"To: jeffers
It was reported early that they were told to bring food and water for a couple of days, it was a "shelter of last resort", meaning nothing was going to be there."
They were told to come prepared for five days but that is unrealistic. My baseweight (pack, bag and shelter) runs 14 pounds, food runs two pounds a day (rehydrated weight) and you figure on a gallon a day of water each ( I carry a filter and chlorine). Just the water runs 35 pounds plus base, 50 pounds per person, and food on top of that.
This whole thing was unrealistic. Why wasn't the Superdome being stocked, at least with water, from the very first moments? I heard on the first day that the NG had brought MRE's with them when they arrived at the shelter, but the city and state had clearly not laid in any other stock.
I think the SD was a last-minute choice when they realized that the storm was actually going to hit. No preparation, no stocks, no plans.
Understand the logistics of carrying all required supplies in, but they WERE told.