Create an emergency relief fund (private donations matched by federal spending) that would trigger a protocol that requires (and compensates) designated commercial aircraft and buses to transport local populations out of disaster areas quickly, before a more complete military response can be mobilized. If planes can be instantly grounded for the 9-11 attacks, they can be temporarily diverted to assist in disaster airlifts. Part of the protocol would involve the use of bus stations and airports as staging areas, and would also involve cutting through massive amounts of red tape. This emergency response would be targeted to large urban populations with limited access to private transportation options, as in New Orleans.
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It's called FEMA. The problem is that New Orleans developers control the city. They wanted to get rid of the local poor population because New Orleans is land locked downtown. So they knew for a long time that the levies were failing and were anticipating a major failure. With politicians in their back pockets, they drove the poor population out of the city. Their land will be worth 10 times to developers what their house was worth on the real estate market before the disaster. Just my opinion.
I think governments can commandeer such depots if martial law is declared. (And cops can commandeer a car to chase a crook.) But there should be a provision for a low-level, temporary right of eminent domain for use in everyday situations, short of martial law. A good idea.