From the Chronicle:

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff pledged on Sunday that his team was “working feverishly” to get the centers open, even as Mayor Bill White expressed concern over how long the process was taking.

“If they fulfill these commitments in the coming week, on a reasonable timetable and not a bureaucratic timetable, then they’ll get high marks,” White said. “And if they don’t, they’ll get low marks.”

FEMA officials responded that setting up the centers was contingent on assurances that city workers would be on hand to staff them.

They just went around my office looking for volunteers to work 6-8 hour shifts handing out food and water, meaning the city is trying to find the people to staff those centers. Probably a third of our staff is missing; many of those here today do not have electricity at home yet. Not finding many takers. (No word on whether it’s paid city time or a true volunteer work. For reasons of physical limitations, I declined. I’m one of the lucky ones, and we are taking care of friends/family who need to wash clothes etc.)

FEMA, as was repeated endlessely after Katrina, is a managment agency. It’s j0b is to coordinate everyone else; it’s not a primary responder itself. In other words, by the intent of the design, it’s the city that has fallen through here. Given that city employees are among the lowest paid, and therefore have fewer personal resources to meet this great of a challenge (I’m a major exception in terms of preparedness, but then, I have no expensive children), they are natrually more likely to be among those needing help and support rather than those able to give it.

Just another way that shortchanging city employees shortchanges their city.

The city’s 311 service line this morning was back in operation, with at least 40 lines up and running.

Not exactly. The truth is, 311 calls been diverted to Utility Customer Service, whose employees are not trained (or were, once for a few hours, two years ag0) in the software used by 311. It’s not easy or intuitive, and they have no experience in it. Expect problems — and why the hell isn’t the actual 311 center up? It was supposed to be disaster-hardened.

I notice a trend in the viewer comments at the Chronicle: whiners get voted down, positive and sensible messages are getting voted up. Bush-bashing is only 40-60 thumbs-down, but then BDS is a chronic disease…