Posted on 09/11/2005 7:06:23 PM PDT by rit
6:39 P.M. - HOUSTON (AP): Louisiana had a "well thought-out exit plan," in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina and many more lives would have been lost without it, Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said Sunday.
"There was not a single individual taking a slow step in our state," Blanco said at the Reliant Center, where more than 2,000 evacuees are still living after fleeing the devastation in New Orleans.
"I personally, and everybody I knew, begged people to leave before the storm came in. We had a very systematic, well thought-out exit plan. Hundreds of thousands left," she said. "We simply didn't have the infrastructure."
Government officials on the city, state and federal levels have been criticized for delays in evacuations and delivery of supplies, communications problems and law enforcement problems that led to looting and violence. Blanco, a Democrat, refused to blame President Bush, who is a Republican.
"He committed help to me," she said. "Help in those critical moments was slow in coming, not through any fault of the president."
In a tense 14-minute answer to a question asking her to elaborate on her comments about Louisiana's storm plans, Blanco insisted state officials had an evacuation and rescue effort that prevented thousands more deaths.
"Were there lessons learned? You bet," she said. "We did a massive evacuation and if we hadn't we would have had thousands of deaths. Right now the numbers are minimal when you consider the amount of damage."
We anticipate that (even) with refuges of last resort in place, some 5 (percent) to 10 percent of the individuals who remain in the face of catastrophic storms are going to lose their lives. [Jefferson Parish Emergency Preparedness Director Walter Maestri]ref
8/27/05 "Under the provisions of Section 501 (a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5206 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR § 206.35, I request that you declare an emergency for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina for the time period beginning August 26, 2005, and continuing" - Governor Blanco's letter to President Bush
8/28/05 The mayor said he would stick with the state’s evacuation plan and not officially call for residents to leave until 30 hours before expected landfall, allowing residents in low-lying surrounding areas to leave first. But he recommended residents in low-lying areas of the city, such as Algiers and the 9th Ward, get a heard start.
My observations ... a cat 4/5 hurricane projected to hit the cat 3 max levees; the mayor says to follow the state plan requiring only 30 hour evac notice; people suffer and die, and the governor claims today Louisiana had a "well thought-out exit plan
What a load of bovine processed feed-grains. Blanco makes NOLA's mayor look like a friggin' genius compared to her.
The most recent death totals show more people died in Missisippi than Louisiana. I'm sure that will change but it points out the biased focus of the media on NO because they can hammer Bush with it.
The only plan she's worked on it the one to try to get her out of being prosecuted for negligence
"We simply didn't have the infrastructure."
Circling back. Who funds "infrastructure?" Feds.
I mean this, the GOP should hit these morons like a bunch a bricks or I will never vote GOP again. I warned people about this in January after that EC stunt. It is time to hit back!!
Like John Kerry, they had a plan.
ping!
ping!
BUSH HATES MISSISSIPIANS!
IMHO, Ms Blanco and the mayor of New Orleans failed in their duties and should be called to pay the price of their failures! Our wonderful MSM can deflect blame any way they want but most know who failed the citizens of New Orleans, especially the poor......
I about choked when I read her comments about the President. Now SHE'S trying to attach herself to the President to save HER political career? It's interesting to watch both Nagin and Blanco attach to the coattails of this man, people say, is polled so low. Why, if the polls are true, they should be running from him! Right? Funny how the only ones running from the President are the usual spineless lightweights whether they be in the U.S. Congress or in the domains of such places like "National Review" that take bets on when brown will be fired. Really stellar conservative giants over there. Sarcasm exempted for notables like York that are too good for them.
As readers here are richly aware, the Plan (made in 2000 and updated since) called for the use of buses to carry out the people who did not have and could not afford private transportation. In case Bumbling Blanco happens to read this, it's in paragraph 5 on page 13 (or 23, I forget just now). Babbling Blanco will have to turn a few pages to check it out.
The bottom line is, Blubbering Blanco is LYING THROUGH HER TEETH. Or, maybe she really is this stupid. With her, it's hard to tell. Still, it remains that she needs to be beaten over the head and shoulders with facts, facts and more facts, until she snivels her way into obscurity as a former "public servant." I'll be counting the days.
Congressman Billybob
Horse hockey!
I thought the exit plan was the one for the LA Dummycrat politicians....the plan for them to shuffle any/all blame off on Washington (i.e. Bush and the Republicans). They skated and left their constituents...well, not exactly high and dry.
http://www.emforum.org/news/05041301.htm
Louisiana Develops Improved Hurricane Evacuation Plan
April 13, 2005 -- According to today's FEMA National Situation Update, a new hurricane evacuation plan was demanded by Governor Kathleen Blanco after Hurricane Ivan when a traffic snarl that stretched from New Orleans to Baton Rouge lasted upward of 12 hours. The plan was put together by state police and the DOTD and includes evacuation routes for not only New Orleans and points south, but Lake Charles, Lafayette and the Houma-Thibodaux area. Under the new plan preparing for evacuations would begin at least 72 hours in advance. One of the problems during Ivan was the time required to get barriers, people and other material in place to allow lane reversal on highways.
Beginning 50 hours in advance, evacuations south of New Orleans would be ordered, public offices and schools would be closed, but traffic would remain along normal routes.
At 40 hours, evacuation south of the Mississippi River, including the West Bank of New Orleans, would be ordered.
In Phase 3, if the storm is a category 3 storm or higher, contraflow would be triggered.
Problems that slowed traffic last time ran the gamut from signs that were too hard to read, forcing drivers to slow excessively, to breakdowns. Under the new system tow trucks will be stationed along the routes and new signs will be installed. The new hurricane evacuation plan also requires a number of new ramps to be added or widened, new crossovers and other items at a cost of $7.5 million.
"In Phase 3, if the storm is a category 3 storm or higher, contraflow would be triggered."
Several photos would seem to indicate that contraflow never happened.
They're STILL working on their political exit plan - LOL>
"Louisiana had a "well thought-out exit plan,"
Yeah.
Unfortunately it was written in English and in print instead of with pictures using crayons.
Well thought out, perhaps. Well executed? Hell, no.
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