Why Didn't Louisiana Follow its Required Emergency Plan?

Self | September 4, 2005 | Joseph Ranos

[FOXFANVOX]

This picture of unused buses, which could have saved thousands had the Mayor used them, says it all about who is responsible.

[dufekin]

The mayor and governor apparently did not authorize any particular people (such as bus drivers) to commandeer city or school property (such as buses) to effect the evacuation of the car-less, poor, and infirm. He instead specifically excluded "personnel of regulated utilities and mass transportation services" (presumably including bus drivers) from the evacuation order, implying that they must remain IN the doomed city rather than helping others to leave.

[Sonar5]

The Dome was to be a staging Area, only for those who could not be evacuated.

From the beginning, they treated it as a shelter. And only 200 Guard Troops.

[Gee Wally]

You can get a real sense of just how unprepared city officials were for the failure of the levees by checking out the New Orleans city web-site:

www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx

[gitmo]

Joe,

Yours is the best review of the failures of the state and of the city I have seen. Thanks for the investigative work.

[Sonar5]

Thanks,

I read a lot of that during the week. One Emergency order and that is about it.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

You are expecting reponsible people to to act in a reasonable manner? Uh, never mind, the answer is obvious.

[randita]

Excellent research. The biggest single reason evacuation plans were not undertaken is that after the Ivan false alarm last year, the LA politicians took a lot of heat and they didn't want to repeat that situation.

IOW, for fear of political reprisal, there was a lack of decisive leadership in a crisis situation.

The conservative radio talk show folks will come back online in full force on Tuesday and that will provide a counter current to the MSM, who've had several days of propoganda dessimination unchallenged. Rush, Hannity and others will turn the tide and set the facts straight.

[grey_whiskers]

Yowza.

Care to send this to ALL the news outlets, and the Republicans who have NO CLUE for talking points?

Well Done, Indeed, Sir!!

[xkaydet65]

Wouldn't FEMA have been responsible for sending help to the most devastated regions? And on Monday and early Tuesday those would heve been the gulf coast of Miss, particularly Gulfport and Biloxi. When you see an aerial view of NOLA the homes are under water, but they are still erect. An aerial view of the Miss gulf shows devastation like that of Andrew in Miami in 92. That's where Katrina hit and that's where the immediate need was. I saw on CNN in the late afternoon of Tuesday that the levees had failed. That made the situation completely different. Kind of like an army defending an attack from one direction only to be attacked on its flank. It would take time and organization to move divisions to counter a new threat. the same would apply to disaster relief.

[dufekin]

Note the key word "may," which in this case more precisely means "might but probably won't." "May" always expresses a possibility, not a definitive. Let's read clause 5 again:

"School and municipal buses ... may [i.e., "might but probably won't"] be used [by whom? well, no one knows...] to provide transportation..."

[WhiteGuy]

Why Didn't Louisiana Follow it's Required Emergency Plan?


I'll bite,


Tell us why!

[Popman]

Bookmarked

[f zero]

Great research. This should be the basis for any future investigations.

[eddie willers]

Very good.

[grey_whiskers]

This has been called on another thread,
The Nagin Memorial Motor Pool

I respectfully submit another two titles for consideration:

Lake Nagin
or
Blanco's Waterloo

Prayers!

In God we Trust. Not Democrats.

[madison10]

Why was the LA National Guard never deployed, even after they criticized the Federal Government for not sending military assistance?

I thought, or they said, it was because most/all of LA's National Guard were in Iraq. How true is that?

[jwalsh07]

Toliets and bullsh7t, take your pick.

[goarmy]

Great, great stuff. Thanks.

[SE Mom]

Excellent reference and summation PING!