Katrina Disaster

[Virtual_Burlesque]

To my knowledge, this is the third time that a large American city has been destroyed.

At least twice before — following the great Chicago fire of October 8 to 10 of 1871, and in the wake of the San Francisco earthquake (and subsequent fire) of April 18, 1906, an American City was completely devastated.

I mention the fact because, in both cases, those cities reemerged, bigger, stronger, and safer (at least from that particular force).

Granted, those cities of a hundred years ago were not as large as the city of New Orleans today, but neither did they have the technology and the disaster relief structures that we have in place today.

The flooded portion of New Orleans covers a large area, and the dangers created will not naturally subside, but no matter how costly, I sincerely doubt that New Orleans will ever be abandoned. It is simply not in the American character to accept that.

New Orleans will be restored.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

What happens to all these people now? Homeless, without possessions, without money, and without jobs. You have something like 500,000 people without work now. What do you do with them?

Forgive me, but I don't see any sign that the Department of Homeland Security has done anything to ameliorate this tragedy. Did it ever occur to them that some terrorists might have intentionally blown the levees? Did they have any plans in place for what they would do in such a situation? Apparently not.

The cops in New Orleans aren't even able to communicate with each other. Their radios are out of batteries and they have no way to recharge them. A cop on one block has no idea of what's going on a block away.

This is emergency preparedness?

 

[Guest]

 

[sophia jane]

What happens to all these people now? Homeless, without possessions, without money, and without jobs. You have something like 500,000 people without work now. What do you do with them?

Forgive me, but I don't see any sign that the Department of Homeland Security has done anything to ameliorate this tragedy. Did it ever occur to them that some terrorists might have intentionally blown the levees? Did they have any plans in place for what they would do in such a situation? Apparently not.

The cops in New Orleans aren't even able to communicate with each other. Their radios are out of batteries and they have no way to recharge them. A cop on one block has no idea of what's going on a block away.

This is emergency preparedness?

I agree. Seems like a huge failure happening in New Orleans.

From what I know here- we have about 1500 evacuatees in our local arena. There's already talk about finding these people a more permanent situation. The kids are welcome to enroll in schools and local leaders are looking into plans for them to get jobs. So while the shit may be hitting the fan in LA, Texas is really trying to take care of these people.
My oldest's school is doing a drive for goods to take to the arena. Local agencies are raising money and doing clothes drives, etc. In fact! Just heard on the news that the arena can't even take more donations at the moment.

LRJ- local Humane Society is finding foster homes for the evacuated animals.

 

[rgraham666]

glynndah?

If you ever run for President, you've got my vote.

 

[Guest]

?

The true question to be asked is will the rest of the world offer their support and money? The United States is not loved by most of the world but we have never turned our backs in time of disasters that afflicted them. The outpouring of support for the tsunami victims was but one example of how the American people and the Government gave money and aid freely to help others.
I fear as always the rest of the world will turn its backs on the U.S. as it always does because their political differences out way their morale obligations to humanity.

What goes around should come around but in the case of human suffering...Americans always give inspite of their politics.

Jmt

 

[Virtual_Burlesque]

. . . What goes around should come around but in the case of human suffering...Americans always give inspite of their politics. Jmt

Canadian relief agencies start to help Katrina victims
Wed, 31 Aug 2005
CBC News

Canadian relief agencies have moved to help the U.S. states hit by Hurricane Katrina.

Winnipeg-based Mennonite Disaster Service said Wednesday it is gathering donations to help send hundreds of volunteers to rebuild homes.

Lois Nickel of the Mennonite group said volunteers from nearby states could be in Alabama by the weekend, helping to clear roads of fallen trees. She said a U.S. team is heading to Gulfport, Mississippi, where they hope to establish a base camp for volunteers next to the city's Mennonite church.

Nickel said a call for hundreds of Canadian volunteers may not happen for several weeks, depending on how long it takes to set up the church camp.

Canadian Red Cross volunteers with experience in large scale disasters were being contacted Wednesday and officials hoped a handful would be travelling to the southern U.S. by the weekend.

Suzanne Charest of the Red Cross said they'll likely send more than 100 volunteers in the coming weeks to help serve hot meals, assess the needs of displaced families and to train other volunteers.

In Edmonton, Canada's Public Security Minister said said Canada will do whatever it can for the U.S.

Anne McLellan said that could involve a wide variety of things, including sending military engineers.

But McLellan said medical drugs may be among the first items Canada is called upon to ship south.

She said an American government agency asked Ottawa to do an inventory of medication that could help stop the spread of infection. McLellan said the inventory has been done and the U.S. government has been informed of Canada's ability to ship the drugs.

