European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 7, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                After Hugo dealing with disaster by John Lancaster Washington Postl Orine Sweatman of monks Corner s.c., survived the violent Hurricane that ripped the roof off her Mobile Home and deposited a tree in her living room. It was the Federal government that left her in tears in search of funds to help replace her uninsured trailer the 43-year-old widow endured torrential Rains and a seven hour wait at a Federal Relief Center but was told to come Back the next Day. A two hour session with Tho Federal emergency management Agency Fema did Little to Calm her fears. They Don t know if they re going to be Able to help  said sweat Mari tears Welling in her eyes. I be got to fill out All this she waved a lengthy loan application form get All kinds of documents. Then they la  in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo which battered South Carolina with Hood tides and 135-Mph winds local officials and residents have harshly criticized Federal Relief efforts. They said Federal authorities misunderstood Tho extent of the catastrophic damage to lives and property causing confusion and delays in Many stricken areas some criticism of Fema May have been inevitable officials and residents indicated Given the tens of thousands made miserable by the storm. While a nationwide Volunteer Effort inundated the Region with food clothing and other essentials some communities waited Days for government Aid  As Power generators heavy equipment and troops to help Clear debris. Staff shortages contributed to huge lines at Federal Relief centers. There in Rural Berkeley county where Many people remain without Power or running water the Federal disaster Center did not open until 10 Days after Hugo roared ashore South of monks Corner at Charleston. Some residents have been told that it will be weeks before they receive Aid others Are not even aware that they can apply. I really had More Faith in our government said Robert Hoffman mayor of St. Stephen in Berkeley county. We re in serious trouble if Fema is going to be the organization in the event of a nuclear  the nation s chief emergency planning organization Fema is responsible for coordinating Federal disaster Aid. In natural disasters  As Hurricane Hugo stale emergency planners Are to relay specific requests to Fema which needs presidential authorization before dispatching help  As troops and equipment. Disaster Relief centers Are supposed to provide temporary financial assistance to those without lobs or Homes. Many local officials apparently were unfamiliar with Fema procedures. It was several Days before we understood what All that rigmarole  said James Budds. Administrative assistant to Charleston mayor Joseph p. Riley or. Desperately seeking immediate action local officials resorted to bureaucratic end runs appealing directly to Congress Lor help. Son. Ernest f. Hollings is c., who last week characterized Fema officials As a Bunch of bureaucratic jackasses called monday Lor a general accounting office probe of How the Agency handles disaster Relief. Budds said of Fema you Don t put procedure first you put the needs of the people first. Instead of providing for an emergency situation whore you try to Cut through red tape they create More of  Fema officials said that initial delays were inevitable Given Hugo s ferocity and that they acted on local requests As soon As they were received from the state emergency preparedness office. In Washington Fema officials said Philip May head of the Atlanta regional office was with gov. Carroll a. Campbelljr. At the state emergency command Center in Columbia on the night that Hugo hit. They said May was on the phone with Fema Headquarters at 8 o clock the next morning requesting a disaster Aid declaration. Fema waived its requirement for a silo assessment of damage the officials said and Grant Peterson an associate director carried the request to the White House where president Bush signed it at 10 15am. Peterson said most localities have disaster coordinators who should have been familiar Wilh Fema s requirement that Aid requests must be made through a governor. In Charleston Fema spokesman Jack Glover said it s not a bureaucratic red tape system. There s no paperwork  he described the Federal Relief Effort As the largest since Hurricane Camille slammed into Gulfport miss., in 1969, causing 256 deaths and catastrophic damage. Glover said however that the government cannot dispense Money to storm victims without verifying damages. Everything takes time in one of those things he said. Needs were particularly acute in Berkeley county. A Rural Low lying area of Pine forests and Marshlands the county took the full Force of the Hurricane and Many local officials said they Felt overlooked in the chaotic Days that followed. We seem to be Able to move More tonnage in 24 hours to foreign countries than we can move in the state in eight Days Berkeley county supervisor Johnnie Flynn said. Flynn said that he requested portable generators to Power the county s 84 sewage pumping stations but that by late last week he had received Only about 40. The shortage caused sewage to overflow into streams and Rivers killing fish and plants officials said. The county awaits portable toilets at meal Sites and food distribution centers. Berkeley also suffered from a shortage of personnel and heavy equipment. Downed Trees and Power poles blocked virtually All county roads on the morning after the storm. Officials said that four Days passed before 160 National guard troops arrived in the county and that state officials sent them elsewhere the next morning. They said they would Start at curfew and work All night and i got in the next morning and was told they had on a worked four hours Flynn said. A detachment of 360 marines arrived at monks Comer from Camp Lejeune n.c., but that was not enough to satisfy St. Stephen mayor Hoffman. We dug ourselves out of this storm he said. Hoffman complained that Fema has since rejected his plea for help in removing Trees downed on private property. Local officials said the Agency is concerned about potential lawsuits. Local officials also questioned delay in establishing Berkeley county s Federal disaster Relief Center which is supposed to provide temporary financial assistance to the jobless or homeless. The Center is one of eight in the Charleston area and others Are being set up in outlying counties. Saturday. 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