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Post by Metella on Sept 1, 2005 15:01:48 GMT -5
Such a terrible event. I have been reading some depressing, sad and nasty things - I wanted to share a story that had some good in it:
By CAIN BURDEAU, Associated Press Writer
WAVELAND, Miss. - For five hours, 14 members of Waveland's police department held on desperately to a spindly bush as they watched the town they swore to protect being torn apart by Hurricane Katrina. Debris shot past them; tin roofs fired up into the air; a shrimp boat swept past in churning sea waters as they clung to the 8-foot-tall bush. Blasted by a storm surge some say was 30 feet high Monday morning, this town got some of the worst of Katrina.
Three days later, the anemic-looking, red-tipped bush in front of the police department has become a shrine to Waveland's men and women in blue. There's now a hand-carved wooden cross placed in the bush to highlight its role in a remarkable story of survival — a sign of hope as police go about the grim duty of recovering bodies and trying to help shocked survivors in the town of 7,000 about 35 miles east of New Orleans.
"You can see where there's no bark," said Lisa Parker, the chief's secretary. "That's where we were holding onto it."
Added patrolman Todd Blake: "The death grip hold."
Waveland took a storm surge Monday morning some say was 30 feet high. When water rose through the police station, about a mile from the beach, those inside punched through a window that had been covered by plywood and climbed outside. There they found water pouring through their parking lot.
They then formed a human chain through the swirling waters and howling winds with the plan to reach higher ground on a highway median in front of the station. But the sea surge was too strong, breaking up their chain.
While 14 of the officers, dispatchers and other personnel held onto the bush, the rest were being swept away until they were able to grab onto the station and climb up to the roof or onto trucks where they waited for the water to recede.
"There was a family with two children that was trapped in the waters," said patrolman John Saltarelli. "And we couldn't help them."
But the family was able to cling to a tall motel sign and walked away when the waters receded.
Then, the officers found their cruisers waterlogged, their communications dead, their guns soaked. Their station was a mess of dangling wires, mud and darkness.
"The best description I have is that it was tsunami-like," Saltarelli said.
Police recovered at least five bodies Wednesday. Authorities would not confirm a death toll, but Mayor Tommy Longo has told The Clarion-Ledger that at least 50 residents died.
All 26 members of the police department survived Katrina. Police are already making plans to transplant the bush for a permanent memorial when a new station can be built.
For Waveland's peacekeepers, there is a feeling of great gratitude amid the devastation.
They recount that a few months ago, an officer accidentally plowed into the bush with his car, but the bush bounced back. And, they said, the chief had been talking about chopping the bush down because it was ugly and obscured the view of the highway.
But he never got around to it.
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js
Silver Shield Investigator
Posts: 143
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Post by js on Sept 1, 2005 19:24:12 GMT -5
I cried yesterday am as a man told of trying to hold onto his wife and also his children. His wife was slipping from his grasp in the strength of the storm. Finally, she told her husband, "You have to let me go and take care of the children." And he did. He sobbed as the reporter talked to him. I cannot even begin to imagine having to make such a choice.
js
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Post by Cassie on Sept 1, 2005 21:37:32 GMT -5
I heard on the news this morning that Rutgers University of New Jersey, has opened their doors to college students/residents of NJ, that were affected by Hurricane Katrina
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Post by Metella on Sept 2, 2005 6:42:07 GMT -5
Yes, a university in RI has already rushed late registration and made room for one student.
I also heard about that father's story - unimaginable, really - there is no way to choose, and no way to get your mind around it.
