Katrina: Rewriting history in only one week
It has been one week and one day since Hurricane Katrina hit the United States. In that week, fingers of blame and accusations have been pointed in all directions. Most of this finger pointing is counter productive and uninformed. I am not surprised; I expected it. I do believe that a rational systematic debriefing is needed on all fronts. The process should examine what all involved parties did or did not do to determine what they could have done differently to improve their effectiveness.
We should examine the roles of individuals, governments on all levels, the media, and emergency responders.
This would be the thing to do if we were interested in learning from this disaster. Now, if your motive is political, then it is not necessary to be rational, you only need to spew accusations at your opponent. If your agenda is race and you are Jesse Jackson, then you say that the people were not helped quickly enough because they are black. These political agendas are more emotional than they are logical.
Let me recount some facts and I will begin on August 28th in the morning.
• The hurricane was forecast for the first time to hit New Orleans. What was only a category one storm was gaining strength. Usually when hurricanes are in the Gulf, folks are well aware. This hurricane was in the Gulf, but initially forecast to go up the west coast of Florida. I think most people figured that even if the course shifted, it would hit Pensacola again. Saturday was when the New Orleans area took this hurricane seriously.
The main thing to do then was pack up and get out of harms way. Evacuations were being ordered for extreme southern Louisiana. People were paying heed. Grocery stores and gas stations developed lines and supplies were vanishing.
It was the normal way folks prepare for a hurricane. Everything seemed right on course.
• Saturday around 10 PM: Mayor Nagin came on channel 6 the NBC affiliate and made me nervous. I will paraphrase what he said:
I was enjoying a relaxing meal with my wife and daughter when I received a call from Governor Blanco. She told me I needed to call a man at the hurricane center. (I do not recall his name, but I think the first name was Max). Mayor Nagin continued. Max strongly encouraged me to order a mandatory evacuation of the city of New Orleans. The man from the hurricane center told the Mayor, he would not be able to sleep if he had not spoken to someone directly about this. He feared a major impact on New Orleans, THIS WAS THE BIG ONE.Mayor Nagin had a strange affect, he was subdued and I thought troubled. He said his attorney advised against calling a mandatory evacuation citing legal complications. His attorney's point was if the city says it is mandatory to get out and someone lacks the means to get out, they could hold the city liable for damages. Then Norman Robinson, the Channel 6 anchorman, questioned the Mayor about this and one could sense his surprise. You mean the hurricane center advised you to make the evacuation mandatory, but you won't because you are afraid of getting sued?
Nagin rightfully said, that he at this time is very strongly warning people to get out of the city and that if they stay because he has not ordered a mandatory evacuation and suffer harm, it is on them not him.
The bottom line is that on Saturday night, Mayor Nagin was more worried about a law suit than to make the evacuation mandatory.
I bet if the Mayor had it to do over again, he would have told the lawyer to screw himself and he would have ordered a mandatory evacuation.
• On Saturday, President Bush declared Louisiana a disaster area enabling governmental agencies to mobilize and freeing monies for aid.
• On Saturday at 4:00 PM, the contraflow began in which motorists used both the northbound and southbound lanes to evacuate.
• On Sunday, the emphasis was still on evacuation. Everything I heard in the media was about evacuation and getting out of harms way. We expected the weather to begin deteriorating in late afternoon, so time was growing short.
There was a sense of tension that was palpable. The news was on 24 hours a day. Reporters were in shirtsleeves and had shifted into disaster mode.
NOBODY knew what was about to transpire. We thought it was a strong hurricane, but we did not anticipate the scope of the destruction. From Baton Rouge to Panama City, Florida and 200 miles inland, Katrina left her mark.
• On Monday, Katrina came ashore jogging to the east at the last minute. We all thought we dodged a bullet, but slowly the destruction became known revealing a decimation no one had ever before seen.
• Katrina's magnitude began to sink in on me when Mayor Nagin was back on television Monday night at 11:00 PM. He looked somber and his voice was low and subdued. The Mayor began reading a list of destruction that left me feeling as though I were just told someone I loved just died. The I-12 twin spans were gone, a 12 mile section of Interstate. The city was full of water. There were no ways into the city because of the high water. Emergency personnel could not drive in and set up shop.
The many people who stayed were on islands separated from help.
Those who thumbed their nose at the warnings and stayed for whatever reason now knew why they should have left. If they had it all to do over, I bet they would have left when they were told.
• The flood waters continued to rise and for three days, man power was diverted to fixing the levee. New Orleans remained inaccessible.
The rest of the mess slowly came to light. Texas in its generosity opened up the Astrodome for the homeless New Orlenians, but many refused to board the busses. Others began to pillage and loot. This threw emergency workers a curve ball they had not contemplated.
Those who were searching for survivors and trying to rescue them were pulled to deal with the mayhem. It only worsened. By Thursday, Governor Blanco, Aaron Broussard of Jefferson Parish, and Mayor Nagin were on the radio leveling charge after charge at the federal government for not being prepared. They saw no fault in themselves.
Aaron Broussard especially was very disrespectful and I thought did a public disservice by inciting the public, almost excusing the unrest for lack of help.
These accusing local leaders were guilty of the very thing they accused Washington of, not being prepared.
I would counter that it is difficult to prepare for something outside your frame of reference.
All systems were stretched and overwhelmed. I also think the local leaders were very frustrated because they were powerless to help their people. They eased into the blaming, but took it to the heights.
I bet if they had it to do over again, they would have been better prepared themselves.
There are many questions that should be answered. What about the funding the federal government pulled relating to the levees in New Orleans?
Why were troops delayed?
Why did it take so long to get the evacuation under way?
I was listening to the BBC last night. The correspondent raised some questions:
• Why was there not enough food and water at the Superdome?
• Why was there no medicine and other services?
The answer is simple. The Superdome was never intended to provide provisions at all and the people knew it going in. As a matter of fact, everyone in south Louisiana knows the policy regarding shelters: Bring food for three days, there will be no food there. Bring your bedding and clothes. Nothing is provided except a safe place from the hurricane. No pets are allowed.
The Superdome was designated a shelter of last resort, a far cry from a special needs shelter. The Superdome was a contingency way down the list. It was a place to run to to save your life.
I bet those who stayed in the Dome wish they had listened to Mayor Nagin.
We can blame all sorts of people and agencies, but that will not undo what happened. However, if we take an honest look at what all of the players and pieces did and did not do, we could go into the next disaster better prepared.
I am an optimist. I believe this will be done, but don't expect to see it hashed out in the media. This process would be too boring. People working together to learn something doesn't command ratings. Instead, Jesse Jackson will rail against the white conspiracy and the democrats will say the hurricane is only another illustration of President Bush's ineptness.
It is up to you on which process you will focus.
Until the next time
John Strain