The Shock Doctrine
California Wildfires: Disaster Capitalism in the News
November 1, 2007
"A tent city is set to spring from the ashes near Barrett Junction as wildfire-weary residents in the rugged community near the Mexico border have been told they will be without water and electricity for another 10 days. Trucks carrying makeshift quarters for up to 200 people, with tents, cots, toilets, showers, power generators, laundry facilities and a community room with TV, are scheduled to arrive today.
The tent city, a donation from the controversial private-military company Blackwater Worldwide (formerly USA), is expected to be constructed tomorrow with equipment and materials coming from the firm's North Carolina headquarters."
- Mark Sauer and Janine Zúñiga, San Diego Union-Tribune
October 30, 2007
"As Potrero planning group member Jan Hedlun tries to help her community recover from the Harris fire, she's found an unlikely ally providing assistance: Blackwater USA Vice President Brian Bonfiglio. Even though Hedlun opposes Blackwater's plans for a training camp, she's been impressed that Bonfiglio has stopped by the fire station every day to drop off donated food and supplies.
"Hedlun has thanked him for his help. 'I don't agree with the Blackwater facility, but they were one of the first ones here,' Hedlun said. 'All they said was, "What can we do?"'
"Hedlun is the only person on the nine-member planning group who opposes the training camp for military and law enforcement proposed for the backcountry community along state Route 94. The project, still in the planning stages, has divided the town and brought about a recall effort targeting five other planning group members. A recall election is set for Dec. 11."
- Anne Krueger, San Diego Union-Tribune
October 26, 2007
"Bryce Carrier's cellphone rang at 3 a.m.: Help! The fire is almost to my house. Carrier hopped into his heavy-duty red Ford F-550 and sped to northeast Poway, dodging fallen eucalyptus and heading straight toward the wind-whipped blaze. He arrived to find flames marching up an embankment toward the multimillion-dollar home. Yanking out the hose in the back of his truck, he began applying Phos-Chek fire retardant along the perimeter of the property, the shrubs and the roof. When the flames hit the milky white liquid, they stopped. Another home saved.
"Carrier is a certified firefighter, but he doesn't work for a government agency. He's an employee of Firebreak Spray Systems, which partners with the insurance company American International Group Inc. to protect the mansions of the moneyed.
"AIG's Wildfire Protection Unit, part of its Private Client Group, is offered only to homeowners in California's most affluent ZIP Codes -- including Malibu, Beverly Hills, Newport Beach and Menlo Park -- and a dozen Colorado resort communities. It covers about 2,000 policyholders, who pay premiums of at least $10,000 a year and own homes with a value of at least $1 million.
- Kimi Yoshino, Los Angeles Times
"A tent city is set to spring from the ashes near Barrett Junction as wildfire-weary residents in the rugged community near the Mexico border have been told they will be without water and electricity for another 10 days. Trucks carrying makeshift quarters for up to 200 people, with tents, cots, toilets, showers, power generators, laundry facilities and a community room with TV, are scheduled to arrive today.
The tent city, a donation from the controversial private-military company Blackwater Worldwide (formerly USA), is expected to be constructed tomorrow with equipment and materials coming from the firm's North Carolina headquarters."
- Mark Sauer and Janine Zúñiga, San Diego Union-Tribune
"As Potrero planning group member Jan Hedlun tries to help her community recover from the Harris fire, she's found an unlikely ally providing assistance: Blackwater USA Vice President Brian Bonfiglio. Even though Hedlun opposes Blackwater's plans for a training camp, she's been impressed that Bonfiglio has stopped by the fire station every day to drop off donated food and supplies.
"Hedlun has thanked him for his help. 'I don't agree with the Blackwater facility, but they were one of the first ones here,' Hedlun said. 'All they said was, "What can we do?"'
"Hedlun is the only person on the nine-member planning group who opposes the training camp for military and law enforcement proposed for the backcountry community along state Route 94. The project, still in the planning stages, has divided the town and brought about a recall effort targeting five other planning group members. A recall election is set for Dec. 11."
- Anne Krueger, San Diego Union-Tribune
"Bryce Carrier's cellphone rang at 3 a.m.: Help! The fire is almost to my house. Carrier hopped into his heavy-duty red Ford F-550 and sped to northeast Poway, dodging fallen eucalyptus and heading straight toward the wind-whipped blaze. He arrived to find flames marching up an embankment toward the multimillion-dollar home. Yanking out the hose in the back of his truck, he began applying Phos-Chek fire retardant along the perimeter of the property, the shrubs and the roof. When the flames hit the milky white liquid, they stopped. Another home saved.
"Carrier is a certified firefighter, but he doesn't work for a government agency. He's an employee of Firebreak Spray Systems, which partners with the insurance company American International Group Inc. to protect the mansions of the moneyed.
"AIG's Wildfire Protection Unit, part of its Private Client Group, is offered only to homeowners in California's most affluent ZIP Codes -- including Malibu, Beverly Hills, Newport Beach and Menlo Park -- and a dozen Colorado resort communities. It covers about 2,000 policyholders, who pay premiums of at least $10,000 a year and own homes with a value of at least $1 million.
- Kimi Yoshino, Los Angeles Times
