Vanity: Open letter to FEMA and Bush..declare a NATIONAL emergency

lots | August 28, 2005 | me

[janetjanet998]

I have never seen any thing like this in my 20 years of storm following....nor do i recall such a potential in history..

we have the worst case scenario times 10.even the "big one" everyone talked about was even assuming a much smaller cane area wise..

the storm is huge...like 2-3 times the size of andrew and maybe almost just as strong...it is hitting at the worst possibe angle for NOLA and size the eye is so large ,30 miles across, the MS coast will get it too...it will affect many more people that Andrew did..hurricane force winds are 150 miles wide and exspanding... Andrew was very small and jogged south and hit then less populated areas of miami then into the bare swamps...storm surge with will be huge may go miles inland in places

its large so it will take awhile to spin down producing many tornnadoes and flooding inland

Declare a national emergency...get the military ready for rescue then clean up

I never thought i would see a bigger news story in my life then 9-11....this could be it...its picking up speed and many people will still be stuck on the roads when it nears..plus it is so big wind/rain many hours ahead of it will not help with the traffic...

[janetjanet998]

I;m praying hard for an eye wall replacment cycle at land fall.update winds now 150 MPH

[janetjanet998]

pressure down to 915 MB..stronger then ANDREW now

[beyond the sea]

I've been following your posts on the "live" threads for many, many hours. You certainly know you're stuff it seems.

This will be a very memorable time in history.

Your suggestion is a good one.

[LibFreeOrDie]

The weatherman on WWL-TV, New Orleans, was predicting hurricane-force winds well inland through Mississippi to Tennessee. They just showed traffic already backed up on one main route.

Live broadcast:

http://www.wwltv.com/perl/common/video/wmPlayer.pl?title=beloint_wwltv&props=livenoad

[beyond the sea]

Last time I saw the pressure was a few hours ago when it was 936, having fallen 3 the previous half hour. This is unbelievable!

[beyond the sea]

ping

[beyond the sea]

ping

[Miss Marple]

I must say, I think she is right. I live in central Indiana, but it looks to me like we are going to get some of this as well; maybe not the winds, but certainly the heavy rain.

[chgomac]

Fox reporting that the normal 5hr drive to from NOLA to Houston is taking over 17hrs....we need the govt to help get those people to safety.

Praying for the people who have no option to leave & are being urged to shelter in the superdome.

[MEG33]

Prayers for those in harms way.

[janetjanet998]

we should have an eyewall replacement cycle near landfall with this timing..but then again...Gilbert didn't between jamica and cancun its just as large as almost as storng now(gilbert was 888MB this is 915 and still in the strengthing stage)

[pax_et_bonum]

I hope there isn't going to be a widespread evacuation catastrophe of people trapped in cars on clogged freeways.

Is this going to be an episode of too little evacuation, too late?

[mewzilla]

Here's a link to some New Orleans Websites for various media.

Here's a link to a causeway bridge webcam.

[beyond the sea]

Pittsburgh here.............. we seem to be right on the track of a few of the predictions.

The weather forecasters here are already warning about possible flooding during the week. We have all the rivers and streams, and last time with Ivan it was a disaster for many small towns.

[advance_copy]

Just saw a traffic cam in N.O. with empty inbound lanes and backed up outbound lanes. It has past the time for all lanes of all highways to have traffic routed OUT not in to New Orleans and Mobile. And I agree with you that the President should declare a national emergency (many states will be affected).

[beyond the sea]

I am the furthest thing from an expert on hurricanes, but have followed weather closely for decades.

This hurricane just seems to have nothing substantial in it's "life" to weaken it or to move it from it's seemingly obvious path, and the very warm water ahead is a frightening thing (to me).

[jwpjr]

re: we need the govt to help get those people to safety

Just curious, what would you have government do? Nearly every area of coastal US is crowded beyond the ability of its roads and highways to permit a safe, quick evacuation. Here in Florida we continue to develop coastal properties, and even dredge in new property, at a rate that has been undeterred by our recent history with destructive storms. We might as well face it, we're humans and as such we are apparently unable to learn from past experience.

Government will never put the brakes on this type of development because it has become too dependent on a rising tax base to support the hundreds and thousands of program it has gotten itself into over the past seven decades. Programs our founding fathers never intended.

NOLA is below sea level and yet they have continued to build in areas where there is simply no way to protect the inhabitants from catastprohic flooding.

[LibFreeOrDie]

"The Superdome is the shelter of last resort" - Mayor of NO on WWL-TV. "Even if we round up the buses, where do we send people?"

Weatherman on WWL-TV: Computer model is showing ocean waves at 40+ feet at Katrina's center. Pressure dropped from 935 to 915 since 4 AM NO time. "Rapid intensification cycle" - very rare. Due to water 90 degrees in Gulf, plus no wind shear.

[beyond the sea]

NOLA is below sea level and yet they have continued to build in areas where there is simply no way to protect the inhabitants from catastprohic flooding.

Too big, stupid, and decadent. This may or may not be fitting.

****

The Tree and the Reed

“WELL, little one,” said a Tree to a Reed that was growing at its foot, “why do you not plant your feet deeply in the ground, and raise your head boldly in the air as I do?”

“I am contented with my lot,” said the Reed. “I may not be so grand, but I think I am safer.”

“Safe!” sneered the Tree. “Who shall pluck me up by the roots or bow my head to the ground?” But it soon had to repent of its boasting, for a hurricane arose which tore it up from its roots, and cast it a useless log on the ground, while the little Reed, bending to the force of the wind, soon stood upright again when the storm had passed over.

Aesops Fables

[DeeOhGee]

If the federal government declares a national emergency in storm-affected areas, I want my taxes reduced by the amount sent to those regions that are attributable to my income.