Tink33
Disneyland Parade High Kicker
- Joined
- May 3, 2000
- Messages
- 2,252
This is an email we received from our good friend who works for the Fire Dept in California. He is part of a Search and Rescue unit that was deployed to New Orleans.
Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated and I have now returned from my imposed sabbatical from all that is good in this world. Let me give you a little overview of the last 3 weeks and then I can talk more detail with you personally. If you don't really care, then hit the big red X and move on.
We got activated on Wednesday the 31st to report to our HQ for departure. Leaving around 4:30 pm for Hattiesburg, Mississippi. We drove Hwy 40 all the way to Amarillo, Texas and picked up new bus drivers. Around that time we were diverted to Dallas due to the lack of support in Hattiesburg. We arrived in Dallas at around 2:00 am friday morning at the Hyatt Regency. We then were sequestered in the hotel until the following Tuesday when we departed for New Orleans. Yes with all the "whack jobs" attending the Anime convention at the hotel. This was 4,000 people dressed as cartoon characters taking pictures of each other, watching cartoons, and purchasing memorabilia. Quite a sight.
Anyway, after leaving Dallas we drove all day and night and stopped at some roadside cafe for some good old southern cookin' buffet for dinner. Ground beef patties with gravy. Mmmmmm goooooood. We then went to a "country club" for a little R and R before rolling on into New Orleans by 6 AM Wednesday morning. (I vision this country club to be much like Tim's, rusted sinks, 40's decorative motiff, metal lockers, etc. At least I've been invited to this one.)
When we arrived we were amazed at the devastation from the hurricane. We were in an area where there was no flooding, just damage. We arrived in camp and organized half the rescue contingent of our team to go rescue victims. We drove through New Orleans near Tulane University, dodging trees, powerlines, flooding, and armed military. We eventually reached our working division which was a neighborhood under 5 - 10 feet of water. Of course, when we arrived, we had our force protection but no boats. Very difficult to make water rescue without boats. This type of coordination became a normal part of each day. The breakdown in communication amongst different organizations was enormous and often times never occurred, thereby wasting a lot of time and effort.
The next 4 days we worked out on the bayou. It was in St. Bernard Parrish and took about 2 hours to drive to. We had to take a ferry across the Mississippi to get there. After the first day we ended up flying out on a Chinook helicopter the rest of the time. This place was like stepping back 50 years. This parrish had been completely destroyed. Many of the neighborhoods were still under water after a week and a half and boats were needed. As often occurred, we had no boats to try and make rescues or recoveries. Our team finally hooked up with some fish and game officers and used one of their boats. The next 2 days they assisted us with some flat-bottom boats and air boats. You may have seen this place on TV, a convalescent hospital had 15 - 20 bodies left inside and removal was taking place during the time we were there. What was amazing beside the destruction and death, was also every puddle you saw contained small guppies or crabs. Dogs were wandering around and many were shot because they would not stay away from us. We were unable to touch them due to contamination. We would try to feed them and keep them away, some would do so, and others would not.
Our next area of assignment was in the Broadmoor district. This was downtown near the Superdome. We conducted house to house searches in hip waiters. This was where we had a live rescue after almost 2 weeks. A national guard unit was checking houses and one of them saw a boot in the front window. This man was found, and I was told this picture was in all papers. It was a black man being carried by 2 national guard soldiers. Medical treatment was provided by our task force doctor and taken to the hospital. This helped to change our search criteria. We had been told that we were not allowed to force entry into any structure unless a door was open and/or window. It then changed to if a strong suspicion of possible live/dead bodies were inside. Every house we forced we had to document the address. The city leaders felt it was against the law for us to break entry into people's homes and unsecure their homes. I don't believe that they realized that everything these people left behind was destroyed.
Our next assignment was 3 days of body recovery. We had advance teams go out with private coroners looking at addresses where dead bodies had been reported. We were there to assist with removal if the bodies needed to be cut out or dug out. Some were found in attics, or covered with debris in the homes. This gave us an opportunity to drive around the downtown area in the back of a military "duece and a half". A six wheeled truck that transported soldiers. This was probably the most uncomfortable vehicle I have ever drove in. Wood seats in the back, the hardest shifting transmission, and the stiffest suspension I have ever felt. 2 days of riding in this was enough for me.
Our last day of work was in the ghetto area called the 9th district. What a pit. The best thing they could do for this place is to never let them return. Iron bars on doors and windows. I believe one body was found in this neighborhood. By this time the entire team was done. Plodding along these streets with no energy.
Our last day was camp pickup and we flew out the next day.
The devastation we saw was unbelieveable. The news can't capture the total impact to the area. I took pictures of the areas I was in and would be happy to show all of you. Sorry for the long winded rambling but I thought you guys would like to hear about it.
