Katrina Live Thread, Part XIV

Various ^ | 2 September 2005 | Various

[NautiNurse]

President Bush continues to assess the catastrophic damage by air and on the ground in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Bush spent the day meeting with search and rescue personnel, relief commanders, and displaced residents in Mobile, Biloxi, and the New Orleans area. U.S. Congress passed a $10.5 billion relief package for the hurricane ravaged areas. First Lady Laura Bush issued a press statement from an evacuation shelter in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Patient and staff evacuations continue from numerous New Orleans Hospitals. Thousands of patients are being airlifted to a field hospital at Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport for triage, staging, and transport to hospitals throughout the United States.

The U.S. Coast Guard and civilian volunteers continue to evacuate thousands of survivors from their flooded homes in New Orleans. The Army Corps of Engineers continues work to repair the damaged levees.

The nation's airlines today began an operation intended to fly up to 25,000 refugees out of New Orleans. The airlines are volunteering their aircraft and crews for the program. Long convoys loaded with relief supplies arrived throughout the day into New Orleans, while convoys of buses are moving survivors out of the city.

Several large fires are burning in the city and greater New Orleans area. Reports indicate snipers are holding down firefighters. Reports of shots fired with LEO down in the St. Bernard Parish area. Rescue operations are underway. A bus carrying NOLA evauees rolled over in Opelousa, LA.

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:

New Orleans Emergency Operations Center - is now open:
504-463-1000
504-463-1001
504-463-1002

WWL-TV New Orleans (via WFAA Dallas) - WWL-TV is operating from studios at Louisiana Public Broadcasting. CBS has a relay during the morning and afternoon. When available, use the CBS relay first as they have greater streaming capacity. Yahoo has also provided a relay.

WDSU-TV New Orleans - The news staff has started to return to temporary news studios near New Orleans. However, expect evening coverage from Hearst-Argyle sister stations WAPT Jackson and WESH Orlando when the New Orleans staff needs to take a break.

WGNO-TV New Orleans - New Orleans' ABC affiliate has returned to the air with WBRZ-TV and launched video streaming with continuous Katrina coverage.

WPMI-TV Mobile, AL - WPMI is webcasting from 5:30am - 10:30pm CDT. When off air, you can view pre-recorded reports on demand. This feed is often unreliable.

WKRG-TV Mobile, AL - This station is providing good coverage of the situation to the east in Mississippi and Alabama. However, the station is now signing off at around 10:30pm CDT like WWL and WPMI.

WJTV-TV Jackson, MS - The CBS affiliate in Jackson is providing live coverage for both the Jackson area and south Mississippi (knowing a lot of media in that area is off the air).

United Radio From New Orleans: WWL-AM, WNOE-FM, "KISS-FM," WRNO-FM, WYLD-FM, and WJBO-AM who have joined forces as United Radio From New Orleans, and they are streaming.

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/ Southern Baptist: NAMB - http://www.namb.net/
Samaritan's Purse - http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

Previous Threads:
Katrina Live Thread, Part XIII
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

[md2576]

5 days to get the largest relief effort in our history assembled, and deployed is an amazing feat. Communications in New York were completely disrupted for 3 days when 2 buildings fell. You are expecting a response that our present technology cannot provide. There are 92,000 square miles of devastation that you appear to be forgetting about. If anyone has a reason to gripe it is the 2 million people outside of New Orleans that are taking a backseat because of the race politics going on in NO

But they had 5 days before the storm to plan for the worst and obviously they should have.

[Born in a Rage]

Something funny is going on.

I didn't want to say it before, but I was thinking the same thing. I'm wondering if there is an illness in that area and they want to keep it contained...just a thought, a scary thought.

[DrewsMum]

I don't know. I got an email today from citizen corps of houston to go help. Some friends of mine went and came back and said they are packed full with volunteers and refuges. I did notice on my local news that some of the volunteers were standing there waiting for what seemed like another bus load i have not idea but they weren't doing anything,,,(not saying they were working) it just looked like they had it under control. There is hotels all around me to that I know are full of people (good middle class) that came before they storm and I know they can't afford to stay there much longer,,,I may just go try to help them,,,,,

[PhiKapMom]

Exactly Noticed they had weapons and also money for buying drugs since some of the people trying to break into hospitals were drug addicts looking for a fix.

[numberonepal]

My hat's off to those National Guardsmen. They've been doing a lot of the heavy lifting the last couple of years.

Don't forgt about the men and women of the Coast Guard. Stand up, stellar, awesome, positive etceteras, job. Hands down the most impressive search and rescue operation in our history. Not even a Democrat will touch their funding for a long long time.

[Wampus SC]

"Thanks for the update about your uncle's son on the other thread. Prayers are continuing."

