Hurricane Katrina Update

[maciec]

I am glad to hear that you made it through the storm. The devistation for your state will be great. We have some paramedics that are heading down from our town to assist and I am sure that there will be many here chomping at the bit to get down there and help.

My family and I wish you all the best.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The biggest problem right now will be getting there. Roads are still flooded and when the water finally recedes, there will be lots of other things left on the roadways.

 

[Bunch24]

The biggest problem right now will be getting there. Roads are still flooded and when the water finally recedes, there will be lots of other things left on the roadways.

Amen! Please, if you evacuated, sit tight (I know, I know, that's hard to do), but please let the emergency crews do their jobs first. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin will announce when it's safe to come back to New Orleans.

We have some family members from Houma staying with us right now. They're without power, but that's about it (other than a few shingles and fence blown down).

The early reports said New Orleans was completely underwater, but now I'm hearing that those early reports weren't true. I'm hearing the levee held up for the most part (except 9th ward). It'll be hard to know exactly what the damage was until a day or two when emergency crews can actually get out and start assessing the damage.

To everyone that evacuated, hug your loved ones a little tighter. You can replace that TV and stereo, but you can't replace your loved ones.

 

[wfloyd]

The early reports said New Orleans was completely underwater, but now I'm hearing that those early reports weren't true. I'm hearing the levee held up for the most part (except 9th ward).

The levee around the 17th street canal has a 200 foot break in it so the water from Lake Ponchartrain is flowing in right now. The mayor is saying that ~80% is underwater and there are some areas that have water 20 feet deep.

 

[brandip22]

I am just getting up this morning to find that work is still closed. I feel like I shoudl be out helping somehow, but I have a 3 year old DS. DH is going into work as he sells supplies that will help in the cleanup. I hope people don't start heading back yet as they are still not letting anyone into New Orleans, Slidell, etc. Since we have a trip to WDW on Saturday, we have decided to still go and let some of our friends from New Orleans stay in our home that week. Of course, they are welcome to stay now and even after then as long as they need to. They have family up here, so probably won't take us up on it except for the week we are gone, though. Our prayers are with everyone affected in the storm. Thanks to the many prayers and thoughts you all are sending. We appreciate it greatly. Hopefully lives will get back to normal soon.

 

[icelady]

Our prayers and thoughts are with all who had the storm affect their lives or their families lives. Please stay safe and don't return home until its safe to do so.

 

[Nancyg56]

I am so happy for all of you who were able to weather the storm safely. With so much destruction, it will be a long road ahead. I will continue to add prayers for the people who lives have been affected, and to pray that the loss of life will not rise. Please continue to stay safe.

 

[Ardenne]

Just wanted to add my prayers and good thoughts for all of you who have been affected by this disaster. I watched the news this morning and the devastation is just overwhelming.

 

[The Dark Dancer]

They are saying that, because Lake Ponchitrain is flowing into New Orleans, They are expected to get at least 9 more feet of water. We have a bunch of churches sheltering the Refugies. Last night, They were trying to get power on in the lower parishes. We lost power from about 5:00pm till 1:00am. We are also running out of gas. The parishes and towns East and South of us are totally out.
I just hope that everyone will stay safe and maybe, oneday have their lives back.

 

[naominpaul]

Hello from Mobile, AL......I've been desperate to hear from others in affected areas and because our power is out, we're not getting all the news.
A Personal Story: Mine is not as dramatic as many (Thank God), but here goes. We weathered the storm at our home here in Mobile. Most of the windows were boarded but we could still see the tall pine trees out front swaying. My DH is a nurse and was working the night before and night of Katrina. He slept at the hospital Monday when we felt the main effects (wasn't safe to drive). This left me with my 3 children, DS 8, DS 5 and DD 2, an elderly aunt, 3 large dogs and 2 cats. I had all these grand plans of getting tons of laundry done, cleaning and cooking food from the deep freeze all in preparation for the loss of power. Those plans didn't go as well as I hoped due to the demands of caring for basic needs "Mom, I'm hungry...mom can I..."and of course keeping our 2yo out of normal 2yo stuff. Oh well, we are all safe, the aunt, the animals and the kids! Now we have a generator running, we're trying hard to keep it fueled (gas is difficult to find), but all these things seem trivial compared to the overall devastation and those folks on our bay who lost their homes, jobs and even family members. Our hospitals are filling up with patients from LA and MS and we have lots of evacuees who have no place left to go home to or are not allowed home yet.
PLEASE PRAY AND IF YOU WANT TO HELP AND DON'T KNOW HOW, DONATE TO THE RED CROSS. They are the salvation for so many right now.
Pixie Dust, Love and Prayers......Naomi and Family

 

[Deb & Bill]

I work in Emergency Preparedness in a hospital in north LA. We have been trying since Monday to get patients out of New Orleans to our hospitals up north. It is so frustrating that we have beds, but we can't get the patients out of NOLA. Rescue operations are focusing on people who will survive. Most of the hospitals are now without power, no water, no resources except what they can dig up out of their own facilities.

