Hurricane Katrina

[Tarzan]

Buff you are a Hero! Glad we could talk you out of rushing into NO.

This goes out to anyone near a shelter for the evacuees (Texas has a bunch):

Do as Buff has done and go by the shelter and ask them what they need. If you can buy it great, if you don’t have the funds go and do a collection drive in your neighborhood, if you don’t have the energy to do that just go to the shelter and talk to these folks….Most of them have lost everything and having someone listen to them and lean on them goes a long way!!!

Heck, bring a few sticks and a ball...I bet the kids there would love to play!

BTW- Thank you Gov Rick Perry!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,168400,00.html

[mbuff]

Thanks Tarzan but I'm no hero. It's a word that I don't toss around lightly. Those NOPD that are still on the job wading in the stew and saving babies are heros. ET1 Jeff Lucas, PO James E Suh, the Rangers of the QRF in A'stan, SGT LeighAnn Hester. Those are heros. For over 4 years now I've had a metal band around my right wrist that never is removed. It reads: MICHAEL BOCCHINO 9-11-01 FDNY. Some of the guys ask me about it each year, "what's that band say?". I just say that it says hero. That said, let's get on with the work here.

Latest reports out of Austin are that large shelters are up in Houston and San Antonio. Others I heard of are going up in Ft. Worth and Lubbock. (A New Orleanean plopped down in Lubbock??? Shudder the thought when Coach Knight finds folks bedded down on his court. Sorry TTers).

Teams can get together and find out what they need at the shelters and go solicit stuff outside WalMart. Don't think of the usual stuff, water and drinks. When I went to our shelter, there were about 10 pallets of shrink wrapped water. Companies can send truckloads of that. Think of the everyday things. Diapers are expensive but are a necessity for all of the babies. Solicit folks going into WallyWorld to buy a pkg of diapers and drop them off to you on the way out. Underware is needed not regular clothing. My mom is taking in 4 kids in her school and FEMA or someone is providing clothing but not underware. Not everybody goes commando. Feminie hygene stuff. (Blame my wife but it makes sense). Just print up this stuff on a flyer and hand it out to folks going in the store and collect it on the way out.

I have not heard of shelters in Austin (Lubbock but not Austin???) or College Station so if y'all don't have shelters, collect the stuff anyway and we can coordinate here on getting the stuff picked up and to the proper places. Mike Ormsby - can you get us info on what the Dome needs or where to take it?

This suggestion is going to require a little more of you. All over Texas, there are folks who fled the storm before resorting to one of the Domes. They are holed up in hotels and motels all over the place. Older couples on fixed incomes, new familys, etc. They had the funds and the means to get out but now they are paying daily hotel rates with no income. This is a dead-end situation because nobody will be allowed to return to NO for a very long time. If you are living in the dorm or are staying in an apt at school for 9 months of the year and there is your room in your parents house, ask your parents to give your room up to an evacuee. Take someone in. Coach Ormsby of UofH posted a link in a previous post about this program. It maybe a little painful or awkward at first but we can't let these people hang out there and lose hope. Your family will make a friend for life. Maybe Coach Ormsby can write a little more about his experience.

[Brent Burns]

Here are three links below that may guide you to finding out where your friends or families are right now or to seeing what you can do to assist those in need:

http://neworleans.craigslist.org/about/help/katrina_cl.html

http://hurricane.earthlink.net

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2005/hurricanes/list

I am pretty sure most or some of you are already ahead of me, but I am going to forge ahead anyway.

[lil lady lax fan]

I must give credit where credit is due. Brent was the one who mentioned the food stamp giveaway. Glad to hear they are getting that kind of help.

mbuff, heroes come in all shapes and sizes--those such as the NOPD and NYPD and FD who are at the front lines, those who reach out to those affected by such tragedies and others who help out in any way they can. Don't sell yourself short. In this instance you deserve the credit!!

It looks like we'll be helping some refugees after all. Some friends of ours who evacuated to Dallas are headed over to our neck of the woods. They're coming over tomorrow. As far as I know they don't know whether or not their house is still standing. We're all crossing our fingers that they have something left.

[Tarzan]

Looks like Pennsylvania is now ready to take New Orleans Evacuees:

http://www.dailycomet.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... /509030822

Sorry, Some times we must laugh so we can stay sane!

[Hackalicious]

They are free to say what they want (and even play the race card if they feel they must), but my main point is: Now is not the time!! The volatility of the situation is such that these types of words will only make things worse!

Get things done now...Point fingers later!

If the response is incompetent, people need to speak up immediately and put pressure on those in power to fix the problem. I'm no fan of race-baiting talking heads, but it's not like they have a fleet of helicopters and trucks at their disposal.

Personally, I think the government handling of this has been a debacle on the local, state, and federal level. It's pretty pathetic when the government of a third-world country like Indonesia can respond to a more severe natural disaster better than our own government.

Individuals and private organizations are being forced to pick up the slack, and shouldn't have to.

[KerrLax]

The former mayor of NO just said on CNN that back in 1998 when they thought another hurricane would hit the city, they crunched some numbers and found out 25% of the city couldn't get out. Covering his ass maybe? I don't know.

Collegehumor has the Kanye video :

Kayne West's blowup on NBC

You can tell he knows he is going to get blasted for this. He is clearly nervous and I don't know if he really thought this out.

[mbuff]

I just saw the first TV video of Plaquemines Parish where is was fishing and evaced from. Jay had mailed me a clip from him flying over and I knew it was bad but this was Guard video down to Belle Chase NAS.

