I understand people's frustrations over this but being a former sailor, I can tell you it gets rough out there on the Gulf sometimes. A barge is akin to a small cork bobbing around in the water when the seas get rough. And we have to remember, if one of these men go overboard without a life vest on with all that oil coating the surface of the water...
Trust me on this, folks. It's not easy trying to swim underwater using swimming techniques intended to push the oil away from you to make a clear path back to your boat. It's very hard not to mention getting all that oil in your eyes, mouth and all over your skin. After fighting through all that stuff, you're lucky to remain afloat on your own power. The life vest is usually the only thing keeping your head above water!
So, while I share Gov. Jindal's frustration on this small matter, it's not as trivial as some may think. Moreover, we have to remember that where the Jones Act is concerned, the government has to pay for every injury and loss of life lost at sea of our maritime sailors. So, there's a bigger issue at stake here than just the oil cleanup. It all has to be balanced out. For my take, if these barges were stopped just because they didn't have life vest and fire extinguishers just go buy the damned things and get those barges back out there. Twenty-four hours later, they are. Hate the delay, but if you stop and look at the big picture it was important to ensure the people operating those barges had the proper safety gear to protect themselves and keep them as safe as possible.