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

[Cboldt]

He is focusing I think, a little too much on the things not going right - as opposed to the things that are. The media will only pick up on that.

At this point, the rescue and saving of lives requires admitting things are not going well in some areas.

The speech is clearly a direct shot at Louisiana competence. Things are progressing well elsewhere, but particularly NOT in NOLA. Bush care's not how the media picks it up. He wants to save lives, and he has the resources to get 'er done.

I wonder if Blanco asked for this type of help, or if the talk this morning was the first she heard of the plan.

[SunnyUsa]

good comments.

I didn't know myself that they were being contained there by various authorities. The truth is always the best, and we learned that last night.

Basic water, food and info should've been there to hold them all over while they wait outside 24/7.

Some common sense and clear thinking people were needed a few days ago, the PR benefits of them acknowledging those people on those HWYS would've gone along way.

[Patriot from Philly]

Thanks, I think it's time to start to blame the media. turn the table on that sorry group.

[publana]

My husband and I went out to eat dinner last night at a restaurant that had a live band playing. They were taking donations for the Salvation Army/Red Cross. After I made a hefty donation, the woman went into a tirade on George and Laura Bush.

The gist of it was:
The hurricane is all Bush's fault. He had the authority due to the Homeland Security Act to take control of the situation. He will be impeached.

Then after ranting about how he DIDN'T use his new powers, she ranted about how we've lost our rights due to this very act she was previously ranting about him not invoking.

And lastly, she ranted and raved about "That stupid bitch Laura Bush" saying that Laura claimed yesterday that LA would be cleaned up in 2 weeks.

Those are just the highlights. The woman was venomous in her diatribes and people were listening. This is BUSH country and people were listening. Not one person other than myself called her on her lies. I was soon the bad guy for trying to cover for the evil George Bush.

People... Nagin is not going to take the fall for this. Nor is the governor. The buck stops with the president and that is the way the wind seems to be blowing.

[NautiNurse]

don't hero worship, thanks
Do you?

As a matter of fact, I do. In particular, my heroes are the first responders and health care workers who risk their own lives saving people. I am the president of their fan club too.

[mhking]

Good morning. I've had some good news this morning. My cousins are now in Indianapolis; they were evacuated there yesterday. One of them is being treated in the hospital there, the others are apparently fine.

My mom and brother are headed down there from Crown Point to pick them up most likely later today.

The only ones left unaccounted for are my mother-in-law's half-sister and her family. And we have no idea as to where they could be.

My wife is tired beyond all get-out; her agency's hours have been extended during the week, plus she's gotta work this weekend, including Monday, to help with refugees in the Atlanta area.

[Cboldt]

My surmise is that only credentialled people have freedom to enter or leave. The exodus is closely managed.

Smart approach. Otherwise bands of "whatever" would show up "wherever."

[Uncle Ike]

" and bring out a few people when they come back out."


I heard several reporters say that they had given people rides - and dropped them off at the ramp or the SD or the Convention Center.

I never heard anybody say they'd gotten anybody out of the city.

[oceanview]

he needs to talk more about the security problem there, that seems to be the #1 reason why aid is not flowing as fast as it could. as of last night, the red cross could still not get into the city.

[sheikdetailfeather]

That is great news!

[LadyBuzz]

when my lib friends say that they want to impeach Pres Bush - I tell them fine - Pres Cheney would be fine with me - shuts 'em up every time

[SunnyUsa]

I've seen them offer water. I just saw a reporter who found a dog, scared and in shock alone on a bridge, he offered it water but the dog was freaking out, afraid.

I would hope the news trucks (if they have resources) load their trucks to the max with supplies.

They are definitely getting to the people in dire need.

[Warren_Piece]

I'm going to repost something I said yesterday, as food for thought. This is not addressed to yo, PigRigger, but to all who armchair QB:

You obviously have no clue as to the breadth and scope of this disaster. In the earlier hours, I was quite critical of Nagin, but no more. I reuse to criticise either democrat or republican.

This is bigger than anything we've ever seen.

It's bigger than us.

We can't "Control" it. Nagin can't. Blanco can't. The fed's can't. And it's nobody's fault.

The president can't snap his fingers and get water to everyone who needs it, everywhere they need it. I don't know where you live, but NOLA is TWICE the size of my city, and my city is quite large.

I'm sick of EVERYONE at FR acting like this was ever manageable, by anyone.

Everyone will do the best that we can from here on out. When this is all over, we'll look at this and learn from it.

I'm not saying this was a judgement from God, but every now and then mankind gets too full of itself until something happens to show us just how insignficant we are in the face of God, or Nature, whatever.

This is bigger than us. It is quite telling that people are saying they can't understand this is happening in the US. Maybe now we will get it. We are not so wealthy and powerful that we are immune from disaster.

I'm sorry, this is bigger than us.

[NautiNurse]

Jerry Lewis was interviewed on Larry King last night. Said he was planning to ask people to split the money they would normally donate to MDA, and give half to the Katrina relief efforts. He was very proud that he didn't have a board of directors to vote for approval of that decision.

[texasbluebell]

Please remind me WHO told people to go the Convention Center - there were no supplies there. I do remember hearing the mayor telling folks to go to the Superdome but not the Convention center. The mayor & gov sent thousands of folks to places they damn well were not equipped to handle them & know it's the feds fault.

The CC was not an official evacuation point, so that is apparently the reason no one knew they were there for days.

I heard somewhere on tv one of the people there saying they were trying to get in the Dome, but security guards wouldn't let them inside, and told them to go to the CC.

It was just some of the guards who told them to do this.

[SunnyUsa]

Thanks, then you can hero worship me.

I am a first responder in my community and an RN (cardiac) lol

[hoosiermama]

Wonderful news Mike...WIll continue prayers that the missing family member will be found soon.

[debg]

there are at least 20 Reuters pics showing stacks of food and water at the Convention Center during mid day.... That whole Fox segment was staged...

Totally despicable. Fox needs to be flooded with complaints about this.

[pamlet]

Frankly I think the reporting has been VERY one sided. They keep showing the tragedy - but they're not showing enough of the good. There have been 10s of 1000s rescued but they are not showing that.. all they're showing is the looting and "what is going wrong" in their minds. I'm sorry but while I don't think they should white wash it, they should be more "fair and balanced". They know that "smut" in any form is going to get ratings - so that's what they show.

[AmericanVictory]

Considering that they started reclaiming the land from the sea over a thousand years ago and have been at it ever since on an ever increasing scale, often overcoming enormous technical problems after substantial setbacks, including breaches in the dikes and seawalls, some of which were quite large, the absence of hurricanes does not invalidate the point. There have been signficant storms that did substantial damage. The point is that there was from way back, a spirit of enterprise to reclaim the land and a refusal to give it up to the natural forces that otherwise would have prevailed.