While federal disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina made bad matters much worse, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. stepped up to ease the suffering of those who needed help without delay. The corporation’s advanced supply chain played a big part in providing those in harm's way with essential items, namely food, fuel and water.
But don’t take my word for it, please. If “the American government would have responded like Wal-Mart has responded, we wouldn’t be in this crisis,” said Mr. Aaron F. Broussard, president of Jefferson Parish, a flooded community adjacent to New Orleans, Sept. 4 on ‘Meet the Press,’ hosted by Tim Russert.
And the U.S. financial press? “The Federal Emergency Management Agency could learn some things from Wal-Mart Stores Inc.,” The Wall Street Journal reported Sept. 12. “Wal-Mart frequently beat FEMA by days in getting trucks filled with emergency supplies to relief workers and citizens whose lives were upended by the storm.”
Clearly, Uncle Sam’s business plan is flawed when it comes to helping American citizens blown out and flooded out of their neighborhoods. Crucially, Wal-Mart is a model for federal disaster officials.
Thus now is the time for Uncle Sam to learn what Wal-Mart knows about bringing relief to storm evacuees. Consider this as a private-sector service for the common good.
Many Americans have heard and seen that the private sector has a role to play in Hurricane Katrina disaster relief. President George W. Bush told them so after the hurricane reached landfall in the Gulf Coast states.
Echoing the president’s thought on the necessity of private charity were former Presidents George H.W. Bush and William Clinton on Sept. 5. Wal-Mart’s move to hire its workers who have fled the storm at stores elsewhere in the U.S. “will give some guidance to our members of Congress,” Clinton added.
What Uncle Sam lacks Wal-Mart has. It’s a matter of guidance for Congress.
Meanwhile, Wal-Mart doing well for thousands of hurricane victims in the void created by Uncle Sam is also improving the company’s public image. It had dipped due to Wal-Mart’s treatment of its majority female, non-union work force.
Don’t mourn your disaster relief mistakes, Uncle Sam, corporatize! Wal-Mart will lead the way with real professionals in charge.
--Seth Sandronsky is a member of Sacramento Area Peace Action and a co-editor of Because People Matter, Sacramento's progressive paper. He can be reached at ssandron@hotmail.com.