They took a B'hawk down and landed on an exposed portion of a levee. The only way you can tell that a road exists is that you can see the tops of some speed limit signs. The whole area is underwater. It just looks like the Gulf reclaimed the whole area. They showed one of the refinerys and you can see the elevated piping and the cracking towers and some building tops but that's it. It's going to take an engineering miracle to get rid of all of that water if it's possible at all.

For those that are unfamiliar, Plaquemines Parish is all the way down in that finger of LA below NO that sticks out eastward into the Gulf. The whole Parrish was under a mandatory evacuation order by 6:00 am last Saturday. A Guard officer said that they are sure that 95% or more of the folks got out of the Parrish prior to the storm. The police and officials did a good job running up and down the road notifying people. I saw lots of school busses taking people out. I don't know if the people just went to NO though. You have to go through NO to get in/out of that area.

[Tarzan]

If the response is incompetent, people need to speak up immediately and put pressure on those in power to fix the problem.

There are lots of ways to put pressure on the government without pointing fingers and race/income baiting. Pointing fingers in front of the media will filters into the shelters and causes more problems for people who have been through enough…That is what I mean about reckless, irresponsible, and inconsiderate of the situation.

Individuals and private organizations are being forced to pick up the slack, and shouldn't have to.

People are not being forced to do anything. People are volunteering to help out just as they do in all types of disasters such as this one. It is called being human…You do what you can for your fellow man in times like this. I think the perception that Government must be the answer to all our prayers is a fallacy, and a problem in today’s society. Government can’t and shouldn’t be everything for everyone. There are gaps in which individuals, churches and charities are there to fill in the gaps.

It's pretty pathetic when the government of a third-world country like Indonesia can respond to a more severe natural disaster better than our own government.

What evidence do you have that this is true? Are the two disasters even comparable in scope and magnitude? Was it only the government that responded or did they have individuals, private companies....etc helping out as well?

[mbuff]

I agree with Billy.

Lufkin got 4 buses last night and we got 7 buses. All out of Houston. I ran north up 59 to I-20 on my motorcycle and curches off the Hwy all have evacuees. Signs all over the place directing people to shelter.

No matter if you think the govt should or shouldn't do more or less, the fact of the matter is that good old Joe/Jane American is going to fill in the gaps and get the job done. Remember that Rosie the Riveter was not a draftee.

Oh yea, shout out to Tarzan for getting his crew together and hooking up free long distance phone service into his shelter. Reports have it that it was Cajun Engineering at its best.

[Tarzan]

RNs and Doctors Needed

In the “BellSouth City” tents that have been established to provide support to BellSouth employees impacted by Hurricane Katrina, there is a need for licensed physicians and registered nurses to administer medical services. If you are or if you know a licensed nurse or doctor and are interested in volunteering in these emergency facilities, please contact Karen Ford in BellSouth Human Resources at 205-321-2226.



Thank you.

[Sonny]

NOAA images from the Gulf coast of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama after Hurricane Katrina made landfall. You can check out hundreds of high quality satellite pictures and zoom down to street level:
http://ngs.woc.noaa.gov/katrina/KATRINA0000.HTM

[FormerTiger]

For those of you who havent heard, they have set up a hospital here at LSU's Pete Maravich Assembly center, and in the field house. I have been volunteering up there for the past few days. You name it, I have seen it. Everything from 5 year old kids who dont know where their parents are to a few bodies stacked in the corridors.

The problem is WAY too many chiefs and not enough indians. There are dozens of different "departments" set up around the buildings....most of which I have never heard of, stuff like the Dept of Communication. I am sure everyone has an important part in this, but its gotten way out of hand.

Nobody knows who is in charge, therefore everyone assumes they are in charge. Lots of bickering and arguing among doctors and army personnel. Many of the refugees are being discharged from the medical facilities. The trouble with that is that they are being discharged onto the LSU campus. Classes are back in session and there are people wondering around, asking for rides, and laying in hallways.

When I left an hour ago, we were out of latex gloves and we had no hand soap......ABSOLUTE NECESSITIES for the medical operations. I went to buy some myself, but the FEMA guy wouldnt let me bring them in because I wasnt on some list of suppliers....I know they have their reasons....but some nurses arent interacting with patients because they dont have gloves. That means no IVs, no treatment of wounds.....Its just a really bad scene here. More and more people keep showing up, but there isnt anything that can be done except comforting these people. I swear....the stories some of them have.....

If any of you have any FEMA ties.....tell them to lighten up a little....these people need help...not lists of people that are allowed to help.

[mbuff]

Jay check your PM on this.

I forgot this though. If the local hospital won't supply gloves/soap and you can get FedEx or UPS, then PM me and I can send you cases of non-sterile exam gloves and liquid surgical scrubs or foams (CHG based is what we use at our hospital).

Just let me know how it turns out and if you need the stuff.

[TexOle]

Jay,

You have pointed out exactly what is wrong with many relief efforts. Sometimes our selfish nature comes out in the worst times. Just being a good follower is much more beneficial than being a leader. I also think you have found one of the other sad problems in helping others. We want to play everything by the book when we should just do something because it is right. It is best for everyone to realize that doing the little things to help goes a long way.

Many of the school districts in the DFW area are accepting kids from these areas. Some of these districts have places where students can get clothes and supplies for free. I know a lot of my clothes are going to these places.