Posted on 09/17/2005 7:00:06 AM PDT by Ellesu
Nearly 5,000 plucked from rooftops
The Coast Guard has released numbers which partially explain why the death toll in New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina has been lower than expected.
The Coast Guard says that during its first week of operations in New Orleans, it saved the lives of nearly 6,500 people. Officials say almost 5,000 of those rescues were by hoist in areas where the water was just too deep or dangerous for the Coast Guard to come in by boat.
All of those lives were saved by the crews of just 17 helicopters, during 1,500 flight hours in the air.
The numbers released today cover Coast Guard operations which ended September 10.
Coast guard rescue crews have been out in force since then in conjunction with National Guard units, searching for additional survivors, but also recovering the bodies of flood victims.
This is remarkable!
They did amazing work. They were pulling people off those roofs in the dark, when there were trees, powerlines, and other hazards that might have brought a helicopter down. They did it anyway, to save lives.
Despite that, some of the race hustlers compared those helicopters to slave ships, and complained about the "indignity" the rescued had to endure (such rescues are not always gentle--and helicopters are not luxury jets).
Even worse, since the Admiral took over ground operations in New Orleans, some on Free Republic started calling them "jackbooted thugs."
Katrina will be remembered as one of the Coast Guard's finest moment.
Heroes all.
The Coast Guard is part of Nagin's city Gov't, no?
It's Bush's Fault.
Is that a serious question? Of course, the Coast Guard is not a part of any city government.
It's All Bush's Fault!
Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the Coast Guard a FEDERAL Organization??
The military is the only productive place to put our tax dollars.
Always warms this ol' Chief's heart...
This is pure fiction. Everyone knows that the Federal Government, and specifically the Homeland Security Department, which includes the Coast Guard, did nothing in the days following the hurricane to rescure poor black people.
/sarcasm
The military is the only productive place to put our tax dollars.
Coastie ping
It's Bush's fault!
Was that question a joke? Why would anyone think that the USCG is part of any city's government??
Of course it is. I'm surprised at the number of people who are asking questions like this.
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