Coast Guard choppers rescued thousands, kept death toll lower

wwltv.com ^ | 09/17/05 | AP

[Ellesu]

Nearly 5,000 plucked from rooftops

The Coast Guard has released numbers which partially explain why the death toll in New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina has been lower than expected.

The Coast Guard says that during its first week of operations in New Orleans, it saved the lives of nearly 6,500 people. Officials say almost 5,000 of those rescues were by hoist in areas where the water was just too deep or dangerous for the Coast Guard to come in by boat.

All of those lives were saved by the crews of just 17 helicopters, during 1,500 flight hours in the air.

The numbers released today cover Coast Guard operations which ended September 10.

Coast guard rescue crews have been out in force since then in conjunction with National Guard units, searching for additional survivors, but also recovering the bodies of flood victims.

[stayathomemom]

This is remarkable!

[MizSterious]

They did amazing work. They were pulling people off those roofs in the dark, when there were trees, powerlines, and other hazards that might have brought a helicopter down. They did it anyway, to save lives.

Despite that, some of the race hustlers compared those helicopters to slave ships, and complained about the "indignity" the rescued had to endure (such rescues are not always gentle--and helicopters are not luxury jets).

Even worse, since the Admiral took over ground operations in New Orleans, some on Free Republic started calling them "jackbooted thugs."

[Semper Paratus]

Katrina will be remembered as one of the Coast Guard's finest moment.

[SquirrelKing]

Heroes all.

[Sometimes A River]

The Coast Guard is part of Nagin's city Gov't, no?

[chuknospam]

It's Bush's Fault.

[Emmett McCarthy]

Is that a serious question? Of course, the Coast Guard is not a part of any city government.

[chuknospam]

It's All Bush's Fault!

[An.American.Expatriate]

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the Coast Guard a FEDERAL Organization??

[ryan71]

The military is the only productive place to put our tax dollars.

[Coastie]

Always warms this ol' Chief's heart...

[TC Rider]

This is pure fiction. Everyone knows that the Federal Government, and specifically the Homeland Security Department, which includes the Coast Guard, did nothing in the days following the hurricane to rescure poor black people.

/sarcasm

[ryan71]

The military is the only productive place to put our tax dollars.

[sargunner]

Coastie ping

[silverleaf]

It's Bush's fault!

[MizSterious]

Was that question a joke? Why would anyone think that the USCG is part of any city's government??

[MizSterious]

Of course it is. I'm surprised at the number of people who are asking questions like this.

[rockrr]

And nary a Thank You from any of Louisiana's "finest" ;'{



(Thanks, Coasties...You're the Greatest!)

[NautiNurse]

I'm really glad you posted this thread. There are some marvelous photos with captions published on the USGS website. Scroll down for rescue and relief pics beginning August 29.

[Ellesu]

Thanks, great photos!

[ImpBill]

Let's see, would this be the Blanco/Nagin Louisiana Coast Guard or the Federal Coast Guard? I thought the Fed's did nothing right. < /sarcasm >

[Sometimes A River]

Because they are doing good and everyone knows Bush blew up those levees to kill poor people.

/S

[American Vet Repairman]

My hat off to the Coasties.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

I think it is remarkable and it's good to see the Coast Guard in its ascendancy after a long period of getting no respect.

However - you have to ask - once Mayor Nagin failed to do his job and get essentially everyone out of the city - how much expense and how many lives can be chalked up to the local failure? All this falderal about the Bush Administration and FEMA would be moot if there had been no one left in New Orleans, in the path of the storm. When you go into critical failure analysis mode (which the MSM may engage in beginning in 6 months) you come back to the Nagin failure. It all stems from that.

[showme_the_Glory]

Only saved 6,500 people. All white too. /sarc

[NautiNurse]

New Orleans – A Mastiff found in New Orleans by Coast
Guard Port Security Unit 307 lies on the ground at Coast
Guard Station New Orleans Sept. 14, 2005. Crewmembers at 
PSU 307 have temporarily adopted the animal until the 
owner can be found. Coast Guard crews were tasked to 
rescue as many people as they could and as many animals 
as possible. PSU307 is stationed in St. Petersburg, Fla.,
and was deployed to News Orleans assisting with hurricane
efforts throughout the region. Coast Guard photo by PA1 
Dana Warr.

[FDNYRHEROES]

Officials say almost 5,000 of those rescues were by hoist in areas where the water was just too deep or dangerous for the Coast Guard to come in by boat.

Water too deep or dangerous for a boat? 5,000 rescuees? WTF?

[Ellesu]

NEW ORLEANS (Aug. 29, 2005) - Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Huerta hoists two children into a Coast Guard rescue helicopter here today. The Coast Guard has begun damage assessment overflights as well as search and rescue operations following Hurricane Katrina. Huerta, 34, of Tampa, Fla., is an aviation maintenance technician stationed at Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

[Bahbah]

All of those lives were saved by the crews of just 17 helicopters, during 1,500 flight hours in the air.

This just about makes you sob with joy and gratitude.

[OldFriend]

Bless our heroes.

[commish]

OOOORAH!

[GodBlessUSA]

The United States Coast Guard! They Rock and...Roll!!! :)

[Rebelbase]

This has to be the largest helicopter rescue in the history of the world.

[bitt]

tonk a thanks

[ohioWfan]

God bless these HEROES!

[RaceBannon]

Oh, there you squids go braggin again... :)

[Soaring Feather]

Coast Guard choppers rescued thousands, kept death toll lower...





Thank You Coast Guard.

[beckysueb]

Where in the heck is the media to cover good news like this!

[beckysueb]

This has to be the largest helicopter rescue in the history of the world.

Yes I believe it is and the media is portraying the federal gov as a miserable failure!

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[brushcop]

That's not surprising. We also need to remember that EARLY on, there were a number of out-of-state agencies who trailed their boats and literally pulled out thousands of people too. Not as dramatic as the USCG, but they did nevertheless. This is not sour grapes, it's just another detail we won't get from the so-called "media". And, it represents a lot of effort by folks that will never get any credit for their hard work.

[68 grunt]

Awesome! The Coast Guard lived up to its full potential and promise. A brilliant display by our most altruistic branch in this most historic moment!

[Mike Darancette]

Shhhh, don't tell anybody that the Coast Guard is part of Homeland Security.

[DocRock]

A tip of the hat to the CG, and all our other fine men and women that serve.



click the pic to watch the video

Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005
There was no delay in getting help to New Orleans

[pepperdog]

I hope that sometime, somewhere, these great heroes get the recognition that they deserve. I was so angered by the weeping and wailing of the MSM during the rescue operations that I feared I'd stroke out. Picture after picture of the Coast Guard rescuing people and the newsies complaining about the Federal Response. God Bless the Coast Guard and all our military. As someone said, the military is one place where we get our monies worth--and more!

[spna]

One of the reason the C.G. could act so quickly is because it had the authority to act. C.G. has authority to conduct search and rescue in the coastal and navigational areas of this country.

The C.G. had the authority to act without waiting to get the OK from State Governor.

[leadpenny]

I wonder who the AP writer thought all those O.D. Blackhawks belonged to?

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!!