FEMA and Milwaukee Flood and Jim Doyle

Governor Jim Doyle, the lamest of ducks, is willing to take the hit for FEMA's slow response to last week's flood in Milwaukee.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

A Federal Emergency Management Agency team will be in Milwaukee on Wednesday to tally damage from last week's flooding, according to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department.

The FEMA team will visit homes, businesses and public buildings to examine damage from flooding last Thursday and see whether it meets the criteria for a federal flood disaster declaration, the sheriff's department said. Such a declaration would allow federal officials to provide financial assistance for flood victims.

The team will also examine roads, bridges and utilities to see whether local governments can get help in repairing damaged infrastructure, according to the sheriff's department.

The announcement comes a day after local officials said Gov. Jim Doyle's administration was taking too long in seeking federal help for flood victims. County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett were among the local leaders who said the state was holding up the process.

Are we really supposed to believe that Doyle's dawdling is solely responsible for this inexcusably slow federal response to the devastation?

Why would the state "hold up" the process? What would be the point of that?

Do we just blame the incompetence of the Doyle Democrats in Madison for failing to get FEMA to Milwaukee and the federal ball rolling?

Federal officials won't be seeing as many residential streets lined with sewage-soaked belongings at the curb waiting for pick-up. The clean-up has been going on for a week.

Here's Jim Doyle's statement on federal flood assistance:

Governor Jim Doyle today issued the following statement regarding federal assistance following last week’s storms that caused flooding in areas across the state.

“State and local officials have been moving quickly since Thursday evening to respond to the damage caused by a string of severe storms. In that time Wisconsin Emergency Management has been working closely with FEMA and local officials to ensure a speedy response.

“On Friday evening, Milwaukee County submitted a preliminary damage assessment to the state, and continued working through the weekend to complete the damage assessment as quickly as possible. As of tonight the state has received updated damage assessments for Milwaukee and Grant counties, and Wisconsin Emergency Management is completing an application for federal assistance from FEMA. The application will be submitted first thing in the morning and FEMA has already indicated that they will be in Wisconsin early next week.

“I want to thank Milwaukee and Grant counties for their prompt response to this disaster. This is a top priority for everyone involved, and with a lot of people’s hard work the counties’ damage assessments were completed quicker than normal. Emergency Management will update the state’s application as damage assessments from other counties are finalized.”

It's too late for a speedy response from FEMA.

Why wasn't Tom Barrett pressuring Doyle to move more quickly from the beginning?

Federal assistance for flood victims and local governments should be a no-brainer.