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300 TROOPS WITH KIN IN KATRINA ZONE SENT HOME.
Scipionus lets users enter reports they have received to let people know the status of Katrina damage throughout New Orleans. It also uses Google Maps to display the info.
In July, 2004 -- just barely over a year ago --
...more than 40 federal, state, local and volunteer organizations practiced this very scenario in a five-day simulation code-named "Hurricane Pam," where they had to deal with an imaginary storm that destroyed over half a million buildings in New Orleans and forced the evacuation of a million residents.
At the end of the exercise Ron Castleman, regional director for the Federal Emergency Management Agency declared: "We made great progress this week in our preparedness efforts.
"Disaster response teams developed action plans in critical areas such as search and rescue, medical care, sheltering, temporary housing, school restoration and debris management. These plans are essential for quick response to a hurricane but will also help in other emergencies," he said.
In light of that, said disaster expert Bill Waugh of Georgia State University, "It's inexplicable how unprepared for the flooding they were."
One explanation is that the exercise may have revealed how far they still had to go to be prepared:
“The ["Hurricane Pam"] exercise had enormous educational value to state and federal emergency managers,” said Ivor van Heerden, director of LSU’s Center for the Study of Public Health Impacts of Hurricanes.” It showed the scope of potential problems they will face and made them far more aware of the help they will need.”
"It ... made them far more aware of the help they will need" -- that sounds like a fairly candid assessment.
THE SURVIVAL OF NEW ORLEANS BLOG -- FROM INSIDE NEW ORLEANS.
In addition to material aid, the craigslist New Orleans' site has emerged as a key source of information for those seeking word of missing friends and relatives.
My friend Chuck Rogers, a New Orleans resident, reports:
The day started with the shocking news that someone shot at a rescue helicopter, so all evacs were temporarily stopped. A state trooper or someone was hit in the leg, apparently. The media reported this as though the helicopter was attacked. I am not so sure I believe that. Just yesterday, the same media was reporting that stranded people were shooting their guns in the air to try to attract the attention of the choppers. That's what I think it is.
Another report said that people were attacking the rescue boats. Take a close look at the people doing the rescuing. They look just like normal people. In most cases, there is nothing to indicate that they are a rescuer. These same stranded people may have seen another boat approach them earlier and attempt (or even succeed!) at robbing them. What would you do? This is part of what creates anarchy - when you have trouble telling the good from the bad.
A large group of tourists managed to hire 10 busses for $25,000 to get them out. All they had to do was walk across the Crescent City Connection (the bridge that crosses the Mississippi River at downtown) and get to the West bank. The people were turned away when they got to the bridge by law enforcement officials armed with shotguns. The busses never arrived anyway - they were commandeered by the National Guard. This is what happens under Marshall Law - you have no rights, and if you are arrested they do not have to provide miranda. I am not suggesting this is a bad thing. It is what New Orleans needs at this time. It is still shocking, however.
The Oakwood Mall burned down today. Arson. This was the closest "non- tourist" mall to our house, just across the river. It took us 5-10 minutes to get there. Anarchy.
30,000 troops are on the way to the Gulf. No - not that Gulf, for a change, OUR Gulf. The Gulf of Mexico. 30,000 troops. That's over 20% of the number in the ENTIRE COUNTRY OF IRAQ. Anarchy.
We will soon have new pictures in the Gallery on MacChuck.com. The ones that are there already are amazing. Some outstanding before and after pictures. Cary is working on some new satellite pictures that are very hi-res. He is working on labeling certain landmarks so you can see what the impact is to property of us and those we know.
I am working on a People page. All the people we know who have been impacted. Their stories will be there, on a "living" page that will be updated as we hear from them.
...Many people have asked me permission to share the URL [http://www.macchuck.com/] with others who may want to donate. Don't ask! Just do! That's what it is there for. These people (my kids included) are going to need some help getting back on their feet again, whether it be in New Orleans or somewhere else. I want to help everyone as much as I can.
-- Chuck Rogers
The Republican Jewish Coalition offers its sympathies to those families affected by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We encourage members and friends to contribute to the disaster relief effort:
Contribution through the United Jewish Communities should be made online at www.ujc.org; or, by mail at United Jewish Communities, P.O. Box 30, Old Chelsea Station, N.Y., 10113, attention: Hurricane Katrina. Mark the memo section of checks with "Katrina."
Contributions through B'nai B'rith International should be made online at www.bnaibrith.org; or, by mail at the B'nai B'rith Disaster Relief Fund: B'nai B'rith International, 2020 K Street, N.W., Seventh Floor, Washington, D.C., 20006.
Contributions through The Red Cross should be made online at: www.redcross.org; or, by phone at 1.800.HELP.NOW.
More information about the response of President George W. Bush and the federal government to Hurricane Katrina's enormous enviornmental and humanitarian impact can be found here.
[Bumped back to the top.]
THE BLOGOSPHERE HAS COME THROUGH IN RESPONSE TO GLENN REYNOLD'S CALL FOR POSTS IDENTIFYING WAYS TO HELP ON HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF. He's received more links than he can handle.
RELEASED RUSSIAN GUANTANAMO PRISONERS SEIZED IN MOSCOW:
Two former Guantanamo prisoners, extradited to Russia in 2002, have been detained in Moscow on suspicion of preparing a series of terrorist attacks, the Vremya Novostei newspaper reported Tuesday.
The two Russian citizens, Airat Vakhitov and Rustam Akhmyarov, who were seized in a counter-terrorist operation in Afghanistan and kept at the Guantanamo base in Cuba with other Taliban and terrorist suspects, and then extradited home to Russia, have been detained and are now being held in a Russian detention centre.
Should the allegations prove correct, this appears to be an example of how freeing Gitmo prisoners, can put the lives of many others in danger.
