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From Superdome to Astrodome: Katrina's refugees being moved to Houston in bus convoy
ap on San Diego Union Tribune ^ | 8/31/05 | Mary Foster - ap

Posted on 08/31/2005 9:08:27 PM PDT by NormsRevenge

NEW ORLEANS – A slow exodus from the smelly and sweltering Superdome began Wednesday as refugees boarded giant trucks and then buses for a trip to more comfortable surroundings in the Houston Astrodome.

The evacuation was kept almost secret to avoid a stampede. People were taken a few at a time through a garage, then to trucks that plowed through 4 feet of water and delivered them to the buses.

People with physical problems were evacuated Wednesday morning, loaded into a variety of vehicles and taken to a triage center in Baton Rouge. The evacuation of the more able-bodied began later.

Almost everyone carried a plastic bag or bundled bedspread holding the few possessions they had left after Hurricane Katrina decimated their city. Some hobbled on walkers, canes and crutches; others inched forward on wheelchairs. Women led children and carried babies.

"I don't care where they're taking us. Anywhere is better than here," said James Caire, 49, who had been at the Superdome only about six hours.

With no air conditioning and little electricity, the heat and stench inside the Superdome were unbearable. As the water pressure dropped lower and lower, toilets backed up. The stink was so bad that many medical workers wore masks as they walked around.

Most refugees jammed onto concourses because the heat and stench inside the Superdome were unbearable. But the heat on the brown-brick concourse was horrendous. One man took a paper bag, rolled up the rim and wore it as a hat.

Dr. Kevin Stephens Sr., in charge of the special needs shelter at the dome, described the Superdome and a nearby arena as a health department's nightmare.

"These conditions are atrocious," he said. "We'll take trucks, planes, boats, anything else, I have to get these people out of here."

By midafternoon, medics were hauling people off one after another because of heat-related problems. Even as the evacuation was going on, people walked through waist-deep water to get to the Superdome.

Tempers flared in the crowd. One woman yelled: "You're just lying to us! You had us standing all day in this heat, and you're lying to us. You're not taking us anywhere!"

The oficer yelled back, "Look, ma'am, do you think I'm in charge? Do you think I'm making decisions? I told you what they told me."

But overall, there was little trouble. People got angry and frustrated and occasionally screamed, but people generally seemed to get along.

The noise around the dome was constant. Helicopters took off and landed on the helipad outside. Generators ran. Trucks backed up and moved past. Every time one baby stopped screaming two more seemed to start. And there was the constant roar of thousands of conversations going on at once.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided about 500 buses to transport the refugees. It was not immediately clear how long the refugees will be in Houston, 350 miles from New Orleans. "We're buying time until we can figure something out," said William Lokey, chief coordinator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The Astrodome's schedule has been cleared through December for housing evacuees, said Kathy Walt, a spokeswoman for Texas Gov. Rick Perry. The building no longer is the home of a professional sports team – the Houston Astros left in 2000.

Phillip Triggs, 40, wasn't keen on the idea of being forced to Texas.

"As far as the idea of going to another state, no, man, this is my home," he said while catching a breath of fresh air. "My family is here. My home is gone. For us to be going through what we're going through, we're just not ready for this."

Cots and blankets for up to 25,000 people were being set up on the Astrodome's floor. Knowing that the people would arrive tired, frustrated and disheartened, shelter organizers began planning activities that might help take the evacuees' minds off their troubles, such as free trips to museums and amusement parks.

Organizers plan to use Astrodome kitchens and locker rooms to keep refugees fed and clean, but they realize it won't be easy because the arena was not built to handle so many people.

"I'm ready to get away from here. Anybody in their right mind would be," said David Ellis, a construction worker who was on the ramp outside the Superdome, escaping the oppressive conditions.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Louisiana; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: astrodome; busconvoy; houston; katrina; moved; refugees; superdome
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To: Texasforever

These people have no where to go now. They will become Houston's problem. I suspect most of them will be on welfare.

It's a burden, but how could we say no?

I hope the Lord will Bless Texas, because I have a feeling we're going to need it.







21 posted on 08/31/2005 9:29:59 PM PDT by planekT (What a mess.)
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To: NormsRevenge

Considering the neighborhood that the Astrodome is in, the New Orleans bruthas should feel right at home and be able to set up shop in no time.


22 posted on 08/31/2005 9:30:08 PM PDT by A2J (Oh, I wish I was in Dixie...)
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To: flashbunny

pest.


23 posted on 08/31/2005 9:30:18 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: Texasforever
Oh hell, we've got the illegals to take care of already - what's a few bunch of thousands more legal citizens in our backyard that we'll need to care for?

It already takes about 8-16 hours to be seen at the local emergency rooms because of the primary care being provided (for free) to the illegal aliens...