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Post by janetcatbird on Sept 2, 2005 10:40:04 GMT -5
My roommate and I had on MSNBC last night, I think it was "Countdown with Keith Olberman" or something. They showed one man who rowed a boat with 18 children from his housing project, but the mothers had to stay behind and he hasn't heard from them since. God that just hit my gut. Why the hell aren't they getting in water and food? They can let celebrities like Harry Connick, Jr. into the Convention center but they can't bring the necessities?!?!?!?! One thing at the end of the show they just turned the camera on people so they could state their name and address to let family know they were alright, and they said they'd keep doing it while people still lacked communication. My roommate and I could only sit and yell at the TV for so long--what can you do at 1:30 in the morning? Money donations and stuff are just stockpiling right now, and it's not like we could have driven down there ourselves to pull people out. I don't know all the relief organizations at work, but one I am familiar with is the United Methodist Committee on Relief. UMCOR prides itself on being "first in, last out", and they do a great job of getting to the disaster sites without a great bureaucratic hang-up-- assuming the government lets people in. They do good work, they take it seriously, and they'll be there for the long haul. (They're still at work down east from Floyd.) Laugh all you want to about Methodist committees, but this is where I'm putting my money. gbgm-umc.org/umcor/Never heard of InstaPundit before, but this is a list and links to organizations accepting aid. Find what suits you. instapundit.com/archives/025235.php
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Post by Metella on Sept 2, 2005 12:24:02 GMT -5
But I don't see that the government is keeping anyone out (or in)? I thought the same thing - if Connick is in there - then what is the problem? Why aren't more people doing like that man - if you can get out - then get out if you have to walk, row or wheel ..... let the rescue people get those that aren't mobile.
I don't understand this mess at all. Why are people waiting for buses? Just a slow orderly migration out of the rubble area would be called for; and obviously the roads are not impassible. Also organizations such as the Red Cross can work immediately, and have been good in the past at getting name lists to others. They can replenish thier store of money later. So what is the problem here? Why are people dying of thirst now, when the storm is over?
A swarm of able-bodied well wishers with no organization could make things worse - but I know rescue workers and the ones I know are no-nonsense get in there and take care of things people. The people need to get OUT and then regroup and rebuild.
I'm confused about this situation.
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Post by Metella on Sept 2, 2005 13:33:10 GMT -5
GO MAYOR of New Orleans! I think he is placing some blame where it does not belong due to his frustration ..... but I admire his pluck! Finally a Non-PC speech. Maybe that raw speech will shake some people up and get something to break open down there.
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Post by NikkiGreen on Sept 2, 2005 16:04:34 GMT -5
I heard part of the Mayor's speech on the radio during my drive into work. I had the same reaction as you, Metella.
So, if The Salvation Army can bring in truck loads of food and water, why couldn't the federal government agencies go in earlier?
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Post by Cassie on Sept 2, 2005 21:48:00 GMT -5
Laugh all you want to about Methodist committees, but this is where I'm putting my money. gbgm-umc.org/umcor/Yep……the Methodist try their best to look out for people, from all walks of life, all around the world. On the church bulletins, it is written. Pastor, then his name……underneath it is written. Ministers - The Entire Congregation. They believe that we all were given certain gifts, when we work together, great things can happen. I am not sure what to say about the relief effort getting down into Louisiana. That is one issue. I struggle with the fact that when people went to a grocery store today that they had to pay cash, since the electricity is not working. They couldn’t use their credit cards. In a situation like this, wouldn’t you think that the owners of the store, should open there doors and distribute the food and supplies fairly…..work together as a team. They would gladly take the free supplies that the National Guard has to offer, but the owners of these stores, refuse to turn their merchandise into free supplies for this occasion? Just like everyone is up in arms about the rising gas prices .These store owners are just as guilty as the Oil Men. Funny, I expect that kind of behavior from the Oil Tycoons. Just wondering, in the end wouldn’t their Insurance kick in for all of their losses?? What about a free will offering??? What about just accepting the fact that they lost some money. ….I do sympathize with all of the people, down there I can understand the looting for food and water. But TV’s and jewelry, when your home has been destroyed, is there a real need?….the raping ….I heard today that some of the graves are floating up. Jewerly has been stolen out of the caskets. That is sacrilegious!! Plus it makes for a serious health issues I guess….what I am saying….we can B***h and moan about our government, emergency aid not arriving quickly enough.. But….. behavior by some people down there, is out of line too. Then again, Just a thought, maybe if our so called Leaders in this country/world aka the Oil Men, didn’t raise the prices, maybe all this crap wouldn’t have rolled down the hill. On a final note, something for all of us to think about. My husband reminded me this morning when he said. “remember what Chuck Stanley says about "Valleys" there is an "entrance" and an "exit" and you learn alot while your in the valley".And yeah its easy for me to sit back and say I would do it differently while I am up here in my safe home.