And thank you. ACtually it's my cousin's son but that's a minor detail. I got another update about 11PM. I need to leave certain details out. I'm fatigued so don't expect me to be that coherent, and excuse my wordiness ----- He got out of New Orleans, finally, which wasn't easy. He's completed his assignment of delivering the ill officers to medical facility in another state. He was aided by another PD along the way, who fed them and gave them a place to nap a while. (It had been several days.) He's sick but still walking, and will recover. He's been placed on leave. His family and his father's family have lost everything, and are relocating here. I'll be scarce around here while helping them do this. That'll also be where my donations are going, since family comes first.

I want to thank all who have offered prayers and other forms of help. It did help. I'll always be grateful.

And now another matter - BB, this does not apply to you -I've seen several people who keep repeating "the cops are the looters" and "the cops are deserters". I don't doubt there have been incidents, but I think that's too big a brush to paint with. We know how the MSM distorts - mainly by leaving things out. They won't tell you of the business who told the police, fire and EMS, "come get what you need". But I have firsthand knowledge. I won't doubt that there have been desertions, but I don't want to hear anyone say this young man is a deserter just because he left NOLA. He had a a mission to accomplish under extreme circumstances while sick, and he did it. He could have walked away, but chose to keep serving his community, and still is. I think that when more details are known, we'll hear many more stories like this. There are still a lot of heroes out there.

[Steve_Seattle]

Fox and the media have been focusing very much on the people at the convention center and on the freeway ramp, perhaps 5,000 of the million or so affected by the disaster, and people are left with the impression that NOTHING is being done. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people are being rescued, fed, and sheltered elsewhere, with very little publicity.

[Spktyr]

FEMA *is* in MS and AL, the media just isn't covering it. They're certainly in Biloxi.

There is also plenty of gas in the ground iin tanks n parts of MS - but they have to get power going to run gas station pumps. FEMA is bringing in generators to help with that and ALL the utility companies have sent people. It will take time. People will die. Gas alone will not save people. They need fuel, power, and most importantly, water. Water is being trucked in to all three heavily hit states, some by FEMA, some by private donors.

It sucks. it really does. But that's how reality is.


Now, FEMA has an 800 number, listed at the top of the thread. Why don't you call them and ask? They will probably be able to tell you where the closest aid distribution station is to your friends and family down there.

[Texas_Conservative2]

I tell you what I need to go dig in my closet for my tin foil hat cause something is messed up with the news coverage tonight.

[P.O.E.]

You're right. I've been pretty calm about this whole thing - but I just spent about two hours watching media coverage.

Most of the rest of the week, I've been praying for these people down there. I think I'll turn off the tube and go back to praying.

[plushaye]

But the AP photo shows otherwise. Look at all the pallets. Check the CNN website at:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/03/katrina.impact/index.html

Unless this is not the same Convention Centre (unlikely) or maybe the first groups of people took all the food and there was none left (unlikely). A picture is worth a thousand words? I'm confused about all these conflicting stories.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I missed that. I'm assuming they know this because they found the weapons?

[Txsleuth]

Hopefully, the conservatives will take notice of who runs and who stays in the GOP, when it comes time for elections next year!!!

I expected LOTT to bash Bush, because he has worked against him some, since he lost his Majority Leader position...

but, the transcript that was posted here that had his interview with Anderson Cooper didn't seem to "throw Bush under the bus"....now, that is not saying he won't..once he gets back with his buds in Washington...but so far..

[StarFan]

Didn't watch LKL knowing he'd probably invite Jackson to add to the ridiculousness of what his son said earlier.

Instead of demanding the rapists, murderers and looters in NO stop the nonsense and act like human beings, Jesse Jr., blames the media for directing their attention to lawlessness instead of the PLIGHT of the people. In short you're to ignore the PLIGHT of those murdered, looted and raped and ignore those causing mayhem. Liberal thinking at its finest.

[oceanview]

let's see where it goes. americans are going to have little tolerance for rap stars on telethons telling us Bush is a racist, when they've seen photos of rampant looting in new orleans. the administration always makes the mistake of trying to play it straight on an issue like this, keep politics out of it, but you can't do that with the Dems. so now the gloves are off, and that's a good thing.

[PhiKapMom]

I need to find out more info but our local Red Cross said you can specify which State gets your donation but I don't exactly trust the Red Cross. They were saying on the local news that MS/AL really needs the donations.

[united1000]

You are welcome!

Yes you did say thanks, I just wanted to give you the link to the complete article.

[Spktyr]

Louisiana had 45 years to plan for this, not just 5 days.

LA govt and the NO govt failed the test MISERABLY.

[Txsleuth]

Since we are talking about Nahlins here...shouldn't it be the "Dirty rice bowl"????? LOL

[Texas_Conservative2]

what I don't get is that litterally hundreds of simingly empty tractor trailor trucks are just driving by those people on the bridge... why the heck dont they stop and load those trucks up with those people and drop them off ANYWHERE out side of town.