Heck, maybe they'll stay & drive the illegals out and take their jobs away - and wouldn't that be an interesting development?
24 posted on 08/31/2005 9:30:40 PM PDT by Smarti Pants (~This American Patriot will never forget !!!~)
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To: Texasforever
Oh hell, we've got the illegals to take care of already - what's a few bunch of thousands more legal citizens in our backyard that we'll need to care for?

It already takes about 8-16 hours to be seen at the local emergency rooms because of the primary care being provided (for free) to the illegal aliens...

Heck, maybe they'll stay & drive the illegals out and take their jobs away - and wouldn't that be an interesting development?
25 posted on 08/31/2005 9:30:40 PM PDT by Smarti Pants (~This American Patriot will never forget !!!~)
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To: Texasforever

You can keep them, Tex. It's alright with us. We have extras.


26 posted on 08/31/2005 9:31:22 PM PDT by A2J (Oh, I wish I was in Dixie...)
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To: Tall_Texan

One week ago today my neighborhood was evacuated. I was gone for just about 6 hours and I hated it.

I have great sympathy for these people.


27 posted on 08/31/2005 9:31:24 PM PDT by Graybeard58 (Remember and pray for Sgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: HairOfTheDog
uh, ok, I was just wondering what you meant to write, because it didn't make it across as a coherent sentence.
28 posted on 08/31/2005 9:32:30 PM PDT by flashbunny (Always remember to bring a towel!)
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To: HairOfTheDog
Here's the thing. The Astrodome is not the place for housing this many people for even 2 weeks much less a minimum of 6 months. We are talking about 20 to 30 thousand people with NO privacy and in an area that is already one of the most high crime areas of Houston. These folks, many single and many, as have been shown, have no inhibitions to take what they want are going to sit quietly in that building without taking advantage of the areas many delights i.e Prostitution, drugs and the whole gamut of "entertainment". This is a disaster in the making.
29 posted on 08/31/2005 9:33:11 PM PDT by Texasforever
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To: Texasforever
Houston will rue the day.

It will take three days max before the imported folks from NO start complaining and eventually rioting. No good deed goes unpunished.

30 posted on 08/31/2005 9:33:21 PM PDT by Truthsayer20
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To: Texasforever

It's not ideal.... nothing about it is. Ideas?


31 posted on 08/31/2005 9:34:40 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
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To: Graybeard58

whoah! great minds think alike - so do ours!!


32 posted on 08/31/2005 9:34:49 PM PDT by Smarti Pants (~This American Patriot will never forget !!!~)
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To: 38special
Lakewood Church in Houston used to be the Compaq Center and is opening their doors as well.

That won't last long.

Ol Joel will see how his multi-million dollar monument to himself will be trashed in no time and he'll give them the "left foot of fellowship."

33 posted on 08/31/2005 9:34:52 PM PDT by A2J (Oh, I wish I was in Dixie...)
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To: nhoward14
I'm not in any mood to put up with bussed-in criminals. We've got enough grown in our own backyard.

"All your arenas belong to them!"

34 posted on 08/31/2005 9:36:59 PM PDT by A2J (Oh, I wish I was in Dixie...)
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To: Texasforever
These folks, many single and many, as have been shown, have no inhibitions to take what they want

What did the folks in the dome do? They aren't the people out looting.

35 posted on 08/31/2005 9:37:23 PM PDT by ordinaryguy
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To: A2J

Ol Joel is surely going to have a hard time selling them on the concept of "prosperity" gospel.


36 posted on 08/31/2005 9:38:24 PM PDT by nhoward14
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To: HairOfTheDog
It's not ideal.... nothing about it is. Ideas?

Yes, military bases where the crowd can be controlled when the need will inevitably arise. We are about to see what 2 generations of non-accoutbility for individual responsibility brings. If nothing else, reserve the space for the sick, elderly and families with children.

37 posted on 08/31/2005 9:38:30 PM PDT by Texasforever
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To: Texasforever
Houston will rue the day. I know this is tragic BUT to make this type of open ended commitment for this many people will come back to haunt us. The Astrodome is just the Superdome with air conditioning and putting this many people in one location will become a nightmare after 2 weeks.

Whatever hardship Houston may experience as a result of taking in the refugees from New Orleans, it will be but a tiny fraction of the hardship endured by the refugees themselves.

Try to have some compassion, and some perspective.

38 posted on 08/31/2005 9:39:24 PM PDT by Ichneumon
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To: NormsRevenge
Not to belittle the tragedy; but these folks had four days warning, and took no evasive action.

BTW, based upon the visual news coverage, has anyone noticed the demographics of the "refugees?"

39 posted on 08/31/2005 9:39:39 PM PDT by Cobra64
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To: ordinaryguy
What did the folks in the dome do? They aren't the people out looting

There were numerous reports today that did in fact say that people were leaving the dome to go "shopping".

40 posted on 08/31/2005 9:39:56 PM PDT by Texasforever
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