Posted on 09/05/2005 9:01:40 PM PDT by joholso
Before residents had ever heard the words "Hurricane Katrina," the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE ran a story warning residents: If you stay behind during a big storm, you'll be on your own!
Editors at TIMES-PICAYUNE on Monday called for every official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be fired. In an open letter to President Bush, the paper said: "Our people deserved rescuing. Many who could have been were not. That's to the government's shame."
But the TIMES-PICAYUNE published a story on July 24, 2005 stating: City, state and federal emergency officials are preparing to give a historically blunt message: "In the event of a major hurricane, you're on your own."
Staff writer Bruce Nolan reported some 7 weeks before Katrina: "In scripted appearances being recorded now, officials such as Mayor Ray Nagin, local Red Cross Executive Director Kay Wilkins and City Council President Oliver Thomas drive home the word that the city does not have the resources to move out of harm's way an estimated 134,000 people without transportation."
"In the video, made by the anti-poverty agency Total Community Action, they urge those people to make arrangements now by finding their own ways to leave the city in the event of an evacuation.
"You're responsible for your safety, and you should be responsible for the person next to you," Wilkins said in an interview. "If you have some room to get that person out of town, the Red Cross will have a space for that person outside the area. We can help you."
Developing...
That was quick!
Forrest Gump could have thought this through better than Nagan and Blanco. This is just beyond tragic that these people died because of stupidity and vane pride.
Vain =vane
The evacuation, storm, and aftermath go exactly as planned by local and state officials, but somehow it's the feds that have been slow to respond.
"The mayor, the gov, and those who stayed have nobody to blame but them selves."
They didn't stay. They both ran away and now they are looking for a scapegoat.
What is funny is they will both be reelected.
"And like everything else the dims in LA did, a day late & a dollar short..."
And with no electricity to run those plasmas. "hmm, 2000 dollar plasma tv or food for my baby?"
Not exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer.
Makes me think of Silly Sheehan. Seems to be a Democrat trait.
Official hurricane preparedness circulars that are in our paper EVERY year state the same thing:
You will need to be prepared for every eventuality because there will be no governmental help for at least three days.
We prepare for two weeks. And then some...
"It wasn't until comparatively late, shortly before -- a day, maybe a day and a half, before landfall -- that it became clear that this was going to be a Category 4 or 5 hurricane headed for the New Orleans area."
However, as early as Friday, August 26th when Katrina left Florida and entered the Gulf, the National Hurricane Center was predicting the storm could be a Category 4 hurricane at landfall, with New Orleans directly in its path. The error was the idea that since storms do change paths,the possibility existed that it might not hit the city. Such a gamble with the lives of so many people was one more indication of the callus disregard entrenched in the leadership of Louisiana government.
As far back as Friday, August 26, the National Hurricane Center was predicting the storm could be a Category 4 hurricane at landfall, with New Orleans directly in its path.
You know all this legalese will not help us in 2008 when Hillary makes her run.
Bush has to lop off heads now - there is no excuse for Homeland keeping the Red Cross and others out of the area.
Good point. I saw many people making adjustments to their belts because they lost weight.
Also had 3 days before to go knocking door to door...didn't see that happen.
Well, well, a silver lining in all this gloom and doom! You're probably right on all counts.
Agreed.
Really? Too early to tell doncha think?
Bush has to lop off heads now - there is no excuse for Homeland keeping the Red Cross and others out of the area.
I don't suppose the city being in control of(in Nagin's own words) drug addicts would matter? Send in the relief workers anyway?! To be preyed on by anarchists, including some of NO's finest, that were looting, shooting and tooting openly? I'm not a big fan of the Red Cross, but I wouldn't send 'em into a war zone either. SHEESH!
FGS
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