Katrina Live Thread, Part XIII

Various ^ | 1 September 2005 | Various

[NautiNurse]

28,000 National Guard troops are deployed to the disaster areas in Mississippi, Alabama, and to Louisiana, where SWAT teams are working to combat the looters and shooters in New Orleans. Additional 1400 National Guard troops are being deployed daily.

Shootings reported at a New Orleans hospital, rescue boats, and a military helicopter, while conditions continue to deteriorate at the SuperDome amid refugee deaths and chaos. Evacuation of New Orleans continues.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert has voiced serious doubts about rebuilding New Orleans with federal funds, while assuring the people of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida that the United States Congress stands ready to help them in their time of need. New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin issued a "desperate SOS."

Doctors at two desperately crippled hospitals in New Orleans called The Associated Press Thursday morning pleading for rescue, "We have been trying to call the mayor's office, we have been trying to call the governor's office ... we have tried to use any inside pressure we can. We are turning to you. Please help us," said Dr. Norman McSwain, chief of trauma surgery at Charity Hospital, the largest of two public hospitals.

The Port of New Orleans is now open to shallow draft vessels. Congress is reconvening in an emergency session. International offers to assist the U.S. have been received from Russia, Japan, Canada, France, Honduras, Germany, Venezuela, Jamaica, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, Hungary, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, China, South Korea, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, NATO and the Organization of American States.

Jesse Jackson has arrived in Louisiana...

Links to various news, local and state government websites:

WLOX TV Biloxi, Gulfport, Pascagula has link to locate family and friends
2theAdvocate - Baton Rouge Includes Slidell, St. John Parish, St. Bernard Parish updates, and other locations.
NOLA.com
Inside Houma Today includes shelter and volunteer updates
WLBT.com Jackson MS
WALA Channel 4 Mobile, AL Includes links to distribution centers, Emergency Ops, etc.
Sun-Herald Gulfport MS Includes link to town by town reports
Gulfport News via Topix.net
WAFB Baton Rouge
Mobile Register via al.com
Mississippi updates via Jackson Ledger
Lafayette LA Daily Advertiser
Pensacola News Journal
St Bernard Local Government
Alabama Homeland Security Volunteers can sign up online
Alabama DOT
Alabama.gov
Louisiana Homeland Security
Louisiana State Police road closure info
State of Mississippi Website has traffic alerts, emergency contact numbers

Streaming Video:

WWL-TV (via CBS): WWLTV via CBS
WWL-TV Now via WFAA Dallas **NEW LINK**: http://www.wwltv.com/cgi-bin/bi/video/makeadplaylist.pl?title=beloint_wfaa&live=yes
WDSU-TV: http://mfile.akamai.com/12912/live/reflector:38843.asx
WPMI-TV: http://www.wpmi.com/mediacenter/default.aspx?videoId=113739
WKRG-TV: mms://wmbcast.mgeneral.speedera.net/wmbcast.mgeneral/wmbcast_mgeneral_aug262005_1435_95518
WTOK-TV Temporarily Not Live Streaming (follow the link on the home page): http://www.wtok.com/
WJTV-TV: mms://wmbcast.mgeneral.speedera.net/wmbcast.mgeneral/wmbcast_mgeneral_aug262005_1435_95563
Louisiana Statewide Katrina Network (WJBO-AM Baton Rouge): http://ccri.eonstreams.com/ccri_la_batonrouge_wjbo_am.asf
Gulf Coast Storm Network (radio): http://www.stormalert.net/main.html#
Louisiana Scanner

Related FR Threads:

FYI: Hurricane Katrina Freeper SIGN IN Thread FReeper Check In thread
Discussion Thread - Hurricane Katrina - What Went Wrong?!?
Post Hurricane Katrina IMAGES Here
Looting Begins In New Orleans
Hurricane Katrina HOUSING Thread
Martial Law Declared in New Orleans

Due to the number of requests to assist, the following list of some charities is provided.
This is not intended as an endorsement for any of the charities.

www.redcross.org or 1-800 HELP NOW - note: website is slow, and lines are busy
Salvation Army - 1-800-SAL-ARMY or Salvation Army currently looking for in-state volunteers - (888)363-2769
Operation Blessing: (800) 436-6348.
America's Second Harvest: (800) 344-8070.
Catholic Charities USA: (800) 919-9338, or www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee: (800) 848-5818.
Church World Service: (800) 297-1516 or online at www.churchworldservice. org.
Lutheran Disaster Response: (800) 638-3522.
Nazarene Disaster Response: (888) 256-5886.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance: (800) 872-3283.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is accepting donations at its 3,800 stores and Web site, www.walmart.com.
National Black Home Educators Resource Association http://www.nbhera.org/

Previous Threads:
Katrina Live Thread, Party XII
Katrina Live Thread, Part XI
Katrina Live Thread, Part X
Katrina Live Thread, Part IX
Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part VIII
Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part VII
Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part VI
Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part V
Hurricane Katrina, Live Thread, Part IV
Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part III
Katrina Live Thread, Part II
Hurricane Katrina Live Thread, Part I
Tropical Storm 12

[ohioWfan]

This particular troll spends a lot of time around here.

He's just a jerk, IMO.

[eternity]

Now what? Just keep going west?

[advance_copy]

Oh, no. This is a mess.

[Smogger]

You jumped in and said shouldn't we just forget about it was 60 years ago. The Japanese have spent the last 60 years DENYING it and rewriting history.

[CitizenM]

I wish they would employ the regular army for equipment and manpower to help with the work of removing debris, etc. There is so much more "boots on the ground" could do. I think I heard this is being discussed.

