Shaken about NOLA

[wetwilly]

I think everyone in NOLA is suffering, even the people trying to respond in rescue efforts.

That is a hard place and a rock as you describe regarding allowing people out via the bridge. However, it can be handled if people would use common sense. In the neighboring town, stage many National Guard peeps to keep order. Open one lane flowing out of NOLA for pedistrians. Have massive staging areas in said neighboring town to get evacuees out of there once they arrive, but not before feeding them a meal of some sort and providing them with water. Is that so difficult? One does not have to attend crises management courses to have a little common sense.

SJ,

Agreed that it is not that hard to come up with a plan that would work however once they let the days pass, let the situation fester and deteriorate, it made it exponentially more difficult. The best laid plans even if executed in a timely manner can go astray.

If you believe that there was a credible FEMA plan in the 1st place, these plans were drawn up or have been drawn up over the last 30-40 years and reviewed yearly (no test runs) but over those 40 years local, state, and federal money was not spent to beef up the levy system, no local boats stored waiting for this, and no buses or other ways to get anybody out quickly. The system is/was broke on all levels NOT JUST AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

My biggest problem is why the $@&* did they wait so long to execute. They waited and now executing that plan under these horrific circumstances is almost impossible.

I ask you all again....why did it take so long? Any answer is unacceptable.

 

[Travel2Much]

Darn right. Even I could have handled this better. Secure the road, shoot to kill, and move on. My understanding is that that finally started yesterday am.

Might change my mind on this, but one key thing that happened that people were not prepared for was that within hours on Monday the criminal element would essentially arm themselves (they were already heavily armed and every gun store was ransacked by people in housing projects) and start war. As a fifteen year resident of NOLA, I could have seen this, but FEMA was probably blown away.

I saw a great report on CNN last night on the cops who stayed behind and fought and are fighting for the city. They were in tears. 30% of the force walked out. They were my heroes.

 

[Miss Kitty]

The questions will have to be answered! But for now, I am staying in the here and now and looking for any progress I can. I know that is easy for me to say sitting here in comfort, but I truly have to believe that things are beginning to look better. We will be taking supplies to Reunion Arena today for the good people that have been brought to Dallas. Pray that all these evacuees can be housed and employed in the near future.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I am so happy that Geraldo and Sheppard gave those reports last night. As I type, I am watching Geraldo report that there is a massive air evacuation in place. He states that there is no hostilty now because people see that people are there to help and that people are getting out. Chopper after chopper is streamlining in and out transporting people. Geraldo is so excited and happy. If it weren't for their broadcasts last night, I wonder if this would be taking place at all. I never thought I would be so horrified and relieved to see Geraldo giving a report. :clap_1:

To me, the sad part is that these people who are just now getting food and water, should be well past that point. They should be at the point where they are searching to locate their friends, family, and loved ones, with showers, and clothing soon following.

If we have any new visitors to the board from the the affected areas, please let us know how we can help you in any way, no matter how simple the request. Just ask and we will be there for you.

 

[Sheila]

If you have people stream across that bridge, busses will not be able to enter to get food in there or busses. Areas there have been torched by looters coming in from NOLA. A shopping center over there was set on fire by looters. Rock, meet hard place. Hard place, meet rock.

Report on CNN say all is calm at the convention center and has been since yesterday morning:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/03/katrina.impact/index.html

Haven't read anything on nola.com to contradict that.

Armed gunmen had taken over the convention center earlier this week and were raping and brutalizing people who showed up. Still don't understand how that was thought to be a staging point. Everyone says they were "told" to go there but cannot find the source of that.

Charity Hospital has been under sniper fire for a while. There are white, upper class medical students, future rich doctors, who are trapped in their dorms in case you think no one else is suffering.

Does anyone on the board have an update on the firemen and their families that were in the BellSouth building in St. Benard parish that were being shot at by "thug snipers". We finallly turned our TV off last evening and haven't heard what the outcome was. :?:

 

[wetwilly]

Additionally and arguably, the biggest mistake was that the Federal Govt WAITED and expected that the local and state govt plans to take effect. BUT as others have said the lawlessness happened quickly, the local and state plans and personnel were crippled/killed by the storm itself (no communication), and the Federal Govt then had to get their "motor started" and get on it. Big problem stated last night was that the Fed and Natl Guard did not foresee that they would not be able to communicate with the local folks on the ground. Don't forget we are dealing with the government here and they do not move quickly, have alot of protocol and procedures but if you have seen the news today they are moving in a big way now. Big helicopters dropping in and airlifting 1000s of people out in a matter of hours.

If/when this type of thing happens again (god forbid), the Fed needs to jump on it immediately and not assume/wait for the local, state plans to work. Lack of communications (physical phone or cellular systems lost etc) between the civil, local, and Federal levels caused the Federal side to sit and wait to figure out what to do. This delay and paralysis is what exasorbated (sp??) the death and suffering.

 

[TooFarTampa]

Thanks for the update SJ. :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1: Watching cartoons with my kids so no TV news for me yet today. Geraldo normally drives me crazy but his hugging babies stunt probably saved some lives.

Travel2Much, I admire the clear-headed posts you have contributed to these discussions. Can't imagine what you have gone through this past week.

Though we've donated, and our Seacrest house is going to be occupied as of today by temporary refugees, I still feel helpless. I think instead of spouting on message boards I'm going to write Senators Martinez and Nelson (though I am not yet impressed with either of them) and beg them to urge some sort of commission review a la 9-11, because clearly Osama bin Laden is in some hole somewhere rubbing his hands in anticipation because he realizes how vulnerable we are.

I am also going to e-mail Charlie! Crist and tell him if he wants to be Florida's next governor he ought to start rounding up the troops and investigating possible doomsday scenarios and coming up with very specific plans so Floridians know they have someone in charge who knows what to do. I think Jeb! has been pretty good in this regard, though I disagree with many of his policies. I like the way Charlie! has stood up for a lot of the little folks, even if it has been politically motivated (at least a little).

 

[wetwilly]

Massive airlift being shown on CNN and other networks. I think I heard they were airlifting out 50 people per minute. Finally!!!!! :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

 

[Miss Kitty]

Additionally and arguably, the biggest mistake was that the Federal Govt WAITED and expected that the local and state govt plans to take effect. BUT as others have said the lawlessness happened quickly, the local and state plans and personnel were crippled/killed by the storm itself (no communication), and the Federal Govt then had to get their "motor started" and get on it. Big problem stated last night was that the Fed and Natl Guard did not foresee that they would not be able to communicate with the local folks on the ground. Don't forget we are dealing with the government here and they do not move quickly, have alot of protocol and procedures but if you have seen the news today they are moving in a big way now. Big helicopters dropping in and airlifting 1000s of people out in a matter of hours.

If/when this type of thing happens again (god forbid), the Fed needs to jump on it immediately and not assume/wait for the local, state plans to work. Lack of communications (physical phone or cellular systems lost etc) between the civil, local, and Federal levels caused the Federal side to sit and wait to figure out what to do. This delay and paralysis is what exasorbated (sp??) the death and suffering.

Terrible way to learn a lesson.

 

[Travel2Much]

If you scroll through here, there are several stories about the work that was done (or not done) prior to the storm, and the politics behind this.

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/

In this case, there actually was a plan. This was practiced. See:

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breaki...a_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_09.html#076438

The communications destruction was a big part of this.