Better Late Than Never-Unless You Are Among The Dead!!!

[HARDCORE]

?Officials study use of military choppers in battling blazes (after the fact)?"

"And Nero too, fiddled while Rome burned!?

One of those in charge of disbursing assistance in the recent "San Diego Firestorm", is now sighting (after the fact) ?Lack of Certification & Training? for not utilizing Navy and Marine assets in battling the recent Cedar Fire!? A fire that blackened nearly 800,000 acres of San Diego County, destroyed some 3400 homes, and also eradicated numerous lives in the process!? As a matter of fact, this individual even claimed ignorance about what resources (military) were available in such cases on a talk show a time back!

This person, and others I assume, implied that military pilots did not possess the skills (and/or certification) needed to serve a functioning role in fighting the wild fires that turned portions of the Southland into a blazing hell a short time ago?! As a matter of fact, at least one of the non-emergency relief workers called in to assist in giving comfort to the victims, was himself testy when he overheard me stating the fact that help in the form of military helicopters was within arm?s reach during these murderous fires!

A recent article in a local rag, however, clearly pointed out that 240 active duty sailors and reservists out on North Island in a ?Helicopter Combat Support Squadron? alone, were ?Good To Go!? And outside of duties that include the rescue of downed pilots, these dedicated Navy men and women had training in fighting wild fires out on San Clemente Island etc!

As a matter of fact, this naval personnel even offered help with water dropping missions in the critical first days of the Cedar Fire! Back before a majority of the damage was done, I believe? (They were blatantly denied!!)

Well, now that the damage is done, the dead have been buried, many are homeless, and hordes are still battling to be compensated, the excuses are beginning to roll in like crap from an over-ripe goose! Even our President and Governor did their expected tour of the devastation before fleeing back to comfort and safety of the political neverlands! As for the individual(s) empowered to undertake initial response, this bureaucrat is also busy defending his or her position not to utilize, what they termed as - "Uncertified Military Pilots" (The best trained in the world) in fighting this deadly fire!

Hey, even a locally spawned, national politico and his staff, patted themselves on the backs (via the media), for finally seeking federal assistance for the afflicted! "But this plea for help came days after the fire had begun to rage out of control!"

In politics, it appears that no catastrophe or human tragedy, no matter how dire, is as important as the press that one can capture after the fact! And yet to listen to some political heroes, you would think that they were personally out there on the fire line, risking life and limb, to protect their fellow humanity!?

"I personally find it disgusting to realize what some politicians and bureaucrats attempt, in order to turn blood and gore to their own vested advantage!" But then, the axiom is that: "Above all, one must protect his (or her) own ass & assets in this often un-holy game of politics! [OPINION]



VERITAS