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Post by Sirenna on Sept 4, 2005 10:42:05 GMT -5
It looks like help is coming at last! Thankfully, New Orleans had a Mayor that wasn't afraid to use curses and tears to get Bush to listen.
News reports suggest part of the slow, meagre response to Katrina was because resources were stretched abroad and that domestic, socio-economic inequities played a part. Almost all the victims were African-American and poor, relatively speaking and yes, growing increasingly desparate by all accounts.
I don't want to believe this is the reason the National Guard threw food down from helicopters rather than disembark and reach out to people who were stranded.
I think this will change how Americans view sending aid to Iraq, not just in terms of the money and troop power it costs but in terms of who has priority for the federal government.
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Post by Cassie on Sept 5, 2005 9:03:26 GMT -5
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jaquetta
Silver Shield Investigator
Posts: 171
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Post by jaquetta on Sept 5, 2005 13:18:25 GMT -5
That article is scary it's so accurate. The Mayor didn't have any problem moving his cronies and tourists from accross his office at the Hilton to the Superdome so that those folks could be first in line for the buses out of town.
I think that there is plenty of blame to go around in this disaster, from the City officials to Homeland Security. I understand that the hurricane hit on Saturday & Sunday and the levees weren't breached until late Monday night, but, honestly, what the hell has Homeland Security been doing all this time? Surely it's occurred to them that terrorists could inflict almost as much damage as Mother Nature did. Even if Plan A, B & C wouldn't work, no Plan D? Does not instill much confidence in HS.
Not that I think we should be pointing fingers just yet. Not that they won't get pointed or that they don't thoroughly deserve it, but all th effort should go into helping those who were pulverized by the natural disaster and not into assuaging me in my nice safe, dry, amenity filled house.
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Post by Patcat on Sept 5, 2005 14:07:43 GMT -5
My two cents (and then some):
The Bush Administration is not responsible for the hurricane. Nor is it responsible for the sad state of the levees around New Orleans and the lack of funding of the Army Corps of Engineers. This lack of funding has been going on for decades now, with federal, state, and local officials gambling that big one wouldn't hit. And taxpayers and voters need to take some responsibility here. Many of us have been voting the same officials into office because they promise to save us money by cutting these programs.
At the same time: the federal government had three to four days to track the hurricane. It knew it was coming;it knew it was bad. At the very least, federal resources should have been sitting at the hurricane's edge and moved into the area as soon as the storm was over. Bush should never have said anything so blatantly wrong and stupid as no one could have anticipated the levees being breached. He should have been honest, acknowledged a gamble was lost, and then gotten the aid in there.
For me, this whole fiasco only confirms what I've always thought about the Bush Administration.
Patcat
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Post by BegToDiffer on Sept 5, 2005 16:11:21 GMT -5
Once again the USA was not prepared. What is it going to take to get this government to wake up? There is no excuse this time. There was plenty of warning. So much more should have been done before Katrina hit. One of many things that is wrong was moving FEMA into Homeland Security. FEMA worked well on its own, but no, Mr. Know-it-all Bush has a plan and now the people of southern America have paid with their lives for it. Agencies were ready to move in, but had to wait for the order to respond from a guy who comes on TV and tells us, "Don't buy gas unless you need it." God save us all from this moron!
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Post by trisha on Sept 5, 2005 19:32:23 GMT -5
God save us all from this moron! I've been saying that for 5 years now. Metella, I know you wanted good stories out of the tragedy, but I'm sorry, I have none. All I've heard are things that turn my stomach, make me cry, or send me into a flying rage.
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