water, personal hygiene products and generator fuel to 300 area residents, many of whom have been trapped for days without supplies.
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=135596&ran=1553
VOA2008 Comments (JMCO = Just My Cynical Opinion)
Was Blackwater authorized by either DHS CA or FEMA to do this? Or was this another example of Blackwater taking on themselves the "call to protect American citizens on American soils" under the orders of Erik Prince. As they did in New Orleans.
Refer to the following clip that includes Bill Moyers with Jerry Scahill discussing how 180 Blackwater boots armed arrived FIRST in New Orleans before Fema. And, BTW, without authorization from any government agency - only from Erik Prince.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KDakcj9AHZ8
Who is Brian Bonfiglio - the Project Manager for Blackwater West
Brian Bonfiglio joined Blackwater USA in September 2003 as Program Manager for Ambassador L. Paul Bremer's personal security detail in Baghdad, Iraq. This came after a successful five-year operational deployment to Bosnia Herzegovina in which he served the diplomatic community.
Following the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the Bosnian war, Mr. Bonfiglio deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina and was tasked with setting up three Ambassadorial Details, which are still deployed to the region, including the capital city of Sarajevo. He spent over five years operational in the Balkans and was directly responsible for every aspect of security as the Detail Leader (AIC) to the US Ambassador tasked with implementing the Dayton Peace Agreement. Mr. Bonfiglio has served four US Ambassadors in an exemplary and noted manner, and still advises current Team Leaders on operational and security related matters for Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia.
In September of 2002 Mr. Bonfiglio was the lead protective services instructor for security team members traveling to Afghanistan tasked with protecting Afghan President, Hamid Karzai. Before doing so Brian received his credentialing through a Dept of State, Diplomatic Security Services, High-Risk Protection Operations Course.
Posted by Voice of Americans 2008 at 9:57 AM
Found this tidbit in an article out of VA. No traction out west about Blackwater involvement in the CA Wildfires in CA media.
Excerpts below from article
The California wildfires have come within a quarter-mile of the property where Blackwater wants to build a West Coast training facility, but the company's on-site manager isn't worried. He says the fires won't deter Blackwater from moving ahead with its controversial plans
On the contrary, he said, the proposed facility would benefit the community if it is threatened by fire again. He said it could be used as a "command center" with bunkhouses for evacuees and water tanks with a 35,000-gallon capacity.
Bonfiglio said Blackwater has made three deliveries of food, water, personal hygiene products and generator fuel to 300 area residents, many of whom have been trapped for days without supplies.
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=135596&ran=1553
VOA2008 Comments (JMCO = Just My Cynical Opinion)
Was Blackwater authorized by either DHS CA or FEMA to do this? Or was this another example of Blackwater taking on themselves the "call to protect American citizens on American soils" under the orders of Erik Prince. As they did in New Orleans.
Refer to the following clip that includes Bill Moyers with Jerry Scahill discussing how 180 Blackwater boots armed arrived FIRST in New Orleans before Fema. And, BTW, without authorization from any government agency - only from Erik Prince.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KDakcj9AHZ8
Who is Brian Bonfiglio - the Project Manager for Blackwater West
Brian Bonfiglio joined Blackwater USA in September 2003 as Program Manager for Ambassador L. Paul Bremer's personal security detail in Baghdad, Iraq. This came after a successful five-year operational deployment to Bosnia Herzegovina in which he served the diplomatic community.
Following the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the Bosnian war, Mr. Bonfiglio deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina and was tasked with setting up three Ambassadorial Details, which are still deployed to the region, including the capital city of Sarajevo. He spent over five years operational in the Balkans and was directly responsible for every aspect of security as the Detail Leader (AIC) to the US Ambassador tasked with implementing the Dayton Peace Agreement. Mr. Bonfiglio has served four US Ambassadors in an exemplary and noted manner, and still advises current Team Leaders on operational and security related matters for Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia.
In September of 2002 Mr. Bonfiglio was the lead protective services instructor for security team members traveling to Afghanistan tasked with protecting Afghan President, Hamid Karzai. Before doing so Brian received his credentialing through a Dept of State, Diplomatic Security Services, High-Risk Protection Operations Course.
Posted by Voice of Americans 2008 at 9:57 AM
For more information:
http://voa2008.blogspot.com/2007/10/blackw...
Face of DHS CA = Face of Blackwater
Who is Chris Bertelli - the man protecting me in CA?
Governor Schwarzenegger hired Mr. Bertelli in November of 2005 to work in emergency preparedness in the Department of Homeland Security in California. Bertelli was Blackwater's leading lobbyist, working for the Alexander Strategy Group, the powerful K Street Republican firm staffed and founded by former senior staffers of Tom DeLay. Bertelli was one of the people steering Erik Prince and other Blackwater executives around Capitol Hill after the Fallujah ambush in 2004. Bertelli also was one of the lobbyists for Blackwater who took the lead on trying to block the Pentagon or the Congress from applying the Military Code of Justice, the court-martial system, to Blackwater and other contractors operating in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Watch Chris Bertelli Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTH5nIRrgsw
February 15, 2007 Mr. Bertelli Quote on San Diego & Terrorism Threat
"If you start with San Diego, a few miles away is the busiest border crossing in the world," Bertelli said. "In a year, you get between 50 and 55 million people crossing. It is home to the Navy's 3rd Fleet and the marines at Camp Pendleton. It has all the hallmarks of a major metropolitan area that we felt would put them at a great risk of terrorist incident."
