There is a rush to blame the Katrina catastrophe on someone, and while there are those on the Left engaging in political corpse chucking at the Bush administration what is missed is where the failures actually were here (hint: they were local). Kyoto had nothing to do with this. Racism had nothing to do with this. Iraq had nothing to do with this. Federal spending had nothing to do with this. Poor and/or non-existent planning and poor execution had everything to do with this. (See debunking of stupid claims here and here)
People think the levees should have been upgraded but funding was cut. Those levees were still to protect against category 3 hurricanes. 15 foot walls do not protect against 22 foot waves. New Orleans and Louisiana knew the problem and they planned for it. The problem is they largely didn't follow their own plan and left gaping holes. Protection against cat 5 hurricanes simply was not available, and the technology was about 25 years off, if it was going to work at all.
You can view the plans here. The plan clearly indicated that evacuation was the plan; they obviously just didn't carry through on that plan. As a result, they had to make up things as they went, improvising the Superdome as a shelter despite the lack of any functioning facilities or supplies.
The overall strategy for dealing with a catastrophic hurricane is to evacuate as much of the at risk population as possible from the path of the storm and relocate them to a place of relative safety outside the projected high water mark of the storm surge flooding and hurricane force winds.
(see also this story on people stealing busses sitting in lots to get out)
That is an AP picture of a school bus parking lot. Note the array of flooded out buses neatly in lines? The million dollar question is why they are still there. If they were used in the evacuation, as they should have been, those buses would be in Baton Rouge right now. (Or at least ferrying people out of New Orleans). They KNEW the problem they'd have if a hurricane like that hit, and the city and state government did nothing to alleviate it. Instead, they made a last-minute half-baked decision to use the Superdome Thunderdome as a "refuge of last chance". The floodwalls or work on the floodwalls don't mean jack. The disaster plan took the problem into account. Flooded buildings are a pain, but can be repaired. You would have no disaster if no one was in the city at the time.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Silas Kain
Forgive me, Mr. Bambenek, but I respectfully disagree. There has been a complete and utter failure on the part of the Federal Government. After the 9/11 disaster, the Federal Government should have been better prepared. Insofar as your self-righteous little dig with the book you recommend, [edited].
2 - Steve S
Perhaps local governments can't step up to the plate because local governments have been wiped out. There's a thought I bet didn't occur to you.
3 - Roy
Silas, clearly you have no factual support or logical thought process for a reasonable response. Express you view with reasoning or you lose.
4 - Silas Kain
OK, Roy, here's my reasoning. It's five days after the landfall of Hurricane Katrina. People in Biloxi did not see any Federal government agents until TODAY. That, sir, is a fact. Thousands of poor and infirmed were stranded in New Orleans and in some sections it was THREE days before even fresh water got to them. Whether you like it or not, in times of emergencies, state and local governments look toward the Federal government for guidance. This, sir, is a fact that I have personal experience with. The bottom line is that in its quest to be omnipotent, the Federal government created a system of emergency management upon which all states and local officials learned to depend.
This is a complete and dismal Federal failure. It is another example that states' rights must be restored and the Federal government must be reigned in. Once again, I'll defer debating the subject because right now we have thousands of Americans who need our help as well as thousands of Americans we need to bury. So, dude, I win.
5 - Geo
And Silas, tell us, what exactly would you have done?
You squeek and squabble over every little detail, yet I can only hope you are the saving grace in all of this.
6 - -E
This isn't about winning. Does blaming anyone really fix what happened? Why don't we worry about helping people first. Then when they are taken care of we worry about what went wrong to fix the emergency plans so no one makes mistakes- federal, state, local.
7 - Silas Kain
You're damn right I'll squeak and squabble over every detail, George. Somebody's gotta do it. And I would be more than happy to serve on a citizen's panel to help come up with a disaster plan that works. Is that OK with you?
