I just got off a call with someone trying to understand the issue with the perceived slow response to Puerto Rico. Personally, I think much of that came from a shortage of FEMA personnel that they could pre-position on that island commonwealth and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The strategy that has worked well for them in the recent past is to have as many liaisons as possible pre-positioned in state and local EOCs to have good real-time situational information that will allow resources to start flowing immediately.
Plus, some of the hard-hit areas are remote with still no communications channels.
If Nate becomes a significant storm, FEMA will feel like the little Dutch boy trying to stick multiple fingers and toes in the dike to keep a flood of troubles from engulfing an already-beleaguered and stressed-out staff spread way too thin.
