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

[Heatseeker]

BTW, am I just paranoid or does the sudden appearance of James Lee Witt, an old-time Clintonista at Governor Blanco's side, just when the federal government and military was getting full control of things, sound like a bit of jealosy?

[Liberty Valance]

Actually I think Condi is going because she's from Alabama.

[Seattle Conservative]

"Who was Bush's first FEMA guy - the burly one with the crewcut? I can't think of his name right now"


Joe Albough (sp) - I liked him

[LadyPilgrim]

She is...from right here in Bham, born Nov. 19th 1954.

[mystery-ak]

Did Chertoff say that the Fed Gov is taking control?

[Ellesu]

Blanco said she is "very thankful for all the states and their numerous offers of help". "I would have done nothing differently." "We maxed out our resources". "We wanted help faster." "We didn't have enough help here." "It began to fall in place but the magnitude was overwhelming." "We have come together in very powerful ways." "James Witt will be my voice at the table. I like to hire the smartest people in the country and Mr. Witt is that." "There is no way to know the real number, a lot have died."

[NonValueAdded]

To be fair, Mississippi reported systematic looting in Biloxi DURING the hurricane. That had to be planned. The reason stated for no looting after the fact was that nothing was left to be looted.

[BlackRain]

Many Americans were left wondering why authorities didn’t just simply air drop supplies to families marooned in the Superdome.

The U.S. Coast Guard, with 48 helicopters and airplanes in the region, is almost exclusively performing rescue missions, said Scott Brewer, a chief warrant officer and spokesman in Mobile, Ala.

Although National Guard troops have been in New Orleans all week, a top official could not explain why they were not more aggressive in delivering relief supplies.

“I can’t speak to that,” said Maj. Gen. Ronald Young, director of manpower and personnel at the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C. “I know there were guard forces at the dome. I watched TV last night myself and had some questions but I can’t speak to how they are using them in the states.”

http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_fullstory.asp?id=40234 Are we talking about giant pallets of supplies falling on peoples heads? No. We are talking about using TRIADS with MRE's and HDR's. TRIADS are made of cardboard and extremely accurate in delivery. There are no record of civilians being killed or injured by TRIADS. Go luck it up.

[bonfire]

I hope her words come to haunt her.

[NautiNurse]

We were so busy, didn't really think about the food until it hit the belly. The MPs had the best coffee - and I made a trip one night during curfew to Miami to get them pineapple juice. Those MPs were the best!

[MarMema]

"Differently, no, not differently. We maxed our resources. We needed as much as we could get and wanted it faster, and that was the painful part of it. We didn't have enough resource here...the magnitude was overwhelming"

Governor Blanco when asked if there was more she could have done by reporters...

"Fema is actually pleased we hired an outside consultant, instead of relying on them. He will sit at a table for me."(her emphasis)

Blanco when asked why she hired an outside consultant instead of relying on fema.

[LadyBuzz]

yes, in as many words - something about how the NG is responsible for security now - usually under the gove but now under fed control

[Seattle Conservative]

"My God, her response to the disaster is to hire Jamie Witt???? That Clinton flack????"

Looks like the DNC continues to "direct" the Gov

[texasbluebell]

No personal attacks.

[LadyPilgrim]

Not sure......He said primary, I think. I would suppose that's, "in charge????"

[nuclady]

Heh, I'd like to see the MSM try and eat Condi up. If anything, she'll eat THEM up. She won't put up with their s***!!!

[supercat]

//You don't do an air drop of "some" food and water without creating a riot situation.//

Perhaps what's needed is a way of packaging water bottles so that they can withstand being dropped singly. If a plane flew by dropping water bottles every few feet, I wouldn't think it would cause riots because everyone would be too busy chasing after different water bottles.

[Jrabbit]

I volunteer for The Society of Saint Vincent De Paul through my church. I've just about seen it all. The majority of folks we are able to help are very wonderful people who have just had a turn of bad luck. Occasionally, we do get taken. Some people have been scamming for years and are very good at it. Most of the time, when we find that we've been taken, I can feel ok about it because there are always children involved. I figure that, at least, we were able to help the kids in some way. But it's very easy to get burned out. We usually work for a year, then take a break.

And it's people like you and your story that keeps me going to take that next call. God bless you.

[MarMema]

"My God, her response to the disaster is to hire Jamie Witt???? That Clinton flack????" Looks like the DNC continues to "direct" the Gov

Is that her outside consultant? Unbelieveable, no wonder so many are dying.

[LadyBuzz]

sounds just like the excuses from a 6 year old, my dog ate my homework....