Emerging National Emergency

[f&rdiver241]

It never ceases to amaze me how naïve we Americans are and how much trust and faith we put into the news media. A major nation disaster strikes an all of a sudden there is a gas crisis and the prices at the pumps thousands of miles away go throw the roof. Wildcard speaks of facts, of which I do not recall him posting any. Well here are some facts from 75 miles north of New Orleans. The week before the storm gas was selling here for $2.59 a gallon, four days after Katrina, I filled up at $2.51 a gallon. The fuel shortage in the impacted area was, for one, from lack of power to run the pumps at the station and bulk plants and two from the fact that the fuel tankers were not able to access the areas in need of fuel. I find it ironic that prices here stayed the same or either dropped after the storm, while thousands of miles away they rose drastically. And to touch on the debate over whether New Orleans should or should not be rebuilt, IT SHOULD AND WILL BE REBUILT. The City of New Orleans was not defined as much by it building but by its people and history. Want some more facts Wildcard? The City of New Orleans was founded in 1718, some 241 years before either of the places you listed as your home even entered into statehood. As far as the news coverage goes, most if not all of it is skewed to a point that it is easy to see how untrue it really is. Can anyone tell me when New Orleans last experienced a major flood? I doubt it floods more frequently than Los Angeles experiences earthquakes. So to site back and criticize how and where this city was built is a total waste of time. This disaster happened and we have to live with it here so my advice to the Nay Sayers of far away is to do the same and stop pointing fingers and critizing and just do what you can to help. Something I learned a long time ago is this, you can cuss, cry, whine, and bi..h but when you are through the problem still exists, so do something positive and stop being negative. The negativity, name calling and blame make it even harder for us who are working all day and night to returns our lives back to normal all the harder. I apologize for any spelling or grammar errors, but I have had very little sleep in the last ten days thanks to Katrina. I would produce some more facts, but it looks like I may actually get some sleep tonight.

 

[Wildcard]

I guess among other things you didn't read the part about me living in LA, My daughter being boren there as well as my GF being born and raised there. I understand it well. All I asked for was for someone who dosen't even live in this country to post a link to where his"facts" are coming from. I have asked this several time yet he has nothing as do you...As for something positive, I sent 40-50 emails offering my 20 years of EMS/Fire/ HAZMAT time for free. I pay the ticket. I house myself. And this is all you have? You too are doing nothing more than speculating. When was the last major flood in N.O.? Your sure it's been a while but when????? Thats what I thought.

 

[Wildcard]

OK, all the links you can stand to read. From where? non other than the liberal NYTimes. Enjoy!
http://www.slate.com/id/2125810?nav=wp#ContinueArticle

 

[H2Andy]

OK, all the links you can stand to read. From where? non other than the liberal NYTimes. Enjoy!

ah... since when is Slate Magazine the New York Times?

 

[Wildcard]

Hummm? It was NYTimes when I clicked on it. False lead, sorry.

 

[H2Andy]

hehehe... well, Slate is owned by the (Washington) Post-Newsweek group,
so that's almost as liberal as the Times

both great papers, btw

:57:

 

[Wildcard]

Try this one. There are several very good articles here in it's links. This one talks about why N.O. is doomed and it was printed long before this storm. Also has a Hx of hits and near misses and talks about why it can only get worse.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&articleID=00060286-CB58-1315-8B5883414B7F0000

 

[Rick Murchison]

If it ain't too much trouble, let's return this thread to its original intent, which is to identify Katrina problems and ways we can help alleviate those problems for folks.
This will be a long-haul recovery effort; emerging needs will surface from time to time for a long time to come... let's stay focused and share those situations with other Scubaboard members so they'll have the opportunity to help when and where they can.
Thanks,
Rick

 

[Wildcard]

The good news is that the body count is WAY lower than the preachers of gloom and doom wanted. They just arn't finding many at all. As the water continues to recede Im sure more will turn up but for the most part the US once again dodged the "meat eating" disaster. That is a term the was used when I was doing DMAT stuff. Meat eating = high body count.
The best and worst in people has come out. The tens if not hundreds of thousands that gave or offered time and the largest ever out pouring of donations to the red cross. The bad including looting, rapes, murders and idiots shooting at the people trying to help them.
The bad. The way this who thing was handled. Who is to blame? that has yet to be seen
The good, we will never be caught with our pants down like this again.
If I had a place there and wanted to rebuild, Id hire seveal people to start salvaging whatever they could as building materials will be scarce for the next couple of years.
Despite all the whining and bickering, this country has proven once again that no matter what happens, we will bounce back. God Bless America!
OK, Im done now.

 

[Tom Smedley]

Thanks Rick. Thanks Wildcard for the God Bless America. I'll second that and give a big HooAh! four or three times over.

The past two weeks have been a blur both personally and at work. My son's house was spared. He had water literally to the doorstep but it didn't go into the house. He and his friend have dismantled the garage door to get the car out and replaced the door. They went around the neighborhood helping folks clean up and nail up tarps. He says that the relief agencies and National Guard are taking care of providing the essentials for folks. The line to Lowes and Walmart was half a mile long. But you know what? Lowes and Walmart prepared for possible disaster and installed generators knowing that folks would need stuff in time of dire need. HooAh! to both these businesses!

By way of a relay effort Grandma Nan is with her daughter in Shreveport. She needed some IV fluids but is A-OK! Her house didn't fare so well with a large live oak in her living room. My most beautiful grand daughter (who takes after her grandpa) is safe at home in Ponchatoula with electricity and air conditioning.

Keesler AFB was basically trashed. They lost power and commercial communications but miraculously never lost military communications. They had both Defense Switched Voice Network (DSN) and data comms the whole time. All National Guard sites have lost comms because mainly of the commercial node site at Slidell being destroyed. We increased the bandwidth at Keesler by an additional OC-3 and sent in tactical comms to restore sites throughout the region. Big push now is to get the Bell building in NO up and running. How sweet it is. Once again, I am totally surprised how quick folks move when the heat is on. What normally takes six weeks takes six hours. I would love to be in the middle of it but right now I'm satisfied to sit in my swivel chair over the AC vent and just coordinate. I've spent my time in waist deep mud begging for help so now when I'm on the other end - what they ask for by God they get!!!

Whatever persona of God that you worship - please pray for those poor folks that have lost their homes, hopes, and dreams. And send an additional prayer for those who are there helping them recover. To quote Kenny Rogers - "There's time enough for countin' when the dealin's done."