Rapture Rescue 911

[Nbadan]

Next in our continuing series on the Two Americas....

Rapture Rescue 911: Disaster Response for the Chosen

I used to worry that the United States was in the grip of extremists who sincerely believed that the Apocalypse was coming and that they and their friends would be airlifted to heavenly safety. I have since reconsidered. The country is indeed in the grip of extremists who are determined to act out the biblical climax--the saving of the chosen and the burning of the masses--but without any divine intervention. Heaven can wait. Thanks to the booming business of privatized disaster services, we're getting the Rapture right here on earth.

Just look at what is happening in Southern California. Even as wildfires devoured whole swaths of the region, some homes in the heart of the inferno were left intact, as if saved by a higher power. But it wasn't the hand of God; in several cases it was the handiwork of Firebreak Spray Systems. Firebreak is a special service offered to customers of insurance giant American International Group (AIG)--but only if they happen to live in the wealthiest ZIP codes in the country. Members of the company's Private Client Group pay an average of $19,000 to have their homes sprayed with fire re ant. During the wildfires, the "mobile units"--racing around in red firetrucks--even extinguished fires for their clients.

One customer described a scene of modern-day Revelation. "Just picture it. Here you are in that raging wildfire. Smoke everywhere. Flames everywhere. Plumes of smoke coming up over the hills," he told the Los Angeles Times. "Here's a couple guys showing up in what looks like a firetruck who are experts trained in fighting wildfire and they're there specifically to protect your home."

And your home alone. "There were a few instances," one of the private firefighters told Bloomberg News, "where we were spraying and the neighbor's house went up like a candle." With public fire departments cut to the bone, gone are the days of Rapid Response, when everyone was en led to equal protection. Now, increasingly intense natural disasters will be met with the new model: Rapture Response.

During last year's hurricane season, Florida homeowners were offered similarly high-priced salvation by HelpJet, a travel agency launched with promises to turn "a hurricane evacuation into a jet-setter vacation." For an annual fee, a company concierge takes care of everything: transport to the air terminal, luxurious travel, bookings at five-star resorts. Most of all, HelpJet is an escape hatch from the kind of government failure on display during Katrina. "No standing in lines, no hassle with crowds, just a first class experience."

The Nation

Bushutopia!

[101A]

Or leave it up to the government and EVERYTHING burns.

What's your point?

Why don't we conscript firefighters; I mean, we have to, right?

[Nbadan]

Ah, yes...911............but, for a price...

...after all, firefighters are government employees too.....and it can be done much more efficiently by private contractors....right?

[Yonivore]

Next in our continuing series on the Two Americas....

Rapture Rescue 911: Disaster Response for the Chosen

The Nation

Bushutopia!

Capitalism and the free markets at work. If more people would invest in the systems and services, the price would come down as demand went up. But, no, you'd rather rag on those who paid for it.

[Nbadan]

Naomi Klein on the rich escaping disasters, buying their way out of environmental tragedy

Privatized type FEMA companies that charge a $50,000 membership fee & an additional $15,000 annual fee? How many of us could possibly afford that? And if it isn't enough that you lose your home because you can't afford to pay the insurance companies for additional service (like spraying your home with flame re ant), the elites then blame the victims who couldn't afford the additional premiums.

Our social safety net, where we all shared in the risk, is being dismantled, starting with the Reagan era. We were once a country where you could climb as high as you want, but, thanks to shared risk, you were limited in how far you could fall. Now, however, only the elites can afford a safety net & the rest of us be damned.