It is still a bit early to expect visible international assistance. The US government [FEMA] is only now starting to make their presences felt.

 

[variable Xy]

...I sincerely doubt that New Orleans will ever be abandoned. It is simply not in the American character to accept that.

New Orleans will be restored.

Thanks for that.

I'm a Baton Rouge boy living in the Northwest who has family there, but they were lucky enough to get out. I also have a life long buddy who lives there now and I can't get a hold of him.

I'm shocked and worried.

It was good for my state of mind to read something uplifting.

 

[amicus]

Yes, as an American, I would like to extend my gratitude for the outpouring of generous offers of assistance from the rest of the civilized world.

Yeah, right...

We don't need you fuckers anyway, we take care of our own...


amicus...

fucky y'all...thanks cloudy...

 

[NoJo]

Who stayed, after the warnings to get out? I guess poor and elderly people were worst hit. I see that the looting started almost immediately, as also happened in London during the Blitz bombing raids in WWII.

For me, the news that people have ben firing guns on each other in the aftermath is pretty shocking, and indicates that New Orleans life must have been pretty grim, even before any of this happened.

 

[Couture]

I remember Clinton visiting North Carolina after Hurrican Floyd, and he was there when the roads were still out of service and security was minimal.

However, there are huge differences between these two storms. First off, the south is very dependent on the oil pipeline that has now been interrupted by this storm. In short - there's not a lot of gas to go around right now and flying around in his helicopter takes ALOT of gas. By continuing his vacation at the Crawford Ranch, President Bush was helping to conserve gas that could better be used by actual emergency personnel in the area.

A visit from the president is great for morale, but morale doesn't get you very far when you don't have clean water.

 

[Virtual_Burlesque]

Yes, as an American, I would like to extend my gratitude for the outpouring of generous offers of assistance from the rest of the civilized world.

Yeah, right...

We don't need you fuckers anyway, we take care of our own...


amicus...

fucky y'all...thanks cloudy..

It is because of fatuous post like that, from assholes like you, in international forums such as this, that puts American's abroad to such pains trying to explain that those are the thoughtless comments of sense-deprived anti-social yahoos, and not a concensus from any rational group of American citizens.

At every opportunity, you never fail to provide proof that you do not have the faintest concept of the meaning of your nom.

 

[Alex756]

Its not just a lack of foreign sympathy. Remeber the tsunami and Amazon's huge banner for aid? look at them now, only a little thing AFTER being raked over the coals for it. I will say one thing, my money is going to show what I think of companies that could but aren't helping. You aren't supporting the hurricane effort I am not shopping with you. If you are a gas company giving gas to emergency workers, I am buying your gas. You are an office supply store giving money, when I need supplies I will remeber who helped and who didn't. I need diapers, I am driving right past your store if you didn't help. Will most companies notice .... not if I'm the only one. I won't be though.

Thank you Canada for your generous offers and help.

Thank you Venezuela, reguardless of motives, thank you especially to your people who care.

Thank you to the people of Europe who are pained at the loss of life and the distruction

Thank you Chirac and Schroeder for your messages of sympathy

Thank you to the Pope and the Queen of England

Thank you to the kind people of switzerland calling the american embassy for info on how to help

Thank you to everyone everywhere who is thinking of the victems of this disaster.

And for the people that are using it for their polical or other greedy and petty gains or to advance their anti american causes, I may be angry, but I know the american people would never turn a blind eye to your suffering either, reguardless of how you feel about us.

Thanks for prayers and well wishes

Thank you to every kind person I don't have the lifespan to be able to thank.

-Alex

Will anything I do make a difference, *shrug* not much, but every little bit adds up.

 

[namron711]

ty

Thank you alex756

 

[LadyJeanne]

Yes, as an American, I would like to extend my gratitude for the outpouring of generous offers of assistance from the rest of the civilized world.

Yeah, right...

We don't need you fuckers anyway, we take care of our own...


amicus...

fucky y'all...thanks cloudy...

Well, if the Dutch wanted to send over a few cruise ships from their Royal Caribbean line to house the homeless, I would graciously accept. If they also wanted to send some of their water and levee experts, I think that would be cool too.

Pride goeth before a fall, and afterwards, too, if you're smart.

 

[sophia jane]

Just some info about what's being done to help the evacuatees:

Texas schools are all integrating displaced kids in, costs for supplies and meals for the kids will be covered.
Rice University is accepting all paid Tulane students for the fall semeseter for no charge.
Local hospitals are offering temporary employment to people with medical backgrounds.
Local Walmarts are offering temporary employment to LA Walmart employees.
In Houston Wednesday over $6 million was raised by one tv station and a few radio stations. All money to go to relief efforts.

