Um, maybe because they were under THREE FREAKIN' FEET OF WATER? All of the buses in that pic have their engines underwater. They aren't going anywhere anytime soon. To say that they should have been moved to high ground before the storm is hindsight B.S.
Uh - why is this not part of the general evacuation procedure? They had at least 24 hours to run those buses nonstop getting the indigent and infirm out of N.O.
The only suprise with this hurricane was that it skirted NORTH right before slamming New Orleans.
We're talking about before the storm, LPC...not afterwards.
You aren't very bright...are you?
That's the point. There was plenty of time to get those buses into service and evacuate people beforehand. This picture will go down in history as the illustration that illustrates the absurdity of Mayor Nagin's alleged "leadership".
Um, let's see. NOLA is under sea level to begin with, there's a Cat5 storm bearing straight on for NOLA, a mandatory evac is ordered, and the buses are left parked in a lot that flooded. Maybe some FORESIGHT on the part of the Mayor and Governor could have utilitized these better. Yes, hindsight is 20/20, but foresight is the responsibility of our elected leaders.
Why is it "hindsight B.S."? Bush isn't given the benefit of "hindsight" by not knowing the everything that was going to happen the day after the storm--the levee break, the looting, the shooting at relief workers and hospitals. His crystal ball was supposed to forsee all of the people needing to be moved out of the city, and was supposed to order a private carrier like Greyhound to go into that city and haul people out.
In my opinion, Nagin SHOULD have known the buses were in one of the lower areas of N'awlins and SHOULD have moved them out as soon as he found out the levee broke. Immediately. Even after the levee broke, what did he do?? From what I can tell, he did NOTHING.
they were talking about before the storm hit
We are talking about using the buses to evacuate a great number of people from the city BEFORE the storm hit! These idiots in Louisiana stuck their heads in the sand and had absolutely NO plan to evacuate or deal with the aftermath of a very predictible event.
And they have the nerve to blame the Feds for not doing more!
You don't know squat about busses, pal.
This dolt of a mayor, in addition to killing X number of his city's citizens en passant, has additionally stuck the taxpayers with an 8-figure bill for a new or substantially rebuilt bus fleet. Jackass.
Oh man, to be you must suck Big Time right now.
Umm, like, before the storm?
When Bush declared LA a disaster area even before landfall?
Someone double check whether the hurricane was even a Cat 4 when Bush made the declaration.
Prayers!
All major cities are supposed to have evacuation plans in case of a disaster such as this. This should have been a high priority for NO since it is 10 feet below sea level and in a hurricane zone. This seems so obvious it's sad.
"because they were under THREE FREAKIN' FEET OF WATER? All of the buses in that pic have their engines underwater."
Not true one brave person stole one of those buses loaded it with hi family, friends, and neighbors and drove it to the Astro Dome.
I disagree. It's a lack of planning:
1) A Category 5 hurricane is coming straight at you.
2) The city is below sea level and the levees are built to hold up against a Category 3 hurricane.
3) The situation is dire enough that everyone from the president on down is urging people to get out of the area and seek shelter.
It was no mystery that the town was likely to be flooded. Mother nature actually gave them an additional 24 hours to get out before the levees broke.
This is a massive failure to plan coupled with a stubborn populace many of whom either didn't understand the danger or chose to ignore it.
Yes, it is indeed hindsight to ask that now! But is it not a reasonable and valid question to ask of the very ones, who were the elected leaders of this city and state?
Is it not these very ones who directly bear the responsibility for the welfare of the communities in which they serve?
In fact, how can this question not be asked; especially in light of the undeniable fact, that every one in America(who has at least an 9th grade education) knew that it was a scientific fact, that should a Cat 4 or 5 hurricane hit the city of New Orleans, (which has been warned for at least 8 decades) this very scenario would most likely occur.
An intelligent and reasonable person would think that the Anointed in Power there, would have had enough common sense to have developed a "comprehensive disaster plan" that would have taken into account a worst case scenario,which would include using all means the city had available, to evacuate their people before such a storm hit!
There is no reasonable excuse for this human calamity in New Orleans. The warnings have been there for decades, and the evidence that nothing meaningful was done by the city or state to prepare for it is undeniable.
So the question is valid! Why were the buses not moved to higher ground, so as to be made available for evacuation in the likely event, the worst were to occur?
Here's another valid question? Why didn't the state and local leaders become proactive in disaster planing for the city of New Orleans, when they knew for so long, that what has happened, was someday bound to occur?
I'm waiting.......... What's that you say?
Oh... I see......There wasn't enough federal funds or resources available to the state and local governments, so the state and local leaders couldn't do anything.
Yeah: Sounds reasonable to me!
"Um, maybe because they were under THREE FREAKIN' FEET OF WATER? "
Uh, people we saying why didnt he deploy them during the evacuation *prior* to the hurricane, and/or at least get them to higher ground.
Even without that, why is he asking for greyhounds, when the state of Louisiana surely has buses galore used in public transit and school systems that could ride to the rescue.
"To say that they should have been moved to high ground before the storm is hindsight B.S."
Not really, a storm surge was expected that would flood new orleans. It was anticipated.