I remember after the hurricane here the base personnel were engaged in clean up on the base property and the troops were all over, along with all the trucks, heavy equipment. In less than a week it was all removed. Yet in all the surrounding areas the civilian population was struggling. It just seemed a waste to have all those men and equipment not engaged in assisting the people. Some roads remained closed for days because of the trees. While the heavy equipment the military had could have removed them so easily.

It seems a big part of the problem down in the Gulf area is even getting supplies over the blocked roads. Those are the things the military could handle, IMHO. Of course, I know that plenty of the military bases in the area are probably handling their own problems too. But, clearing the civilian roads would save lives, while cleaning up the bases just makes it look nicer.

Also, there are special divisions of the military that are especially trained in cadaver removal. Those personnel could be dispatched specifically to handle the dead. They have all the equipment and special clothing, vehicles,containers, body bags, etc. They should be there taking up this task. It is so terribly tragic to see all the human bodies everywhere when there are special forces trained to handle just that.

[SolomoninSouthDakota]

"..have to understand that a preparedness plan cannot count on any specific assets remaining in place after the storm passes"

Can anyone tell me why there weren't more boats, helicopters and supplies positioned 75-150 miles inland in secure structures ready to be redeployed to the ravaged area. I think I read that they even used NO as a mock up model for Homeland Security. But irregardless, it's as plain as the nose on anyone's face that either the leaders with the responsibility for that city's people had no feasible disaster plan or one hell of a piss-poor one. Haven't we all seen the picture of some 60 large school buses parked and surrounded by water. In the name of God Almighty, what in the world were they doing left there? I'll bet they could have brought out at least 2500 people! And they could have been parked somewhere safe after the exit so they could return to get those left behind.
Of course you can't count on assets left in place if you place them in harms way! But they could have been placed elsewhere. Corruption and ignorance (if not worse) are the keys to understanding the unfolding human catastrophe.

[Pyro7480]

One death reported inside AD.

Hopefully, it isn't a murder. These people should be grateful they're alive and have a roof over their heads. There's a special place in hell for people like those causing all the mayhem in NO.

[advance_copy]

San Antonio, I guess. That's a long drive. Or Detroit. that's even longer.

[Peach]

It will get better starting tomorrow night, imo. National Guardsmen are pouring in from other states and have been deputized to shoot looters on sight.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

"Hell, after the rapes and murders, I say nuke it. That will dry it out quickly".
Please do not misunderstand this as a personal attack.
Any person that subscribes to such an imbicilic, asinine, or backwardsassed philosophy would be considered in dire need of a cranio-rectal reversion procedure.
This is America, and we WILL rebuild. Despite the divisive pedantics that strive to divide us on racial, economic, and geographic lines.
Wishing you all the best.

[ClancyJ]

I agree about Bill. He never gave them a chance to give an answer because the answer was not what he wanted to hear.

So, the guests are merely sounding boards to bounce his ideas off of. I would write an email but too tired.

[dawn53]

Here you go, but you'll have to slow it down (I think you can do that on the right side of the graphic.)

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/KATRINA_graphics.shtml

[grey_whiskers]

I keep having the scary thought that if AQ has anything in place to hit us with, now would be an ideal (for them) time to do it.

Wrong time for them to try it.(Not that there is ever a "right" time.

Americans root for the underdog; if AQ tries to "kick us when we're down" there would be no limit to what we would do in response...

Prayers for all!

[ohioWfan]

I wonder if these were the school busses.

They're never air conditioned.............I don't think, anyway.

What a tragedy to die on your way to a shelter......

[Alberta's Child]

I wouldn't worry too much about that. That storm is so far to the east that the odds of it reaching New York are probably less than 1%. Hurricanes that track up along the east coast of the U.S. almost always follow that same northwest-turning-to-the-north trajectory, since the prevailing weather system in the Northeastern U.S. this time of year is a southeastward flow of cooler air out of the Great Lakes region (folks in New York got the first taste of that a few weeks ago when that last major heat wave broke, and we had a couple of nights that were downright chilly for the summer time).

Every hurricane that I've experienced in New York has followed a very similar directional track to the one shown there, but it started much further to the west and would be preparing to sweep across the Outer Banks of North Carolina at the point where it says "8 PM Tue" at the north end.

[conservativebabe]

I agree. He was frustrated and upset, so times that by about a million, and that's how the other people were probably feeling.

It has no doubt been very difficult watching so much suffering around you.

He should get a serious raise after this.

[bitt]

'I'm starting to get irked by the bozos who are suggesting that New Orleans shouldn't be rebuilt. IMHO, that's a pathetic attitude of a loser. I was raised to have a strong, American "can do" attitude. Piddly excuses why we can't or shouldn't rebuild New Orleans don't set well with me. '
~~~~~~~~~~
Remember the last huge earthquake in Oakland? Whole freeways torn down , whole neighborhoods leveled? Seems thay had that rebuilt in 6 months.........ahead of schedule, IIRC..

[oceanview]

indeed.

callers into Hannity today wanted to discuss what was coming - he said he didn't want to get political over this. bet he changes his tune tomorrow.

the bigger political problem for Bush is not this new orleans thing, the videos of the looters are enough to dis-illusion most americans, its what's happening with gasoline.

[CindyDawg]

I unfortunately know more about the welfare dependency than most. I'm an optimist though. Assuming this is the case here, out of this horror maybe these people will have learned a need to depend upon themselves and have a good if not better life in the future. I'm going to do some calling around tomorrow to see if my city might be willing to host a family.

[buickmackane]

Uh-oh, I don't think the school buses heading to New Orleans have air conditioning either. I didn't think of that until now. I wonder what happened to all those Greyhounds mentioned earlier in the day?