The Problem of a Free Society

We just passed the day that posed arguably the greatest challenge to a free society. September 11, 2001, forced us to evaluate just how precious our freedoms are to us and how committed we are to them. To date, we have failed that test miserably.
Today, we find the test posed again.
As Hurricane Ike raged toward Galveston and Houston, the United States Government, in the presence of the National Weather Service, called on citizens of the Texas coast and inland areas in Ike's path to evacuate, or "face certain death." Let that sink in for a moment.
In other parts of the world, parts I don't even want to visit, much less live in, the government would simply send in the troops and remove people from their homes, perhaps even relocating them permanently. We don't work that way. And so, there are still more people than can be counted trying to ride out the storm in their homes.
What do we do about that?
Is there any rationale for asking those valiant young men and women who serve in the various helping agencies to go into an area that has been declared to "face certain death" to rescue hardheaded people who were warned in advance (this time)? Certainly, they are trained to deal with deadly situations, but where is the line?
At what point does personal responsibility for decisions made really become personal? When does society's responsibility to help end?
As a Christian, it is a mandate to say that we must help no matter what. But there is a big difference in handing a hamburger to the man with the sign at the intersection and risking an entire helicopter crew (with spouses, children and parents depending on them) to save Jim Bob whose case of Budweiser told him he was tougher than any goldarned storm.
As an American, I find one more place where we still will not respect the decisions that other free people make. We will, before this is over, hear tragic stories of the loss of brave people trying to save others, who made bad decisions, from themselves.
And I have no idea how to grade this one.