Problems with Katrina

[medic_9]

Ok...First off, This is totally a rant, when I come back in the morning I might not mean some of this.. But here are problems that I see. (Mind you i'm watching from the sidelines)

For any LEO on this board who are unfortunately in this mess, you have my Deepest Respect as you are upholding the job that you swore to do and are doing it to the best of your ability in the situation. This post is not attacking you in any way.


1. Who builds a city BELOW sea level? Someone must have thought somewhere...hmmm...what if it floods?

2. They issued an Evacuation order...why didn't people leave?!?! (Again, not bashing LEO I know you stayed to do your job.) Then since some people didn't leave NOW they have to be rescued which puts many MANY people at risk. (Risk that could very well have been avoided.) Yes I understand that people didn't want to lose their house or property. But on the scale of life, living far outweighs property.

3. People who need rescuing who can't swim..Refer to #2. Why didn't you evacuate? What could possibly go through your mind...Hmm...A Flood warning...I can't swim...Well I guess I'll stay...

4...With all the recent stuff happening...Tsunami, Hurricanes last year, this year...Ice storms...I think the Apocalpse is coming.

Just some late night thoughts..

[RobSlig]

Man, I hate to say this because it sounds so cold but I have no compassion for these people anymore.

The National weather service issues the strongest hurricane warning in its history and made use of some of the strongest language it has ever used to describe what it was going to do.
The national guard went door to door to tell people to evacuate. "A monster of all monsters is coming to get you"
The President of the USA went on LIVE TV and told people "A monster is coming, you need to leave now now now."
The national media news put off all other news stories and covered this storm 24/7 before it ever even struck!!!
Your city is below ocean level and a monster with a 25 foot tsunami storm surge is heading your way and packing 215 mph winds!!!!

What moron sticks around? If you stay, buy your own body bag because as far as I am concerned, you are committing suicide.

Screw that.. I don't want my tax dollars paying to power a helicopter to come get you.. You were warned and warned and warned again in unprecedented ways.

If you are still there, REST IN PEACE.. because I want nothing to do with you.

Lets concentrate our efforts on the people who did evacuate.. Lets take care of them and make them comfortable until their lives can be re-built.

[Styx]

Many people did not evacuate because they couldnt..they had no place to go...no vehicle..and there have been warnings like this before and it has not been this bad since Camille in the 60's.

I have family in Louisiana....not in New Orleans, but close enough. No power, lots of wind and trees falling on roofs and such; nothing like in the city.It is highly unlikely that the Lake will flood the other way where they are located, but if they need some help getting out... I will buy my own damn helicopter with my retirement savings and get them out......and pick up a few others on the way....save your tax dollars Rob.

Finding out a way to help all these poor people in some way would probably be better than calling them idiots for staying behind. We arent them and dont know their reasons for staying.......bad move, I know, but they need a lot more than finger pointing and cold hearted assinine comments like yours.

[pkagel]

But it would have made sense to have mandatory evacuations and then anyone who couldn't get out they could have drove out on busses to a tent city somewhere north. After doing that, anyone caught in the city who wasn't a 1st responder gets arrested. What we have now is BS.

[Styx]

Thats a lot of buses.........New O ia a big city , remember? Wit a lot of people without vehicles or places to go. Northern cities are having a tough time providing shelter for many of the evacuees right now...the surrounding northern cities arent that big...not enough gyms to shelter people...not enough food. They arent even sure what to do with the bodies they are finding floating around......

[RobSlig]

Many people did not evacuate because they couldnt..they had no place to go...no vehicle..and there have been warnings like this before and it has not been this bad since Camille in the 60's.

I have family in Louisiana....not in New Orleans, but close enough. No power, lots of wind and trees falling on roofs and such; nothing like in the city.It is highly unlikely that the Lake will flood the other way where they are located, but if they need some help getting out... I will buy my own damn helicopter with my retirement savings and get them out......and pick up a few others on the way....save your tax dollars Rob.

Finding out a way to help all these poor people in some way would probably be better than calling them idiots for staying behind. We aren't them and don't know their reasons for staying.......bad move, I know, but they need a lot more than finger pointing and cold hearted assinine comments like yours.

