OK ..Now lets plan for the next time (Katrina & other disasters)

[FlatLandBeer]

Look at this current disaster we can see that all levels of government had (to be kind) shortcomings. So what now? Well lets remember 1st the level of government. The 1st level is YOU the citizen (or resident). What is your responsibility? Do you have a disaster kit available? http://www.ready.gov has a list of what you need. Do you have a plan as how to evacuate if you need to? The second level of government is your neighborhood. Get to know your neighbors, who has special needs, who has what training in 1st aid, medical, building trades, contacts etc. From there the levels are of course the local government(s) county city, townships, etc then the state - each state should have an emergency department or agency then the federal government and all the agencies associated. We need to be sure that we tell our representatives that we expect adequate fund, training, planning and response in emergencies, BUT we also must be involved in our own planning, training and response. So to sum it all up - What are YOU doing to prepare for the next disaster? Prepare your KIT. Take a First Aid Class Get good communications ready - Program in all those numbers you need for family and help you keep meaning to do. Get a HAM license or a CB just a cell phone isn't good enough. Keep a car in repair and fueled up. Know the evac routes in your area. Get a generator And TALK to your neighbors. Remember YOU are the 1st level of government, You are the on scene commander, and YOU HAVE A RESPONSEABILITY.

[FReepaholic]

Disaster prep rule #1: GET OUT OF THE CITIES!

If you live in a major city and think it would be different than New Orleans, you're wrong.

[RedBeaconNY]

Disaster Prep Rule #1.1: Rely on the government for NOTHING. That way, you won't be disappointed.

[AntiGuv]

Well, I live out in the wilderness these days, am pretty much stocked up for Armageddon, and my 'neighbors' taste like chicken. =)

[CondorFlight]

"Disaster Prep Rule #1.1: Rely on the government for NOTHING. That way, you won't be disappointed."

Absolutely correct. I think that's the main lesson from this.
Have enough food and supplies to last for two weeks, at the very least, before help comes from the outside. And be prepared to defend your supplies and yourself.

[Bon mots]

Advice: Go to a white or Asian neighborhood. Really bad hurricanes and floods only hit black neighborhoods.

(Yes, I know that NO wasn't directly hit.)

[xcamel]

RULE 1A: The Gummint will the the first one to take everything you have left to save itself.

[NewCenturions]

Rule #2: After a disaster hits your area, it's NOT a good idea to shoot at your rescuers, nor is it legal to loot, rape, or murder. (I'm sick of hearing Bush blamed for all the bad behavior After the hurricane!)

[Bommer]

Rule #3 Guns, ammo, ammo and more ammo!

[gunnedah]

The people refused to leave once they were told. This happens every-time a disaster happens in this country.
The New Orleans Police, State Police and National Guard in Louisiana had more than enough people to direct traffic and get those people out had they wanted to. The federal government is designed to aide and direct after the fact and it is left up to locals to run their own government like they do when they waste all the money the Feds send in there.Of course we can turn this into a Communist Country like the Democrats want or we can fix the problem. Now as to whose fault it was. There is not a county in this country that doesn't get federal dollars to prepare for for this and they have gotten these dollars for well over 40 years and where were they spent?
Now as to the poor and homeless. They have been this way for ever so where have all of these people been that are complaining now.? The same place they were for the last 40 years,taking care of themselves and fiddling while Rome burned. These people come out and the MSM abets them in their corrupt intentions which is to get their name in the news and to help a sagging worthless industry called media and entertainment. Remember this is the same group that condemns anyone who tries to help these people become self sufficient, if you don't believe it ask Bill Cosby.

[Wormwood]

Rule #3 Guns, ammo, ammo and more ammo!

That is actually Rule #1 and Rule #2 as well.

[Free Baptist]

It was brought up last night on clear channel radio from Nashville, that is, the hundreds of school buses that were submerged in water, along with hundreds of other government pooled vehicles under water. And where were the city's transit buses? This was with a category 5 hurricane barreling down on the coast. We are wondering why the mayor didn't have these buses removed to a location well northwest of the projected storm path. It seems he had plenty of time to do AT LEAST that, and nobody would have argued with it. These vehicles would then have been available for evacuation purposes.

