FEMA uses 1400 firefighters to...

...hand out phone numbers, and, of course, take classes:.

"They've got people here who are search-and-rescue certified, paramedics, haz-mat certified," said a Texas firefighter. "We're sitting in here having a sexual-harassment class while there are still [victims] in Louisiana who haven't been contacted yet."

Well, it was only an eight hour class, and it'll make the victims feel better about themselves.

Lisa Rosetta has the story in the Salt Lake tribune.

Let's guess that a firefighter costs an employer $40,000/year (that seems conservative: I Googled and found salaries between $39,000 and $55,000 in Grand Prairie, TX. Wichita: starts them at around $600/week. Metro Washington starts at $40,228 and tops at $60,342). Anyway a total cost to the employer of $40000/year is $20 per hour. Lemme see, 1,400 firefighters times 8 hours times $20....$224,000.

Thanks, FEMA.