And,-E, it isn't about winning, per se. If you looked at the context of where I was coming from you'd see that. I keep repeating that right now we have other things to worry about and there's plenty of time to assign blame. Of course it doesn't fix what happened. But can you honestly understand why people are so upset?
8 - John Bambenek
I call bullshit. The disaster plan, authored by the State of Louisiana called for the assitance in shelters, OUTSIDE New Orleans. The city left parking lots full of buses in NO that could have been used to get people out. There was no plans for riots forcing a National Guard mobilization to quell an insurgency. People were hijacking rescue boats. It was out of control because THEY didn't plan properly. It's not the federal governments job to come up with the plan, that's up to the locals. They're first line, and leading up to Katrina and shortly after, they kept dropping the ball.
9 - Silas Kain
Dr. Pat, you seem to be the authority on this stuff. Is Bambeneck on the money? Or are his rantings empty rhetoric? I await your input.
10 - Claus
According to this newspaper report: link
of three years ago, it was clear from the disaster plans that existed at the time that tens of thousands would be left behind in an evacuation. From the same report "Some will be housed at the Superdome, the designated shelter in New Orleans for people too sick or infirm to leave the city." - so the SuperDome as shelter was not some crazy scheme cooked up at the last minute.
(via Doc Searls - link)
11 - shannon
I would have shipped them out to the nearest empty Army base, you know the ones that BRAC closed down already? Plenty of housing, medical could be set up in the hospitals there, open the comminsary up, play grounds for kids, and all within one setting.
The dome was never meant for this type of thing.
12 - Matt
John---how many hours after the hurricane did the first air drop of foodf and water come from the federal government? How many people died before Bush got his thumb out of his ass? How long did Bush hang around the Southern White House before coming back to the White House?
Bueller?
Thought so.
It may not have been the federal government's job to come up with a plan, but that doesn't give Bush the right to sit around fucking it up afterwards.
13 - John Bill
I couldn't agree more.
14 - John Bill
I mean with Mr.Bambenek, not post 12.
15 - John Bambenek
The function of FEMA and the federal government is NOT to take over in this situation, it is to stockpile materiel and make it available and give lots of money. FEMA has no search and rescue teams.
The Superdome was a shelter? Someone forgot to let them know that. They also forgot to put supplies there. They also didn't seem to be using the buses, as illustrated by the graphic above.
It wasn't the sick and infirm that got stranded, it was a WHOLE lot of people, and they simply dropped the ball.
You look at that lot full of buses and you tell me they couldn't have done better.
16 - John Bambenek
Again, reread the link.
Local parishes plan to shelter only those with "special needs," people who cannot be moved. In New Orleans, the Superdome will be used for this purpose.
In lieu of traditional shelters, which offer food and bedding, some parishes plan to open "refuges of last resort" -- buildings that are not safe but are safer than homes. They can house at most a few hundred people per parish, officials say. Most others will be on their own, meaning that in a catastrophic storm more than a 200,000 people could be left at the mercy of the elements.
The superdome was NEVER meant to house 50-60k people in a disaster. It was meant to provide shelther for those people who could not be moved.
17 - John Bambenek
And FYI, the National Guard is at the command and disposal of the GOVERNOR in this situation. Why, again, did the Arkansas National Guard arrive in New Orleans BEFORE the Louisiana National Guard? You gonna blame that on Bush?
What's the Governor and Mayor here? Are you honestly saying they played this right? Can you say leaving those buses and waiting til the last minute to evacuate was a good call?
18 - Geo
Silas,
I'm on the 2nd shift in less than a week. I am a lineman for the county. I will be down there. If I had a tattoo for every Hurricane or Tornado or Ice storm I have responded to in my 15 years with the company, I'd be dubbed the illustrated man. You name it (cause I've forgotten half of them) If it has been on the Eastern Seaboard I've probably been there. We pull 2 weeks in and maybe a 2nd two weeks. Andrew took 4 weeks... but Andrew was easy... no swamp and mud, paved roads etc... Isabelle sucked because we had to cut so much wood to get to breaks and then cut out so much wood to back away from lines and towers. Put some boots on and get down there with a volunteer organization and help. That's doing something besides squabble about it.