What gets me are the slime looters, must have climbed out from under their rocks somewhere in the town. They survived and are now pulling guns on innocent people trying to survive this tragedy. When they finally get the decent people out of NOLA, I hope they leave these types behind to the snakes, gators, typhoid, West Nile, etc.

 

[seashoreCM]

Last I heard, 80% of New Orleans was under water, many areas just 2 feet deep although many areas are up to the eaves of one story houses and a few places up to the eaves of two story houses.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/family.htm

 

[Deb & Bill]

And the water is still rising, despite what you may have heard. Got that from people on the Levee Board today.

Pray for New Orleans, Gulfport, Mobile and Biloxi. Those people really need your prayers.

 

[crzy4mickey]

This is a little OT but my son (11) and I would like to head up a fundraiser in our church for the hurricane victims. We have in the past raised money for the 9/11 and tsunami victims by doing bake sales and a luncheon. We made out very well by not pricing the baked goods and letting people donate instead. People were giving us $20 for a place of mixed cookies etc. but we were wondering if anyone of you have any ideas that would be different or better. We have a very generous and caring church community and I know it may not be thousands but every bit helps as would any suggestions from the DIS!

 

[brandip22]

Deb & Bill- I am from Monroe and both my Mom and Sister work for hospitals up there. They've also told me about trying to get beds ready for everyone. I know it's appreciated. I now live in baton Rouge and we are just plain out of room. It seems our city has doubled in size. We greatly appreciate the things others are doing to help. I also agree about the looters. That's ridiculous- what will they do with the things they steal- it'll just get wet anyway. I hope the alligators get 'em.

crzy4mickey- I think a huge thing is something I just saw on the news that they Jaycees out of Memphis are doing. They have set up outside a WalMart and are askign for donations of items- just pick up and extra toothbrush or blanket or non-perishable foods while you're there and drop them off. They said that they community has come out in droves. Many people don't go to the stores with cash, so when they pass, they'd love to help, but have no money to drop in the bucket. I think supplies are needed so badly that it'd be a great help. Here in BR, the shelves are already running empty at the stores, so even our own community can't get food to our families. Extras to be sent would be great for the refugies so they don'' buy out the stores.

Thanks everyone for prayers and support!!

 

[seashoreCM]

Wording changed based on private and public comments.

It upset me to hear on the news in years past that mountains of clothing and household goods donated to storm victims were bulldozed and buried.

And meanwhile people on the news kept saying that what was needed was cash.

**************

I feel that much more needs to be done to combat looting, being in the words of at least one reporter, ruthless, if needed. But I suppose that authorities need to be concerned about dead bodies decomposing and the resulting threat of disease.

People trying to returning home soon, even to non-flooded regions, will continue to be danger by looters and marauders until police presence is re-established.

**************

And who wants to get going an effort to have banks and credit card companies cancel out late fees and have banks make good to the depositors fraud that went undetected while the depositors were in out of town shelters?


Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[ChrisAlli]

I'm sure they're appreciative of everything, some have nothing now.

 

[Nancyg56]

I'm sure they're appreciative of everything, some have nothing now.

Talk about shell shocked! It is heartbreaking to watch the TV coverage and to know that what we see is a fraction of the misery. Things or money, anything that we can do to help is important.

 

[MINNIEBOWSER]

I'm sure they're appreciative of everything, some have nothing now.

I think that seashore cm worded that wrong. When I first read it I thought, "what an awful thing to say!" But I think they meant more tangable items that they can use. I am sure they appreciate ANYTHING at this point also, but I DO think that seashore cm could not have possibly meant it the way it sounds.

 

[Danthesand]

I understand why, but the media hasn't mentioned a few facts about New Orleans that have a lot to do with why the authorities have completely lost control. No, this isn't "blame the victim," but rather being honest about the environment behind the looting and violence:

"CITIES AND CRIME: New Orleans homicides up as people fear killers, cops

NEW ORLEANS -- Last year, university researchers conducted an experiment in which police fired 700 blank rounds in a New Orleans neighborhood in a single afternoon. No one called to report the gunfire."

http://www.freep.com/news/nw/neworleans22e_20050822.htm

"New Orleans

Maybe New Orleans should be nicknamed The Big Un -Easy, due to a high violent crime rate and a high unemployment rate. There's also a significant number of suicides and divorces."

http://www.bestplaces.net/stress/stress_study1.asp

"New Orleans murder rate on the rise again

Homicide rate nowhere near ’94 peak but still 10 times national average"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8999837/

"New Orleans school system opens in turmoil

Students return to class Thursday 8/18/05 in a school system in such turmoil that no one is sure how many employees it has, the new budget is millions of dollars out of balance, and the buildings are old and deteriorating."

http://www.cnn.com/2005/EDUCATION/08/18/new.orleans.schools.ap/