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

[nairBResal]

CNN now saying that this is turning into a INVASION

[BurbankKarl]

This is the first smart move this woman has made....she should have retained him before the Hurricane however

Gov. Kathleen Blanco has appointed former FEMA Director James Lee Witt as a special adviser to help her manage the recovery and restoration efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Witt was FEMA director under former President Clinton, serving in that position from 1993-2001.

[Waterlootian]

Here's the webstite he mentioned: https://volunteer.ccrf.hhs.gov/

the phone number is 1-866-KATMEDI (1-866- 528-6334)

[Types_with_Fist]

Did you ever think of the makeup of the entire country changing now?

I'm not sure if it's that drastic, regards Texas. But, I'm fairly sure that Louisiana just became a firmly red state.

[queenkathy]

It prob won't matter here in Mi since we have liberal Detroit, but it sure might in other states. Mi came close the last election though. Detroit runs everything. Big unions etc...gave the day off for workers to "help" on election day. Been doing it for a few yrs now. My husband is union but never voted the way they want him to.

[snowsislander]

It looks like some gas has made it to Pensacola:

Some fuel finds its way to pumps

[samantha]

witt was probably a good selection especially to overcome the massive stupidity of her Administration. He will be helpful also in explaining to her where she was a totally worthless Leader. He will surely tell her how to cover up a lot of the trail of crap that she left in her every mistake. She won't fire him for slapping her around because he has credentials and friends in higher places.

[Spktyr]

IMHO, a much better use given the current situation.

[Arizona Carolyn]

The way I interpeted what Chertoff said was the President got fed up with the Governor and just took control of this situation... of course, he put it in nicer terms but the President just sent in the calvary.

[McGavin999]

A reporter asked why we would consider accepting aid from such a poor nation, especially considering that the US is still giving them aid

Like the widow's mite, it is more pleasing to God than all others.

[BlackRain]

Sure, here is an official description of the system. This will discount the absurd comments about the dangers of airdropping supplies to folks in NO. Advantages of HDRs While not the preferred method, HDRs, like MREs, can be airdropped en masse, and unlike other products, they can be dropped via the Triad system as individual packets, which flutter to the ground relatively harmlessly. The Triad system is ideal for airdrops in regions with many hungry displaced people, since it permits wide dispersal and discourages hoarding and fighting which often accompany the delivery of larger pallet-sized loads. The Triad drops decrease the dangers to people on the ground posed by heavy air dropped items. The ability to handle many smaller packages also has reduced administrative and distribution costs. Humanitarian daily rations are stored in temperature controlled warehouses in key DoD installations in the continental U.S.

[queenkathy]

I don't understand why she would have to hire Witt. That only proves even more that she can't handle responsiblity. What a moron...

[samantha]

True, but he has had enough experience to know that you do not P.O. people that you need to help you look good.

[easonc52]

I got ahold of my cousin this morning in Purvis, MS (just south of Hattiesburg) this morning, and just wanted to thank you for your suggestions and support.

They have spring water to drink (most important (hope it's ok)) and canned food.

Thanks again for your responses and suggestions.

Prayers to all who haven't been so lucky...

[Arizona Carolyn]

Of course Shiela Jackson Lee will want them in her district ~LOL~ but I "predict" that by the time they see how much nicer things are going to be for so many of them they will change their attitude on Dem vs Rep....

did you see Frist is there at the Convention Center today doing triage.

[Spktyr]

Correction - web site stored last transmitted images.

Slidell WX Radar has been destroyed.

[LadyBuzz]

point well taken

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Not condemning you! Sorry if it was taken that way.
Just have seen a lot of "FEMA confiscation" making its way onto the threads. And there are some that howl, link the thread, and make an issue of it.
Being a proud Texan, and already involved, these things get under my otherwise thick hide.

[Seattle Conservative]

"Do you use a meat cooking thermometer? My son just graduated culinary school and he taught me, the home grill meister, to use one. I had always relied on drippings to signal internal heat level of burgers. The thermometer works much better -- "

I got my BIL a meat fork w an electronic thermometer on/in it for using on the grill as an extra Christmas gift - he loves it! I think it was about $10 at Linens n Things. Very handy - it's long so you don't burn your hands LOL

[Lady Heron]

Here is a LINK to the City of New Orleans Emergency Preparedness page titled "General Evacuation Guidelines". Check it out. It says "If you need a ride, try to go with a neighbor, friend, or relative." (scroll down to i..)

That is a great plan!(sarcasm)...ride with your neighbor who is as poor as you and does not own a car or if he does is taking his 4 children his sister and her kids and lets not forget mom. There is no room for the neighbor.

The fault still comes down to poor city and state evacuation planning that will come to light. Dems who were in charge for years deliberately and with full knowledge if the worst happened they were leaving these people to fend for themselves or die. It was their job to plan for this and they have been warned to plan for this since the 60's, this is not something that just happened, they knew it was coming.

Dems are getting their political swipes in now just like after 9-11 until facts come to light and are finally thrown in their faces making them look stupid and political in the face of a tragedy while Republicans are working to fix the problem.