But I will admit, there was gross failure from all levels: city, state, fed.
The Coast Guard has been in there since day 2, the glamour of the helo rescues, along with air national guard crews have been plucking away. Great work! Limited impact. Buses are what's going to bring folks out quickly... if you can imagine busing over 100K people out of anywhere!
What you don't see is the Coast Guard out there figuring out the obstructions in the waterways, resetting buoys, which are all off station, clearing channels of obstacles. Additionally the Corp of Engineers (overseeing contractors - thanks to Jimmy Carter and A76) have been working 24/7 at repairing the breeches in the levee system.
And yes the levee's were ONLY designed for cat3, but have withstood many cat3 events. Over 300 miles of levee's and with less than 1000 feet being surged through, or 18% of a 1 mile out of 300 miles of system failed in a cat4. Not bad. It was after all surging water, considered THE most destructive force on the planet. Hmmm.
Can't get shipping to the ports without the buoys in place... or didn't you know that. Can't run an airport without power, which was just restored to the airport today. What took so long? Unless you work with a power company restoring power through blowdowns, broken cable, crushed towers, splintered poles... you wouldn't understand... that it does take an extraordinary amount of time, endurance and precaution. No one REALLY likes to fry; that shit hurts.
The plan, in this case (if you can call it that) is to evacuate the city. Not restore it to operating condition, but to empty it. Vacate it, leave it to drain and dry (an estimated 11 month cycle) whew.... I guess that's what happens when you have the 25th largest city built underwater in one of the worlds largest delta regions. So right now the CG and ANG are plucking people off of roof tops. Marine police and fire companies are wading and floating in and pulling people out. The buses came in today (stalled by the large amount of traffic stalled on the roadways into and around a 200 footprint). The STATE National Guard showed up on day 5, with guns and butter.
New Orleans is failing becuase it was doomed to failure. ITS UNDERWATER, even when it's dry. But hey... they have PUMPS. Pumps work great UNTIL THEY CLOG UP WITH DEBRIS. How much debris and how long will it take those pumps to clog? There is a shitload of debris... the pumps will become obstructed. They will clog.
Oh and not to mention the TOTAL devestation to the East, and quite a bit of destruction to the North pretty much to Tennessee until the system broke down into a tropical depression again. Those areas required attention too.
You know what Silas, I don't think you really have a grasp of the enormity and manpower that has been expended all week, you watch the news, read a blog and have all the answers and expound Bullshit and gripe about events that are completely outside of your personal and professional experience.
Go git ya some first hand experience. Handle a corpse or two, wade around in water all day in 90 degree heat, expend some energy. Get real dirty, eat white bread and pork and beans for 2 fuckin' weeks straight. They don't even have FOOD down there for the crews, they're eating out of the can. But they're actually LENDING A HELPING HAND.
And you don't even have an appreciation of the total effort it takes on an individual level, let alone a massive logistical level to pull that off.
and you don't quit... you keep doin'
I've said enough
19 - Silas Kain
Go git ya some first hand experience. Handle a corpse or two, wade around in water all day in 90 degree heat, expend some energy. Get real dirty, eat white bread and pork and beans for 2 fuckin' weeks straight. They don't even have FOOD down there for the crews, they're eating out of the can. But they're actually LENDING A HELPING HAND.
And you don't even have an appreciation of the total effort it takes on an individual level, let alone a massive logistical level to pull that off.
And I'll keep doin', thank you very much. Don't be so quick to assume that I've never had any experience in these kinds of things because nothing is further from the truth. I am angry, Geo, and with damned good reason. But right now my only concern is getting those victims situated before anything else. It's about damned time people woke up and understood that we are a very fragile nation. So if my noise is too loud, put in ear plugs. If I were still able bodied I would be there, so don't even think I wouldn't. What I am able to do I am doing and if that isn't enough for you so be it. If all you've said is true, then you know the score. You've lived it and continue to live it. And for that I thank you.