That's a partial load of crap..
There was a bar owner interviewed by Fox news 2 days before it hit when they were reporting 215mph winds.. He said, and I quote "I am all boarded up, I used extra nails and I have everything I need to ride this out".
He was found on his roof crying and begging to be rescued.
I don't buy this crap about "they had no way to get out".. I guarantee you if you told them there was a million dollars waiting for them in Huston Texas they would be there within 12 hours.
Now I realize there are a few exceptions but if a 600lb woman who can not even fit through her front door can get to the Super-Dome, then everyone else can.. And for anyone who can not, I am sure the local authorities would have helped out.
I don't buy this excuse about not being able to leave.
Now, don't get me wrong, there are people that are 200 miles inland who have no power, no nothing. Some of these people stayed and that seems normal to me. These are not the people I am talking about. I am talking about the morons who are 10 miles from the ocean and 12 feet below it!!!!! There are thousands of people who stayed.. THOUSANDS.. Because they think they are tougher than a category 5 storm. What idiots.
The people on dry land who are 100 miles from the ocean are NOT the people who are in life or death struggle right now.. Those people are just "camping" sort to speak and while they may be roughing it, their lives are not in immediate danger. The people I am talking about are the ones IN New Orleans and within 10 or 20 miles of the ocean front.. The ocean front.. You know, the one with the 25 FOOT TSUNAMI STORM SURGE??? You would think the asian tsunami would have taught them something.

Sorry dude.. You are wrong.. There is no excuse for staying when the national guard is going door to door for 2 day ahead of time warning you and begging you to get out because the biggest monster in recorded history is about to come kill you.

I feel sorry for your family.. If they are 50+ miles inland and without power, water, etc etc then don't worry. they will survive. But if your family is one of the idiots who are 10 miles from the ocean (Yes, the one with the 25 FOOT TSUNAMI STORM SURGE), then I have to say its Darwinism in action.

Oh, and by the way,, if the emergency rescue teams were not so busy trying to save the lives of the morons who stayed behind, they would have more time to help out the people who listened to the warning and moved the hell out of town. I feel horribly sorry for the people in the super-dome and those who no longer have homes. These people lost their lives, their possessions, and in many cases their pets, jobs, friends, etc etc.. My heart goes out to them and I WISH our fema emergency people could help them out. The problem is that we are to busy saving lives of the idiots who stayed instead of listened.
Now, if your family is one of the inlander's who were able to ride out the storm without having to worry about a 25 foot storm surge, how do you feel knowing that they are getting no help right now because of thousands of idiots who would not listen?

[RobSlig]

Thats a lot of buses.........New O ia a big city , remember? Wit a lot of people without vehicles or places to go. Northern cities are having a tough time providing shelter for many of the evacuees right now...the surrounding northern cities arent that big...not enough gyms to shelter people...not enough food. They arent even sure what to do with the bodies they are finding floating around......

The point is that if the people listened, they would not be worried about floating bodies.
They would be able to spend allot more time going to the over-crowded places and thinning them out. They can not do that at this time because all resources are trying to save lives in the city.

The people I feel most sorry for, and I think should be first to be helped, are the folks in the super-dome that is slowly deteriorating into a crap-hole. These people listened to the government and did what they were told to do. Lets get them out of there!

[Styx]

I am not a dude and you have made some valid points.

But, I am too tired and worried about my family to get into this with you. There is no point in discussing this with you because you will not think any other way about this matter and I should respect that you have your opinion.

I feel sorry for all those people in danger even if they did not evacuate as warned. They are not idiots. It was a foolish move not to listen, but I refuse to call anyone an idiot.

[RobSlig]

I am not a dude and you have made some valid points.

But, I am too tired and worried about my family to get into this with you. There is no point in discussing this with you because you will not think any other way about this matter and I should respect that you have your opinion.

I feel sorry for all those people in danger even if they did not evacuate as warned. They are not idiots. It was a foolish move not to listen, but I refuse to call anyone an idiot.

Oops.. Sorry Dudette
I wish your family well and I can tell you that if they are "inland" and not by the ocean front, they will be fine.. Although they may be camping for a few days and a bit uncomfortable, they should not be in any danger. No standing water means no major problems. The standing water is the single biggest danger there is because of health concerns.

