Katrina Live Thread XII

I do not know if this has been reported or not, LSU has cancelled the season football opener this weekend as they are being used as a first line triage area. I saw this post on an LSU fan site and wanted to post it. I am from New Orleans, live in Atlanta now. PMAC is the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, where basketball is played....

From: "William Martin"
To: "Bill Martin"
Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 02:51:35 -0600
Subject: The PMAC will never host an important event like it did tonight

Little did I know what I would be doing following Hurricane Katrina's aftermath but as I type right now, there won't be a more gratifying or more surreal experience I went through tonight. We went up to the office today and held a press conference regarding the postponement of the game and it was the right decision. As the PMAC and Field House are being used as shelters we decided as an office to do everything we could to help the situation.

At first, we were just supposed to make copies of this disaster relief form for all of the people. The copiers will never print a document more important than that. It's weird. Nearly 12 hours ago we were running off copies of game notes for a football game that is now meaningless. We printed the copies and carried them over to the Field House at 6:30 p.m. I wouldn't leave the area for another 8 hours.

On the way back to the PMAC in a cart, it looked like the scene in the movie Outbreak. FEMA officials, U.S. Marshalls, National Guard, and of course the survivors. Black Hawks were carrying in victims who were stranded on roofs. Buses rolled in from N.O. with other survivors. As Michael and I rode back to the PMAC, a lady fell out of her wheelchair and we scrambled to help her up.

We met Coach Miles and Coach Moffiit in the PMAC to see all the survivors and it was the view of a hospital. Stretchers rolled in constantly and for the first time in my life I saw someone die right in front of me. A man rolled in from New Orleans and was badly injured on his head. 5 minutes later he was dead. And that was the scene all night. What did we do, we started hauling in supplies. And thousands of boxes of supplies. The CDC from Atlanta arrived directing us what to do.

One of the U.S. Marshalls was on hand so the supplies could not become loot. I asked him what his primary job was. He serves on the committee of counter terrorism, but once he saw of the disaster, he donated his forces to come help. He said the death toll could be nearing 10,000. It was sickening to hear that.

After unloading supplies, I started putting together baby cribs and then IV poles. Several of our fball players and Big Baby and Tasmin Mitchell helped us. At the same time, families and people strolled in. Mothers were giving berth in the locker rooms. The auxiliary gym "Dungeon" was being used as a morgue. I couldn't take myself down there to see it.

I worked from 8 pm until 2:45 am. Before I left three more buses rolled in and they were almost out of room. People were standing outside, the lowest of the low from NO. The smells, the sights were hard to take.

A man lying down on a cot asked me to come see him. He said,"I just need someone to talk to, to tell my story because I have nobody and nothing left. He turned out to be a retired military veteran. His story was what everybody was saying. He thought he survived the worst, woke up this morning and the levees broke. Within minutes water rushed into his house. He climbed to the attic, smashed his way through the roof and sat there for hours. He was completely sunburned and exhausted. Nearly 12 hours later a chopper rescued him and here he was.

We finished the night hauling boxes of body bags and more were on the way. As we left, a man was strolled in on a stretcher and scarily enough he suffered gunshots. The paramedic said he was shot several times because a looter or a convict needed his boat and he wouldn't give it to him. Another man with him said it was "an uncivilized society no better than Iraq down there right now." A few minutes later he was unconcious and later pronounced dead. I then left as they were strolling a 3 year old kid in on a stretcher. I couldn't take it anymore.

That was the scene at the PMAC and it gives me a new perspective on things. For those of you who I haven't been able to get in touch with because of phone service, I pray you are safe. Send me an email to let me know. God bless.

Bill Martin
LSU Sports Information

1,041 posted on 08/31/2005 7:55:38 PM PDT by coon2000

"Since they don't have electricity within several hundred miles of Shep's satellite van, do you really think anyone roaming the streets of New Orleans would have heard the answer?"

No see Shep's words to the State police lady was "Give me the info and I will pass it along to these folks right here around me." The Cop told those folks around there nothing he just clamed up and left.

This is not about broadcasting the info this was about telling all those people within shouting distance of the road Shep was on. THose same folks that were saying on Camera "tell us where to go we will go there!"

1,042 posted on 08/31/2005 7:56:03 PM PDT by Mad Dawgg ("`Eddies,' said Ford, `in the space-time continuum.' `Ah,' nodded Arthur, `is he? Is he?'")

To: Cboldt; Arizona Carolyn

They should save what is on high ground, build a double or triple wall to protect it and then let the remainder go back to wetlands.

Even letting the area "go back to wetlands" will require nearly unimaginable amounts of time and resources. Just three words to explain what I mean-----Environmental Impact Study.

1,043 posted on 08/31/2005 7:56:10 PM PDT by SolomoninSouthDakota (Daschle is gone.)

You order folks on to a SCHOOL Bus, then that bus rolls in the rain 40 miles outside of town, killing 30...

Alas, public issues and problems are rife with issues exactly like this.

People want neat, tidy and perfect prediction, and to shift liability.

And that is why one is best off making PERSONAL plans, assuming the government is inept at best. Just the same, there is a value to public planning, and no public plan can possibly be risk free. The honest thing to do is have a frank dialoguue with the constituents - before things get rough - and that is not too much to ask.

1,044 posted on 08/31/2005 7:56:16 PM PDT by Cboldt

Yep, you got it.

We do not need to worry about water, food, or shelter. Da "gubmint" is responsible for nurturing us from "womb to tomb". We gets to elect "dem who will promise us de mostest for de leastest".