20 - Geo
Based on you rants... I can assume a whole lot of things. You're hanging your ass out for everyone to view.
You don't speak with any clarity or authority on this subject. Except anger, which means you probably haven't been in intensive response situations for long durations. First responders tend to keep their heads down and work through problems and situations, and learn from difficult challenges.
I don't believe you.
21 - Shark
[Day Four: Bush holds a photo op.]
Karl Rove: "Fuck New Orleans, we've gotta get out there and fix his image!"
22 - Silas Kain
Except anger, which means you probably haven't been in intensive response situations for long durations.
OK, explain why 50% of the New Orleans Police Department walked off the job. I guess New Orleans Cops aren't qualified First Responders.
First responders tend to keep their heads down and work through problems and situations, and learn from difficult challenges.
Geo, with all due respect, American First Responders haven't been confronted with an enormity such as this. They've been trying to do the job and insure public safety in an atmosphere of anarchy. New Orleans isn't Baghdad.
Thank you for the constructive criticism. There's nothing I can do to change your mind and, frankly, it's not worth my time.
23 - Geo
First off Silas 50% of the New Orleans Police department didn't walk off the job. I believe PBS reported 8 officers departed.
The "enormity of this" IS the challenge, first responders are working through the challenge. They will adapt, condition and overcome. Perhaps the enormity of the situation lends to the delay experienced. The amount of arduous labor involved in a response of this depth and scope is tremendous. Every disaster is different, every hurricane or Ice storm response is different, but that experience lends itself to the lessons learned. While disaster footprint of Katrina is immense. It is being dealt with. Nobody is giving up. They're punching through a thicker body of challenge.
There appears to be quite a bit of "noise" around the issue.
The Black Caucus had a news conference today that stated several things, 2 stand out. (1) they resented the implication of the term refugee, and (2) they know that the looting situation has been blown out of proportion. Both concerns were showcased by the media. Which creates spurious signals around the emergency.
The statement that nothing is being done is totally absurd. Erroneous statements by disgruntled malcontents nationwide are without qualification. There are people suffering, it's 90 degrees the logistics are a day late. Responders have been on scene since the storm passed through the area.
Did you know that more people die after Hurricanes than during. From what? Electrical shock hazards and natural gas leaks. Those have to cleared before any kind of logistics can move about freely. Did you know that in New Orleans right now, only one of those has been "deemed" inert. Which one. Electricity. But the junction services have to be secured. Natural gas is still leaking, witness the fires. Those are caused by natural gas leaks. If you send logisitic trains into unsecured areas, the potential of your first responders becoming victims is increased which compounds the problem and causes further delays.
This is a huge operation, but not impossible. The size complicates the timeline, and people will suffer longer and some with perish because of it. As terrible as that is, somethings are just plain outside the control of the effort.
24 - WTF
"Thank you for the constructive criticism. There's nothing I can do to change your mind and, frankly, it's not worth my time" - Silas
Change whose mind? Methinks Silas is the one who is off track on this issue.
George makes many valid points, in fact I picked up a few tidbits myself. Thanks Geo and good luck!
25 - Geo
"The city left parking lots full of buses in NO that could have been used to get people out"
Dollars for donuts the drivers were hauling their asses out of town, with the rest of the the evacuees.
The picture I saw was parking lots FULL of school buses. Were the drivers even hired for the year, or under contract until the commencment of the school year? Miscommunication? Not covered in the plan? What.
Probably the school bus drivers hadn't reported to work yet until the Thursday or Friday before the school year starts. That's when they hand out routes etc... and since they're not full time employees not put on any type of contractual agreement or retainer, and under no obligation, they left town.
That's a planning issue.
Now it's a lesson learned, the hard way.