In fact, many of those buses could have been carrying elderly, invalid and crippled, and many of the hospitalized people out of the storm's path long before landfall. The predictions were in.

We ALL must return to a biblical faith in God, and reject the ideas even of the Freepers who want to establish Darwinian evolution as the new established religion of the government school systems. By the way, if there is no God (and He must be a God of creation and superintendence of that creation), then we have NO rights. The INALIENABLE rights we claim to enjoy are granted by God, and our founding fathers never objected to this being documented from our very founding. If there is no such Creator, as mentioned in our Declaration of Independence, then what we do have are only privileges that are granted by human civil government; privileges that can be altered, infringed, denied and removed.

A biblical faith (not a civil rights movement-style faith) must be followed by a rebuilding of our trust in the God of the Bible (in Jesus Christ) through a return to knowledge and love of His words, repentance from selfish and licentious life styles, and seasons of humble prayer...actually talking to God.

A biblical faith will most certainly lead believers back to the development of strong family units, which is the divine order of things. New Orleans is a city openly tolerant of those that would destroy the divine order for the family...the sodomites (that means, homosexuals). Quit asking us (whoever it is that might be asking us) to be tolerant of deviant sexual life-styles and of those who flaunt and parade them in our streets.

The entire needs to stop its reliance on the federal government, and it is time to keep all resources at state and local levels from the very start. No funds should go through Washington, and then have to be requested to be returned to the states in times of disaster. The funds necessary to take care of New Orleans should never have been in Washington to begin with; they should have been immediately available in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.

[NewCenturions]

True. The city was proud of the "party town" (selfish and licentious life styles)image. Mix that with the "the world owes me a living" mentality and it is no suprise so many people preyed on others after the disaster. The only hurricane survivors they've interviewed on tv who seem calm and civilized are the ones who say "thank GOD we're alive" or "I trust in GOD to take care of us". It would have been unthinkable in these politically correct times for that mayor to ask everyone to PRAY together before the storm but how much more effective that would have been than waiting for government help!

[Mr Ramsbotham]

The first thing is that if you've got 25 years to prepare for a disaster that has a 100 percent certainty of arriving, you take advantage of your time and prepare. You don't hem and haw and play politics with the situation.

How much longer before the terrorists get a nuke?

[afraidfortherepublic]

Excellent. And you could go one step further. Contact a Mormon friend and politely ask about their preparedness plans regarding non-perishible food storage and preparation. You might learn a lot.

[combat_boots]

"the world owes me a living" mentality"

gimme gimme gimme

Make your own damn life.

Right about now I wonder where the NO Amish are and why they aren't rioting in their buggies. /sarc.

[combat_boots]

Mormon preparedness rule #1: salt bags, flour bags, sugar bags, beans, coffee, powdered milk, etc., much of which is stored under a crib.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Under a crib???? Explain please, or was that a joke?

[Buzwardo]

When some dimwit local politician tells you to evacuate to a large civic structure where you are promptly disarmed before being cast into lawless and abominable conditions, ignore him.

[SandRat]

Excuse me if a little of this comes across as hard. This is meant for those that will have to plan for the next one and the Politicians who will Pollyanna the planning while they blame everyone except themselves for the abysmal preparation for this one.

Step One: Go one the web and Google for NEO Plan, or NonCombatant Evacuation Order. Build your plan UP from that. Then Have Community NEO Wardens, make sure they know the NEO Assembly area and the NEO Egress routes, inspect your citizenry for NEO Kits, Practice the Plan and Practice, and Practice, and Practice.

Step Two: Acquire 50 fully operational WWII DKWs or DUCKS if there are none then find something comparable. Don't know what a DKW is? Search for it on the web the education will do you some good.

Step Three: Amend the State Constitution so that the Gov can declare martial law in the state

Step four: When you issue a "Mandatory Evacuation Order" mean it and enforce it.