Jes' tax dem rich folks, and we will all live de "Life a Reilly", and whatever "dem rich folks" can buy in "dem fancy stores", we will loot wheneber we gets a chance, right?

Hoping youse guys get dat "sarcasting" thingie.... and, don't be going ta be flaming me so much, I din't start de fire.

1,045 posted on 08/31/2005 7:56:17 PM PDT by jacquej

I think you're right, and I don't want to go there.

The thing that infuriates me is the people who KNOW better acting like they are some kind of "special needs" population that has to be given all kinds of latitude.

1,046 posted on 08/31/2005 7:56:20 PM PDT by Howlin (Have you check in on this thread: FYI: Hurricane Katrina Freeper SIGN IN Thread)

Thank you for sharing your story. Glad you are okay! Keep us informed about how things are going for you and your family.

1,047 posted on 08/31/2005 7:56:37 PM PDT by Abigail Adams

To: Strategerist

Oops, I meant the NHC forecast landfall was unchanged from 11PM FRIDAY night, all through Saturday and Sunday, and the storm basically ended up following this precise track.

1,048 posted on 08/31/2005 7:56:41 PM PDT by Strategerist

I am so sorry for your loss.. and how very troubled you must be. Prayers of course.

I wondered how Gautier fared. A very dear friend bought a home & moved there a little over a year ago. I pray he sought shelter elsewhere.

Keep us posted?

God has now given you an "opportunity" for new/good things... surely doesn't look that way now to you, I am sure.

1,049 posted on 08/31/2005 7:56:45 PM PDT by DollyCali (Don't tell GOD how big your storm is -- Tell the storm how B-I-G your s God is!)

To: advance_copy

the President's poll numbers are going to rise

The one thing I could not give a fig about is the President's poll numbers. POLLS ARE SCAMS. The sooner we all finally, at long last, come to realize that, the better.

1,050 posted on 08/31/2005 7:56:59 PM PDT by Wolfstar (Re C. Sheehan: Not all women who give birth are worthy of being called mothers.)

I'm in Virginia, listening to these calls for help. The Red Cross, I'm sure, is doing all it can, but this disaster is just so wide spread...

1,051 posted on 08/31/2005 7:57:06 PM PDT by Darnright ( Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before)

To: Strategerist

IIRC before going to bed Sunday night the surge forecast for Biloxi was like 16-20 feet, and it ended up twice that. Is it true only 30% of coastal MS evacuated?

1,052 posted on 08/31/2005 7:57:12 PM PDT by Tuxedo (This space for rent.)

Mark my words, Houston is going to regret making this long term commitment to the NO refugees.

1,053 posted on 08/31/2005 7:57:28 PM PDT by Texasforever

Hattiesburg is not a whole lot better than the coast. You wouldn't recognize the town accoriding to my brother-in-law. It took him 6 hours to get from Meridian to Hattiesburg on 59. Out of four cell phones, one works 20% of the time. They had one gas station that was supposed to get gas today at 6 am, then 12 pm..I haven't heard if it actually ever arrived. Looting is a large concern in the area right now as nerves are fraying and power and CLEAN water are still probably a week away according to the Hattiesburg mayor. It is still littered with trees and the University there has sustained termendous damage.

More can found at Hattiesburg Paper Website

1,054 posted on 08/31/2005 7:57:31 PM PDT by WoodstockCat (Gitmo? Let them eat Pork!)

To: james_f_hall

There was no plan to get people on buses out of the city.

You are wrong. They used city buses.

1,055 posted on 08/31/2005 7:57:37 PM PDT by Howlin (Have you check in on this thread: FYI: Hurricane Katrina Freeper SIGN IN Thread)

When Lake Ponchatrain lowers to a more natural level, the levee breaks will allow the flow of water back to the lake thru the canals. Recognize that the ocean storm surge from Katrina was huge. About 200 miles out from NO to the SE, swells were reported at 40 feet,with wind at 63 kts at buoy 4040. At the time reported the eye of Katrina was 80 miles from the LA coast and winds were reported at 73 kts, with gusts to 83 kts at buoy BURS1 at the southern tip of the LA coast. The National Buoy Center is located at the Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis. It was evacuated before the storm hit and their website has been down since then.

1,056 posted on 08/31/2005 7:57:48 PM PDT by gpapa (Boost FR Traffic! Make FR your home page!)

To: Strategerist

It was tracking to where the eastern side of the storm would have been on the mouth of the Mississippi instead of over Gulfport / Biloxi. If that happened and at original CAT5 strength, we would be talking about 150,000 - 200,000 dead in NO it seems.

1,057 posted on 08/31/2005 7:57:59 PM PDT by james_f_hall

I don't think these "leaders" lack brain power. They are just like Detroit--black leaders living the high life and screw the people--they truly don't give a rip. They know when it comes to any assistance the American people will bail them out. On top of it I keep hearing how they were prepared and what a good job the Mayor and the Governor have done. Parton me? Where is Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? Why aren't these two grandstanding their causes?

1,058 posted on 08/31/2005 7:58:00 PM PDT by Snoopers-868th

If we can encourage him with a letter, please freepmail me his address. (If you don't want to that's fine.) Prayers up for your friend!

1,059 posted on 08/31/2005 7:58:20 PM PDT by Abigail Adams

Did they use the buses to get people out of the city or to the Super Dome?

1,060 posted on 08/31/2005 7:58:46 PM PDT by Types_with_Fist (I'm on FReep so often that when I read an article at another site I scroll down for the comments.)

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