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

[mystery-ak]

Bingo...

[AFPhys]

Please read jeffers' post#106. I wish all public officials and others would at least read it, shut up, and mull over what he says there whether they agree with it entirely or not.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1474387/posts?page=106#106


A small snippet:

This is a huge disaster, and it is important for America to learn how to think big. If you aren't capable of walking past ten dying people to save 100 dying people, then at the very least, stay out of the way of those who can.

You know what the price is, if you don't.

When you start thinking big, you start understanding that one person doesn't count anymore. Not the mayor, not the governor, not even President Bush. Bush will not fix this, the New Orleans police will not fix this, and the National Guard will not fix this.

They aren't big enough.

Three hundred million American people are going to fix this, or else it isn't going to get fixed.

So for all the sidewalk superintendents, all the finger pointers, all those who would grab political power over this, I have one very simple question.

Do you stand with us, or are you going to just stand in the way?

[Knitting A Conundrum]

There is an old friend's aunt I am worried sick about. We think she was stuck at home, near the Lakefront area. 84. She would have died before going to the Superdome with the type of people there. She had dogs she truly loved like the children she never had.

Is she still in her attic? Did she even make it into her attic? And what about her great-nephew, who is a young man who lived in New Orleans East? Are they or any of her other nephews with her?

Griefs.

[truthandlife]

When Jesse Jackson, the Democrats and the media finish spinning this thing, the black community will believe that Bush wanted to exterminate the black population to get rid of all the Dem voters.

I know this is an exageration but what did the Dems get the black community to believe about the Florida vote in 2000?

Bush does not need to worry about responding to the media, he just needs to make sure the right things are happening to save people's lives.

I really believe that the difference between today and yesterday will be night and day. I think that is why the media is starting with the blame game now because people are finally being fed and rescued.

[Peach]

This is from another thread:

The governor of Louisiana declared martial law in Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes Tuesday morning. This was extended to Orleans parish Tuesday afternoon, and Jefferson parish by the evening.

Does anyone know if martial law WAS declared on Tuesday or is this just rumor?

And if martial law was declared, why isn't regular military helping law enforcement in NO?

[ohioWfan]

think the problem is that FEMA assumes states know what they're doing, and is there to help, not take over.

That is exactly what they have said. They are there to "assist"..........not to control.

It is the state and city who have primary responsibility.

[bvw]

At this point officials who whine, complain, or blame are exactly like looters and thugs. Why? Because their public remarks ruin the positive efforts to help by creating animosities, impairments to decision making and misallocation of resources. They also poison the public upwhelming of support by confusing the real issues that need to be dealt with NOW -- scouting, organization, relief, provision for the evacuees.

[Cboldt]

These feds are out of touch with reality.

I bet they know exactly what is going on. They have two missions, and one of them is propaganda. In order to retain their posiions of authority, they have to convince an adequate fraction of the population that they are worth the cost.

[Pravious]

"A black man on a local radio station (in our area) was apologizing to the nation for the behavior of black thugs in NO.
He said it was a disgrace and embarrassment to the black community."

He's right.

[markman46]

I am sure they will spend it on the 200 shelters they are running, including the Astrodome, San Antonio and Dallas.

Morning Karl; I'm am sure they will. The problem I have with the Red Cross is during any disaster they solicit funds, not after plus they get $$ all year long from the united way

[Dashing Dasher]

I had Jackson and gave the points!

[GodBlessUSA]

This is not war. There were no troops placed strategically. It's a hurricane catastrophe. They were not prepared for being shot at. We are talking about truck drivers, police officers and many volunteers. I don't disagree with the lack of leadership here the circumstances are unique.

[Broker]

Scammers Hit Web In Katrina's Wake
Less than two days after the hurricane, Internet opportunists are already trying to cash in on public sympathy for Katrina's victims.

Web sites claiming to collect donations for Hurricane Katrina victims. Phony e-mails pretending to solicit money from well-known charities. Online auctions of Internet domain names with Katrina-related addresses, such as "katrinaourtsunami.com." Less than two days after the hurricane, Internet opportunists are already trying to cash in on public sympathy for Katrina's victims. Within the past 24 hours, several Web sites have emerged, promising to forward money to relief workers. Bearing such names as Katrinahelp.com, katrinadonations.com and katrinarelief.com, the sites ask for money to be sent through Paypal, but there is no way to verify who is getting the money.

[Coldwater Creek]

They have already been doing it in full force. Not a word about the stupidity and laziness of the Mayor.

[Types_with_Fist]

It is the state and city who have primary responsibility.

I could have sworn I heard Chertoff say yesterday that the Feds were pretty much taking over everything. In any event, it should be obvious to all by now that Blanco can't do anything but go on TV and whine. The mayor is stranded and cannot communicate with other authorities and I doubt anyone even wants to talk to him. The FEMA guy, Brown, is saying that this is an "on-going disaster." He's right about that but now the "on-going disaster" is thousands of people dying in the street for lack of water that FEMA -- apparently -- cannot get to them.

[Pepper777]

"The NY cops weren't being shot at with no backup, either."

Many, if not all, of the NO cops have lost their homes. I also heard a report that many were trapped in their homes or on the roof. Some may have even died during the hurricane. They weren't allowed to evacuate, according a post I read here yesterday. There could be still be police officers who are waiting to be rescued, themselves.

[Alberta's Child]

You build those sections of the city a little at a time, as fill is added.

Sure, that would work -- but one problem is that when you're dealing with what used to be a major city, having "interim phases" in 5% increments isn't going to work. The economies of scale in urban development will dictate that it makes no sense to build infrastructure for a city of 150,000 people if your intent is to have it back to 1.4 million in a couple of decades, and it makes no sense to build infrastructure for 1.4 million people if you aren't going to reach that point for 25 years.

Didn't Japan build an entire airport using this technique?

Yes. One critical difference in Japan is that land is far more scarce there, so it makes practical sense to do things there that you would never even think of doing in other places. The Japanese government sure as heck didn't build that airport for sentimental reasons, which is really the only reason people here are providing for rebuilding New Orleans in its current location.

[Mago]

>It's all about defending Bush?
I give credit where I see it and call BS where I see it. Bush was great in declaring the emergency before the storm hit. But, to me, this tragedy is becoming bi-partisan. Members of both parties, local and state, failed both before and after the hurricane. And our federal government's slow response to the dying individuals in New Orleans is nothing short of appalling.

I'm going to get flamed big time for this....

On Tuesday when the levee was breached it should have been clear to anyone paying attention that a massive military response would be needed. The local authorities should have asked for it and the federal government should have provided it. It may turn out that the feds did everything they could as fast as they could. It does not appear that way.

Why didn't Bush address the nation on Tuesday? My prediction then was that there was at least the appearance that he wasn't acting. The response to the disaster will be a huge campaign issue in 2008 and it may well cost the Republicans the White House.

[Cboldt]

I won't criticze the response, because I think there are people other than and in addition to the politicos who are doing the best they can.

But I am very critical of the politicos who sold the voters a bill of goods by asserting "If you give us the money and authority, we will set up systems than can handle a major disaster." The government has wildly oversold its ability to help, and has not encouraged the people to distance themselves from reliance on the government.

[don-o]

I know some will, but how can anyone be so stoopid as to fall for a scam like this?