Red Cross, FEMA, & the Federal Govt.

I have yet to revisit my feelings on FEMA's incompetency after Katrina, but the following quote sums up my current feelings:

"FEMA still does not know any more about what it was doing last week than it was a month ago," Representative David R. Obey of Wisconsin, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said. "It is still, as far as I am concerned, an incompetent agency."

Follow the link and read how the Red Cross, FEMA & your govt. is incapable of handling the numbers in regards to evacuees staying in hotel rooms, or finding a more affordable way of housing evacuees.

Hurricane Katrina, Part II

August, 29, 2005
I went to bed last night at least knowing my immediate family was out of the path of this monster storm, but I still didn't sleep well. I am a 5th generation Coastian, and the number of relatives, and friends I have there are just too numerous to count. I have close friends and relatives living in New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish as well. There's been no time to call any of these folks while dealing with getting my family evacuated, so I laid awake last night wondering about Robin, Lori, my ex's family in Bay St. Louis, my Uncle George in Arabi, LA & his daughter's family, the Babineauxs, who live 2 houses from him. I think about all the people I have known and been friends with over the years, and how their lives might be changing forever as I lie there hovering on the edge of an uncomfortable sleep.

I finally just get out of bed, and head to the studio. It's 5:30am, still dark outside, and I am groggy from no sleep. I proceed to plug the DSL in wrong, and spend the next half hour cussing and trying to figure out why our DSL is not working. Frustrated, I go back to the house and fall into a disturbed sleep. I awake again at 8:30, and realize that I plugged the DSL in wrong earlier. Back to the shop. Plug it in correctly. Pull up the Weather Channel, and begin my vigil....



I open browser windows for The Sun Herald, the local newspaper where I worked for 10 years, and the New Orleans main newspaper, The Times-Picayune. Also windows for WDSU, and WWL both out of New Orleans and both with live coverage.

Jeff brings me much needed coffee, and I begin trying to call Robin, Lori, and my cousins. I have orders to process for our business, but that is just not happening today. Poster orders just don't seem to be as high on the priority list right now.... in fact, posters seem pretty trivial compared to what Mother Nature is about to unleash. Jeff understands this, and does not even try to pry me away from the computer. I think he has several browser windows open, too, and is stressing along with me. I love him for this.

I cannot get a call through to anyone. In my heart, I know my friends and family are all smart enough to have gotten the hell out of Dodge, but not knowing for sure still worries me.

Katrina has weakened slightly to a Cat4, but something else is happening...... the massive hurricane has decided to take a slight turn towards the northeast. This bitch is going to hit the MS Gulf Coast. I remember the damage from Camille; she was a strong Cat5 with sustained winds of 175+. Reasoning that Katrina now only(!) has winds of 145, I comfort myself with the idea that this storm will be bad, but certainly not as bad as Camille.

The rest of the day is a blur. I talk with Mom, Hal, & Kristen many times getting updates from Kristen's brother who is still in Long Beach. Bruce stayed because he works at the Gulfport-Biloxi Regional Airport, and is needed for first response after the storm passes. Kristen loses contact sometime during the day with him and her mother, Ruth, who is in Lizana, and we are left to watch the news. Just before the storm has started to pass over the Coast, one of the last reports comes in that the Naval Retirement Home where Jim Cantore and his crew are stationed has started to take on water, and they have had to move operations to the second floor. This sends a cold chill up my spine. The Naval Home is on one of the highest elevation points in Gulfport. This is not good.

Jeff and I stay and watch the news as long as we can keep our eyes open, finally giving in to weariness sometime after midnight. We still have not gotten any damage reports other than the continual feed on New Orleans. There is quite a bit less damage in NOLA that I suspected there would be, and I am happy for this. Having been born in New Orleans, I have always had a very special connection to the city. Growing up I remember the adults talking about what would happen should the levees ever break, and I am relieved that the levees have made it through the storm. With the knowledge that New Orleans has dodged the bullet, I reason that we have not gotten damage reports from the Coast simply because communication is down, & the power is out.... both of which is expected.

We leave the shop with hope in our hearts that the morning will bring news that the MS Coast has fared well today.......