Issues and Concerns: Hurricane Ike

On September 12, local weather channels informed citizens of Texas that Hurricane Ike was headed straight for them, and they should evacuate as soon as possible. Many people began to move immediately while others decided to stay. According to cnn.com, the hurricane was projected to hit the coast of Texas early on Friday or late on Saturday. Evacuations began around Texas began at 7 a.m. on Thursday. Hurricane Ike struck the coast on Saturday night. This gave people about two days to escape the path of destruction Ike forged. There is no total cost of damage thus far, but Ike caused 13,000 people to become homeless and stay in 127 shelters after Ike ripped through Texas. Four thousand Red Cross disaster workers and 100 emergency response vehicles came to the rescue of Hurricane Ike's victims who couldn't get out of thier homes . This shows the govenment is doing it's job. Citizens pay taxes and the government uses those taxes to fund recues like this one. There is a question, however, whether the government should be responsible for the people who didn't heed the warning to evacuate and stayed in thier homes or not. I think they should. The govenment is there to work for the people. This includes peole who may not have cooperated in certain situations. Other people don't know the exact reasons why some didn't leave when they had a chance. They may have been disabled or not had the money for gas to leave. People shouln't judge before they know the situation. The government was created to protect its people...every last one of them. The cost of rescue operations are large, but that's why the funds for such come from taxes. The money comes from citizens and is given back to citizens. The danger in saftey and health of first responders is also a big issue. According to fireescue1.com, the health risks of responders are germs from flood water and chemicals floating in it or in the air that might get in the skin. Both of these can cause severe illness. I think that these things are a risk, but a first responder is aware of what can happen to them when he or she is on the job. They don't take this lightly and accept it as part of thier responsibility to victims. Again, I think just because some people don't evacuate when told doesn't mean they shouldn't be helped. No one should blame them or ignore them because everyone's situation is different.