Tax collection agency performing "essential services" in flooded areas

[LAK]

Funny how these people are the now ubiquitous presence everywhere; regardless of whether there is a tax to be collected - or in more recent years, a crime scene to be investigated.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
The ATF has established representatives at FEMA's National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C., and at the JFO in Des Moines, Iowa. As lead agency for ESF-13, ATF's responsibility involves the coordination of federal law enforcement resources in connection with current response operations in the Midwest flood states. Ongoing activities include monitoring security and law enforcement operations in Iowa and other affected areas.

Woops; URL:

http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=43878

Googling ESF-13 turns up some interesting reads as well.

[Tallpine]

Cockroaches 

[Manedwolf]

Nothing new here...

"From the borders of Ningirsu to the sea, there was the tax collector."

- Sumerian inscription, 5000-4000 B.C.

[El Tejon]

And the BATmen are there to . . . collect the tax on the booze bottles floating by?

[Manedwolf]

And the BATmen are there to . . . collect the tax on the booze bottles floating by?

If anyone is defending their property from looters with a firearm, they need to inspect every AK derivative, every FAL, every CETME, etc...to be sure it's in compliance with 922(r), and that no other malfunctioning weapons might have a sticky firing pin that makes them become "machine guns"?

[Perd Hapley]

OK.  I googled.  I got this.  http://www.nmfi.org/natlresp/files/ESF13.pdf

ESF #13 provides a mechanism for coordinating and
providing Federal-to-Federal support or Federal
support to State and local authorities to include noninvestigative/
non-criminal law enforcement, public
safety, and security capabilities and resources during
potential or actual Incidents of National
Significance.

ESF #13 capabilities support incident management
requirements including force and critical
infrastructure protection, security planning and
technical assistance, technology support, and public
safety in both pre-incident and post-incident
situations. ESF #13 generally is activated in
situations requiring extensive assistance to provide
public safety and security and where State and local
government resources are overwhelmed or are
inadequate, or in pre-incident or post-incident
situations that require protective solutions or
capabilities unique to the Federal Government.

And from the link posted by LAK, it appears that every alphabet agency in America is getting in on the fun in Iowa.  Is this a typical case of bureaucracy trying to look useful and spend as much as possible?  Perhaps.  Is it "tax collection" or "Big Brother" or any other nonsense?  No indication so far. 

[wmenorr67]

Just like you had in NO after Katrina.

Everyone has to justify their reason for being and justify their piece of the budget.

[LAK]

Something that did strike me as odd was the ATF as "lead agency for ESF-13" role in the flooded areas.

Whereas according to "The National Mass Fatalities Institute", located in Cedar Rapids, IA and the first google hit for "ESF-13" .... ESF-13 coordinators are Department of Homeland Security and the DOJ and primary agencies are ... Homeland Security and DOJ.

So why is the emphasis on the ATF now?