I am madder than hell that they didn't order a mandatory evac and shut down all businesses on Saturday, to convey the seriousness. More and more evidence of poor pre-planning, poor pre-positioning. Things go wrong, and every situation is different, but there is no excuse for such poor pre-planning. It isn't rocket science. They sent 20 police officers home in that district that is now flooded, to await a shift change, but they ended up on their rooftops to be rescued because they weren't given boats or sent to a staging area with a boat. Inexcusable. Only having independent backup generators for a single pump. The main one, but still. Should have been the first priority after the pumps failed several years ago in a close call. Using the Superdome as a shelter was a good idea, but as of Brian Williams 5:30 report tonight, not a single announcement had been made to the crowd in 24+ hours, not even when they were having roof problems. Crisis mgmt 101 tells ya that keeping a large crowd of refugees in the total dark when it comes to info is a recipe for trouble.
This lays at the feet of many LA leaders and planners, not just the current mayor and gov.
I agree with every single word of that.
When people like us, sitting here at our computers, discussed ALL of that DAYS ago, what the hell is going on with the leaders of that state and that city?
When Blanco was asking us to pray for the winds to diminish, she should have been shutting down every single thing within 100 miles of that coast.
As I said days ago to one of the many people who said this storm was overhyped, "It will turn" is NOT a plan!!!!!!!
It's just inexcusable.
And not one person on this forum thinks that the 57 confirmed deaths (7 in Florida, 50 here so far) is going to be the end of it.
Lack of planning is deplorable. And just how is it that so many are still there if there was a manditory evacuation? And why didn't they know who refused to leave so they would know where to go when rescue was needed?