I'm sure there are more things happening, but that's what I know right now. Our local tv station (and keep in mind I'm an hour from Houston, so we're only getting a small fraction of the evacuatees) has a forum set up for people who can offer help in various ways. I know apartment complexes are opening up for housing and asking for furniture donations, etc. Steps are being made to help people for the long haul. It's good to see. I'l post more about this kind of thing as I find it, if you're interested. (so let me know if I should continue)

Alex- Lowe's is matching donations to the RedCross $1 for $1 if you go through them to donate. I'm sure there are other companies doing the same.

 

[Alex756]

Alex- Lowe's is matching donations to the RedCross $1 for $1 if you go through them to donate. I'm sure there are other companies doing the same.

My husband's company is matching too, so we went though them, but thats good to know, I need to buy some drywall stuff this weekend and a new cordless drill and looks like I am driving to Lowes.

I am serious, I was going to cancel my pre orders with amazon this morning if they didn't have a link up.

-Alex

PS there are not words to express how much I love Texas right now

 

[LadyJeanne]

What happens to all these people now? Homeless, without possessions, without money, and without jobs. You have something like 500,000 people without work now. What do you do with them?

I really wish I didn't keep hearing everyone saying that this will take a few months to clean up. A few months to raise Atlantis? Who believes this?

I'm afraid the the authorities believe what they're saying, and then when it turns out that it will take many, many, many more months, no one will have developed a plan for what to do with the people, the jobs, the homes, the everything? Where will people live for a year? What jobs will they find?

I expect our government is thinking about this right now. But I would have expected them to spend $70M on a higher levee to protect the city and I was wrong about that.

 

[Pure]

I do get a sense of Texans accepting 'refugees' and of the State trying to help (see other thread, on National Guard). I wonder why other states neighboring those hard hit are not setting up shelter for 'refugees' and hospitals for the sick.

Isn't it odd to see an American, in America, indeed his or her own or the neighboring state labeled "refugee."

Is it imaginable to picture a string of 'refugee camps' eventually set up and operating in the neighboring areas for months. (A jarring note, a reporter commented that the folks in Baton Rouge are getting less welcoming of 'refugees' as robbery and crime mount.)

 

[CharleyH]

I know there are other threads concerning Hurricane Katrina, but I'm just wondering whether other people are aware of the horrific devastastion causes by this storm.

I think the more unfortunate thing is ... hurricane season is just beginning.

 

[sophia jane]

I do get a sense of Texans accepting 'refugees' and of the State trying to help (see other thread, on National Guard). I wonder why other states neighboring those hard hit are not setting up shelter for 'refugees' and hospitals for the sick.

Isn't it odd to see an American, in America, indeed his or her own or the neighboring state labeled "refugee."

Is it imaginable to picture a string of 'refugee camps' eventually set up and operating in the neighboring areas for months. (A jarring note, a reporter commented that the folks in Baton Rouge are getting less welcoming of 'refugees' as robbery and crime mount.)

A little note- they're not being called "refugees" but "evacuatees." I suspect the reason Texas is doing so much is that we're next door, and we all know how easily a hurricane could hit us.
On the news tonight, Beaumont schools are prepared to take in 400-500 evacuated students. That's alot, considering the size of our community. The list of churches and organizations setting up shelters continues to grow. It really amazes me how well everyone is coming together here to help- a total contrast to what is happening in New Orleans.

 

[sophia jane]

I think the more unfortunate thing is ... hurricane season is just beginning.

It's actually the middle. I hope.

 

[CharleyH]

In a way I have to express ... how silly of us to think of ourselves and America (other than those we know) ...when, didn't just about 1,000 people get trampled to death in Iraq, recently? Didn't hear much about that, though.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Yes, as an American, I would like to extend my gratitude for the outpouring of generous offers of assistance from the rest of the civilized world.

Yeah, right...

We don't need you fuckers anyway, we take care of our own...


amicus...

fucky y'all...thanks cloudy...

Ariel Sharon offered to send sraeli doctors, nurses, field hospitals equiptment. From a country surrounded by hostile states and under sonstant attack by jihadists, that seemed to me to be a heratfelt offer.

I heard even venuzula offered to send doctors, desptie the fact their leader misses no opportunty to remind the world we are tryi8ng to assassinate him.

People are people. Tragedy brings us together.

From nations who don't have a lot of thier own prosperity to offer what assistance they can is someting I at least, am thankful for.

 

[TxRad]

In a way I have to express ... how silly of us to think of ourselves and America (other than those we know) ...when, didn't just about 1,000 people get trampled to death in Iraq, recently? Didn't hear much about that, though.

Its funny how world problems get smaller when you're up to your ass in alligators....