Aug 29 2008
Gustav Irony: Headed for New Orleans
Gustav is still only a tropical storm, not even a full hurricane yet, but the projections are that it will become a hurricane and head towards New Orleans. So, three years after Katrina created a federal disaster area in the once vibrant Big Easy, Gustav is looking like a rerun.
Three years ago today, New Orleans was about to be slammed and slammed hard by katrina. Right now, it looks like it might be Monday before the city gets slammed again. This time the lessons have been learned. The governor and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin are already looking at evacuation plans. The buses are already on the way into the city.
Here in Illinois, our state management agency announced they are gearing up for a relief effort for wherever the hurricane, should it develop, hits. On the one hand, I think it is nice to see that the lessons of 2005 are remembered. On the other hand, how long will it be beofe the Gulf coast gets sick of crying wolf again and goes back to their pre-Katrina attitude toward storms?
The irony of Gustav is in its timing, virtually three years to the day since Katrina hit, but the question is are we really any better prepared? The governor has declared a state of emergency is Louisiana and the buses to evacuate New Orleans are already in place. Which means we are prepared for Katrina three years later. But are we prepared for Gustav?
Historians regularly talk about the tendency of the military to prepare for the last war it fought and sadly it appears that FEMA and the Gulf Coast are following that example. While we know that new orleans is ready, what about Florida? Today the storm is approaching Cuba. It has to pass over or around Florida to get to the Gulf.
You remember Florida, right? Where they had up to two feet of rain about a week ago?
i’ve heard all about the preparations in Louisiana, but what about Florida? Mississippi? The Mississippi Gulf Coast was as devastated by Katrina as New Orleans was, but is anybody making preparations there?
And, did we learn the lessons of Rita too? The biggest number of fatalities there came during the evacuation phase. As we prepare to evacuate half a million people again, can we do it safely?
