Mississippi Gulf Coast Reeling from Hurricane Katrina From Ground Zero

Gulf Coast News ^ | Keith Burton

[George W. Bush]

Well, there we have the trees thing again in another report.

It's hard to imagine. But the reports keep coming. Just never any official or MSM reports.

[SauronOfMordor]

The FEMA personnel there, although civilian, seem to be operating under some communication restrictions. EG, this article:

Hastings, a volunteer on the Region 1 squad of the federal Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team, was deployed to the hurricane-stricken area with fellow DMORT members to set up temporary morgue facilities and help in the massive body recovery and identification process.Made up of private citizens who bring their particular area of expertise to the team, DMORT is activated in the wake of major disasters such as Katrina and Sept. 11. It now operates under the Department of Homeland Security.

...Late on Tuesday, after authorities cleared volunteers to speak with their hometown media, Hastings talked on her cell phone while pacing in the muggy air outside the temporary morgue. In the background, an audible hum signaled much-welcomed electricity – in this case, it was powering the refrigeration unit on the trailer truck where bodies were being stored...

...She could say only she’s in Mississippi – authorities don’t allow personnel to give their exact location, she said.

If they're not allowed to give location, it's possible they're restricted in other information they can give out

In a USA Today Letter to the editor:

First of all I would like to congratulate you on your win — it was hard-earned and deserved. What I really wrote for was to thank you for thinking of the victims of Katrina. I live 60 miles northwest of New Orleans, and sustained minimum damage. We have been watching the news reports and they are not allowed to report what is really happening.

There are things that they cannot show for fear of panic and censorship of those who are affected I guess. We are hearing stories from people who are going down there to help. No one can even imagine the devastation without witnessing it first hand. There are bodies everywhere, pets and animals and waste.

Without people of your character it would be harder to recover. Thank you and Hendrick Motorsports for your kind donation, and keep up the good work.

Residents returning to their homes can't get to the affected areas without a pass from the Military Police

[Cedar]

"No one can even imagine the devastation without witnessing it first hand."

I can understand them not wanting to create panic. But it seems like for even a historical record of this disaster, it should all be documented by several sources.

My personal opinion is still the public should be made aware of the real situation going on now. Those who are down there are having to suffer the witnessing of such devastation. The rest of the country and world should bear it too.