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

[MarMema]

I like to hire the smartest people in the country and Mr. Witt is that.

I missed that one, posting it, I mean.

Everything she is saying to me is reading loud and clear as a political machine.

[Heatseeker]

Anyone else reading this like I am?

Absolutely. The Clintons have seen a political opportunity in the diaster and are moving in.

[supercat]

How about we just don't rebuild it below sea level and avoid the whole problem entirely?

There are parts of the country where houses are built on stilts and that seems to offer pretty good protection against flooding. Won't help anything if a storm surge comes by that's 20' above floor level, or of the structures are hit by 200mph winds, but if a house in New Orleans were built on stilts up to the lake level it would probably still be habitable.

[Warren_Piece]

That would be a great name for a band:

Pallet of Chickens

[maryz]

Unless one has ever been involved in the movement of masses of humanity it is inconceivable.

You'd think people could at least extrapolate a bit from more mundane disruptions of the kind that everyone's seen, say, a water main break on a major route during rush hour, or (in Boston) a breakdown of one of the four subway lines.

Granted, you have to multiply practically by infinity for NO.

[Howlin]

That's great; nobody I'd rather see smeared with this boondoogle than Jamie Lee Witt!

I notice she STILL has to be told/prodded/ordered to do the things that are needed.

[LadyBuzz]

yep - it's almost obvious - Witt will start trouble - mark my words

[RDTF]

They are like cockroaches. Just can't get rid of em'

[MarMema]

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?

I am reading this as a political game all the way, personally. And since this last press conference, where she indirectly implied, imo, that Bush and feds were incompetent, and so she had to hire outside consultant and friends, I am even more certain.

She came within an inch of saying it, and led right up to it by talking about how she had to hire Witt, (just last night, mind you), and began talking but then suddenly stopped and said "I don't like to lay blame.."

Gave the whole impression of herself as too nice to point at Bush and fema, but left the thought there that she had been about to do that. I think she is evil.

[epaul]

"Speaking of which I am going to try to maintain a thread with updates on the animal rescue work taking place in NO here for anyone who is interested."

I got dibbs on Snowball if he comes up for adoption, in hopes of getting him home.

[cajungirl]

Condi Rice's father was born and grew up in Louisiana.

[neutrality]

This is probably old news, but CNN.com has a list of people who want to let others know they are alright after the storm. The list and instructions on how to get added can be found here http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2005/hurricanes/list/ . Might be worth including the link in the first post of your next Katrina thread, Nautinurse.

[stlnative]

The only port that remains 100% closed is the port at Gulf Port MS.

All other gulf ports are now functioning with some restrictions.

approx 70% of bouys-markers-etc have sunk or they are missing or have been knocked off location. They are actively getting these replaced and or back into position.

[Seattle Conservative]

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

She is and that's the reason they said on Fox she is going there.

[EDINVA]

is this the Baton Rouge City COuncilman who recently switched from D to R ???

[MarMema]

And who knows where the guy pulling in 100 grand a year disappeared to. Probably was the first to evac.

[samantha]

I have had Fox on almost 24-7 and today I am elated to see Adults broadcasting (except for Gerlado) David Asman is a great professional, calm, intelligent, informative and is so reassuring to listen to. Note to Fox: Keep the Crazies away from the Mikes. Kudos for the Lt General, and Fema guy, and Chertoff etc. I love it when the adults are in charge. Whoopee.

[debg]

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."...

Unfortunately for the people of Lousiana and for the rest of us folks who will be footing the bill, she dropped the ball even before the storm hit. At least, she's getting help whether we agree with her choice or not.

[maryz]

How about leaving it in place?

Wouldn't it ultimately sink into the water table? (And perhaps into whatever NO and surrounding cities have for a drinking water reservoir? Have no idea how that's set up.) Unless you want it bottled and buried like nuclear waste, it's going back into circulation anyway.

[milkncookies]

Fact: State of La. was told by Homeland Security based on terror drills and disaster study that roughly 100,000 people would NOT leave the city given advanced warning of an impending disaster.
Fact: Nagin had busses go throughout the city offering transportation to those without it prior to the storm hitting.
Fact: Gonzales, La.-Already a group of "refugees" have gone to the local mall and incited a riot.
Fact: Baton Rouge is requesting more police due to the large number of new transplants now on the street.
Fact: No one here knows what logistical difficulties were and are being faced. No one here knows the thought processes, decision processes and circumstances surrounding same, were and are.
Fact: There are far too many posters here who "assume" the rest of us give a s#%*t about how they think they could have done better.