Devastated outlying communities still awaiting assistance - firefighters held hostage a rumor

The Advocate ^ | September 4, 2005 | staff report

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Reports about firefighters being held hostage in St. Bernard Parish were just rumors, said Col. Henry Whitehorn of the Louisiana State Police. Fox News had reported that firefighters were trapped and being pinned down in the Bellsouth building across the street from the ExxonMobil refinery in Chalmette.

Whitehorn said he spoke with fire chief Thomas Stone of Chalmette, who said two firefighters were not being held hostage, but got sick and were airlifted out by helicopters. He said firefighters from Baton Rouge and Canada were on the scene with 57 Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's deputies, and no one plans to leave.

Whitehorn urged reporters to check their information with officials first. He said police investigate all calls, and communications are operational in southeast Louisiana

[clee1]

You are correct. Mom and Dad are Mormon.

[Republican Red]

The media, all of it, have acted quite unprofessionally and is at the heart of many problems associated with this hurricane.

Reporting rumor and innuendo decided the fate of hundred of people. I have read on a media blog that because of cable reporting that shots were fired at a Chinook helicopter rescue were halted. It turned out to be false. How many people could have been helped earlier but for the poor reporting.

Geraldo last night was breathless in his reporting that he saw two dead bodies at the convention center but he's heard that there were 20 more. Unless you know facts don;t report it.

[prairiebreeze]

Just FWIW, the two guys on FoxNews you are referring to, didn't strike me as uncouth. They laid out that people in the suburbs who are mostly white are dying because no assistance has gotten to them. They correctly named those who were "playing the race card" for exactly what their motive is. IMHO.

Another reference to what I posted about earlier to you Peach

[RGSpincich]

If anybody should have been prepared for this, it should have been the federal government," said Henry J. Rodriguez Jr., the president of the parish government.

What about the UN? Sheez, the hurricane did come out of international waters.

[Just mythoughts]

"If anybody should have been prepared for this, it should have been the federal government," said Henry J. Rodriguez Jr., the president of the parish government.



So if it is a federal thing, what has Mary Mary quite Contrary, been doing all this time.

[mtbopfuyn]

A big pat on the back to the Dolittles! Imagine if everyone had the same common sense.

[Peach]

This is what has frosted me, in part, about the racial thing. It's the most despicable thing I've ever heard -- these attacks.

I'm assuming you've seen where Senator Landieu has said that she'll punch the president if he speaks badly about New Orleans police or local relief efforts!!!

Evidently she hasn't heard that of the 1,500 NO police, two-thirds of them either didn't show up after the hurricane hit or walked off the job.

[Utah Girl]

I believe Mormans keep a year's supply of rations in the event of bad times.

THat we do, plus a 72 hour kit. Go here for my post after 9/11. Post #88 has the list for the 72 hour kit.
Emergency Preparedness (year's supply of food, 72 hour kit).

BTW, it is Mormon, not Morman. :)