Who is Chris Bertelli - the man protecting me in CA?
Governor Schwarzenegger hired Mr. Bertelli in November of 2005 to work in emergency preparedness in the Department of Homeland Security in California. Bertelli was Blackwater's leading lobbyist, working for the Alexander Strategy Group, the powerful K Street Republican firm staffed and founded by former senior staffers of Tom DeLay. Bertelli was one of the people steering Erik Prince and other Blackwater executives around Capitol Hill after the Fallujah ambush in 2004. Bertelli also was one of the lobbyists for Blackwater who took the lead on trying to block the Pentagon or the Congress from applying the Military Code of Justice, the court-martial system, to Blackwater and other contractors operating in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Watch Chris Bertelli Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTH5nIRrgsw
February 15, 2007 Mr. Bertelli Quote on San Diego & Terrorism Threat
"If you start with San Diego, a few miles away is the busiest border crossing in the world," Bertelli said. "In a year, you get between 50 and 55 million people crossing. It is home to the Navy's 3rd Fleet and the marines at Camp Pendleton. It has all the hallmarks of a major metropolitan area that we felt would put them at a great risk of terrorist incident."
For more information:
http://voa2008.blogspot.com/2007/10/face-o...
Blackwater & CA (JMCO = Just my cynical opinion)
(Photo from QualComm San Diego)
As I have said to many of you mere homo sapiens (kidding) that Blackwater boots will be in San Diego or where ever the fires are. Because as we heard that Blackwater was in New Orleans before FEMA.
Right now Randi Rhodes is saying "hum - Blackwater .... San Diego .... arson started the fires in CA..... connection".
Also, some of EX-Blackwater employees are on Governor Terminator's payroll.
Question: Will the photos from "refugees" of the CA fires look any different than Katrina??? One thing is for sure, they are being called "evacuees" vs. "refugees".
Chris Bertelli, deputy director of the California Office of Homeland Security, once did consulting work for Blackwater, but Homeland Security and the Office of Emergency Services both said they had no record of a meeting with the company.
Here is a video of a protest in Potero (hello - fires are there now) held a couple of weeks ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zk1-OPvFT4
The state insists Californians can freely express their opinions.
Chris Bertelli: "We don't monitor the activities of political protester. We never have. We never will."
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=politics&id=4331336
San Diego NBC video on Blackwater
http://video.nbcsandiego.com/player/?id=157393
(Photo from QualComm San Diego)
As I have said to many of you mere homo sapiens (kidding) that Blackwater boots will be in San Diego or where ever the fires are. Because as we heard that Blackwater was in New Orleans before FEMA.
Right now Randi Rhodes is saying "hum - Blackwater .... San Diego .... arson started the fires in CA..... connection".
Also, some of EX-Blackwater employees are on Governor Terminator's payroll.
Question: Will the photos from "refugees" of the CA fires look any different than Katrina??? One thing is for sure, they are being called "evacuees" vs. "refugees".
Chris Bertelli, deputy director of the California Office of Homeland Security, once did consulting work for Blackwater, but Homeland Security and the Office of Emergency Services both said they had no record of a meeting with the company.
Here is a video of a protest in Potero (hello - fires are there now) held a couple of weeks ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zk1-OPvFT4
The state insists Californians can freely express their opinions.
Chris Bertelli: "We don't monitor the activities of political protester. We never have. We never will."
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=politics&id=4331336
San Diego NBC video on Blackwater
http://video.nbcsandiego.com/player/?id=157393
For more information:
http://voa2008.blogspot.com/2007/10/refuge...
Los Angeles Town Hall Oct 14, 2007
Panel was California Assembly Majority Leader Karen Bass, Paul Eaton, a retired U.S. Army Major General who was in charge of training the Iraqi military from 2003 to 2004 and Rep. Watson (CA-33). Some liberal biting questions were posed to the panel such as:
* Schwarzenegger's use of Blackwater in CA to "protect" CA citizens in place of National Guard
* CodePink not allowed in Blackwater hearings and Waxman's Oversight committee removal of Blackwater issues on agenda
* Rep Watson is convinced that King George will not get the $200 billion of supplemental war funding he is demanding. Ms. Watson repeated this assertion multiple times during the Town Hall.
* Major General Eaton's favorite word of the day for Republicans INCOMPETENCE.
Here are the videos on all of the above!
Panel was California Assembly Majority Leader Karen Bass, Paul Eaton, a retired U.S. Army Major General who was in charge of training the Iraqi military from 2003 to 2004 and Rep. Watson (CA-33). Some liberal biting questions were posed to the panel such as:
* Schwarzenegger's use of Blackwater in CA to "protect" CA citizens in place of National Guard
* CodePink not allowed in Blackwater hearings and Waxman's Oversight committee removal of Blackwater issues on agenda
* Rep Watson is convinced that King George will not get the $200 billion of supplemental war funding he is demanding. Ms. Watson repeated this assertion multiple times during the Town Hall.
* Major General Eaton's favorite word of the day for Republicans INCOMPETENCE.
Here are the videos on all of the above!
For more information:
http://voa2008.blogspot.com/2007/10/schwar...
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