If anyone wants more details we will be taking his family to dinner this weekend.
Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated and I have now returned from my imposed sabbatical from all that is good in this world. Let me give you a little overview of the last 3 weeks and then I can talk more detail with you personally. If you don't really care, then hit the big red X and move on.
We got activated on Wednesday the 31st to report to our HQ for departure. Leaving around 4:30 pm for Hattiesburg, Mississippi. We drove Hwy 40 all the way to Amarillo, Texas and picked up new bus drivers. Around that time we were diverted to Dallas due to the lack of support in Hattiesburg. We arrived in Dallas at around 2:00 am friday morning at the Hyatt Regency. We then were sequestered in the hotel until the following Tuesday when we departed for New Orleans. Yes with all the "whack jobs" attending the Anime convention at the hotel. This was 4,000 people dressed as cartoon characters taking pictures of each other, watching cartoons, and purchasing memorabilia. Quite a sight.
Anyway, after leaving Dallas we drove all day and night and stopped at some roadside cafe for some good old southern cookin' buffet for dinner. Ground beef patties with gravy. Mmmmmm goooooood. We then went to a "country club" for a little R and R before rolling on into New Orleans by 6 AM Wednesday morning. (I vision this country club to be much like Tim's, rusted sinks, 40's decorative motiff, metal lockers, etc. At least I've been invited to this one.)
When we arrived we were amazed at the devastation from the hurricane. We were in an area where there was no flooding, just damage. We arrived in camp and organized half the rescue contingent of our team to go rescue victims. We drove through New Orleans near Tulane University, dodging trees, powerlines, flooding, and armed military. We eventually reached our working division which was a neighborhood under 5 - 10 feet of water. Of course, when we arrived, we had our force protection but no boats. Very difficult to make water rescue without boats. This type of coordination became a normal part of each day. The breakdown in communication amongst different organizations was enormous and often times never occurred, thereby wasting a lot of time and effort.
The next 4 days we worked out on the bayou. It was in St. Bernard Parrish and took about 2 hours to drive to. We had to take a ferry across the Mississippi to get there. After the first day we ended up flying out on a Chinook helicopter the rest of the time. This place was like stepping back 50 years. This parrish had been completely destroyed. Many of the neighborhoods were still under water after a week and a half and boats were needed. As often occurred, we had no boats to try and make rescues or recoveries. Our team finally hooked up with some fish and game officers and used one of their boats. The next 2 days they assisted us with some flat-bottom boats and air boats. You may have seen this place on TV, a convalescent hospital had 15 - 20 bodies left inside and removal was taking place during the time we were there. What was amazing beside the destruction and death, was also every puddle you saw contained small guppies or crabs. Dogs were wandering around and many were shot because they would not stay away from us. We were unable to touch them due to contamination. We would try to feed them and keep them away, some would do so, and others would not.
Our next area of assignment was in the Broadmoor district. This was downtown near the Superdome. We conducted house to house searches in hip waiters. This was where we had a live rescue after almost 2 weeks. A national guard unit was checking houses and one of them saw a boot in the front window. This man was found, and I was told this picture was in all papers. It was a black man being carried by 2 national guard soldiers. Medical treatment was provided by our task force doctor and taken to the hospital. This helped to change our search criteria. We had been told that we were not allowed to force entry into any structure unless a door was open and/or window. It then changed to if a strong suspicion of possible live/dead bodies were inside. Every house we forced we had to document the address. The city leaders felt it was against the law for us to break entry into people's homes and unsecure their homes. I don't believe that they realized that everything these people left behind was destroyed.
Our next assignment was 3 days of body recovery. We had advance teams go out with private coroners looking at addresses where dead bodies had been reported. We were there to assist with removal if the bodies needed to be cut out or dug out. Some were found in attics, or covered with debris in the homes. This gave us an opportunity to drive around the downtown area in the back of a military "duece and a half". A six wheeled truck that transported soldiers. This was probably the most uncomfortable vehicle I have ever drove in. Wood seats in the back, the hardest shifting transmission, and the stiffest suspension I have ever felt. 2 days of riding in this was enough for me.
Our last day of work was in the ghetto area called the 9th district. What a pit. The best thing they could do for this place is to never let them return. Iron bars on doors and windows. I believe one body was found in this neighborhood. By this time the entire team was done. Plodding along these streets with no energy.
Our last day was camp pickup and we flew out the next day.
The devastation we saw was unbelieveable. The news can't capture the total impact to the area. I took pictures of the areas I was in and would be happy to show all of you. Sorry for the long winded rambling but I thought you guys would like to hear about it.
If anyone wants more details we will be taking his family to dinner this weekend.