Support the Red Cross and the Salvation Army!!!!!!

[Styx]

The point is that if the people listened, they would not be worried about floating bodies.
They would be able to spend allot more time going to the over-crowded places and thinning them out. They can not do that at this time because all resources are trying to save lives in the city.

The people I feel most sorry for, and I think should be first to be helped, are the folks in the super-dome that is slowly deteriorating into a crap-hole. These people listened to the government and did what they were told to do. Lets get them out of there!

Well, we finally agree on something....the Superdome does need to be cleared. My sister said they were thinking of the Astrodome in Houston. Hope they do something soon.

[The Colonel(44)]

Well, we finally agree on something....the Superdome does need to be cleared. My sister said they were thinking of the Astrodome in Houston. Hope they do something soon.

Styx,Iam sorry some of your relatives are stuck in this Diaster,I gave to the American Red Cross last night several hundred dollars,I wish I was in better shape phyiscally to go down in person to leand a helping hand,That could be us down the road one Day!

[medic_9]

RobSlig - You summed up my thoughts completely. I forgot about the lack of medical aid and assistance to those that choose to do what they were told. That just increases my frustration.

[Jellybean400]

Ok...First off, This is totally a rant, when I come back in the morning I might not mean some of this.. But here are problems that I see. (Mind you i'm watching from the sidelines)

For any LEO on this board who are unfortunately in this mess, you have my Deepest Respect as you are upholding the job that you swore to do and are doing it to the best of your ability in the situation. This post is not attacking you in any way.



2. They issued an Evacuation order...why didn't people leave?!?! (Again, not bashing LEO I know you stayed to do your job.) Then since some people didn't leave NOW they have to be rescued which puts many MANY people at risk. (Risk that could very well have been avoided.) Yes I understand that people didn't want to lose their house or property. But on the scale of life, living far outweighs property.

3. People who need rescuing who can't swim..Refer to #2. Why didn't you evacuate? What could possibly go through your mind...Hmm...A Flood warning...I can't swim...Well I guess I'll stay...


Just some late night thoughts..

Well, i'm glad someone else wrote all this first

I DO feel for everyone down there, but in this day and age, i know people knew what was coming, and should have found some way to get out. I believe MOST people could have found a way. Yes, maybe some would be stuck there no matter what, but not the majority, and not the huge amount that did stay. Again, i feel for everyone, but the ones who stayed are now putting the rescuers in danger, and making so much more work and worry for police and others. Many more deaths will occur.

They KNOW they're in danger...right in the eye of the storm, below sea-level, etc etc etc!! I do wish they could have been bussed out, or something more could have been done ahead of time. But, hind-sight is 20/20 ...

I heard a man who stayed in his place in New Orleans saying that EVERYONE dropped the ball, including city management, etc., in not thinking this would be as bad as it is. He said they waited way too late to start planning...

[pkagel]

So, what were they supposed to do, raise the whole city like Galveston..... That guy dropped the ball by not leaving. The only thing the city could have done was to have the NG force everyone out at gunpoint.

I heard a man who stayed in his place in New Orleans saying that EVERYONE dropped the ball, including city management, etc., in not thinking this would be as bad as it is. He said they waited way too late to start planning...

[Jellybean400]

So, what were they supposed to do, raise the whole city like Galveston..... That guy dropped the ball by not leaving. The only thing the city could have done was to have the NG force everyone out at gunpoint.

Actually, he was doing fine, because he was up high on a 3rd floor, and had food and water saved up. He just felt like the city was left to be destroyed...and was telling about the looting, and how the police were just watching it. How much can they possibly do to stop it, with all the other stuff thats going on?!

I just watched a news report about a poor neighborhood in Biloxi, where most residents get monthly checks, and dont have any money left by the end of the month (when the storm hit). They didnt have money to put gas in their cars and leave. I guess i forget there are people that really dont have a dollar to spare. Pretty sad.

As for the mayor somewhere, who called it "our Tsunami," maybe as far as the damage... but for loss of life, there was TONS of warning ahead of time of this storm...i wont say theres NO excuse not to leave (ie. the poor), but WAY more people than that stayed...