Large Convoy of Busses leaves Manhattan for New Orleans

[BigBearJohn]

NEW YORK -- A convoy of 70 city buses, accompanied by an assortment of support vehicles and volunteers, departed lower Manhattan on Saturday morning for a 24-hour trip south to help evacuate victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The caravan, including another 47 vehicles from the city police and mass transit, was expected to arrive in New Orleans on Sunday to start ferrying victims of the hurricane out of the crippled Crescent City. They left from Police Headquarters, just a few blocks east of ground zero.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, cognizant of the nation's outpouring of aid to New York after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, said the city "will help those who helped us." The group that left Saturday will join members of the Fire Department, the NYPD and the city Office of Emergency Management already on site in New Orleans.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority buses will bring homeless residents of New Orleans to Dallas and Little Rock, Ark. The task force from New York is also carrying food, water and other supplies for the ravaged region.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--katrina-nyc0903sep03,0,5443156,print.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork

[liberaliraqvet26]

1. Why not bring some to New York mike???

that makes no sense.

[NorthernSpy]

2. probably because they are more likely to have family...

... near Dallas and Little Rock.

At least, that would be my guess.

[brooklynite]

3. My wife and I would help house them

[WePurrsevere]

4. Although I'm truly not sure, it may be two fold...

With so many homeless already overwelming any shelters there simply may not be that many available decent not to mention heated places to put them. Winter, along with it's freezing temps and snow, is coming very quickly to NY and that may be a factor as well... up here the leaves are already starting to turn colors and the Canadian geese are starting to fly south.

[cmd]

5. Two couples arrived in Steubenville, Ohio, today.

My sister was able to help them with furniture and appliances to set up an apartment. They had a voucher from FEMA for rent. She has applied to the Red Cross to take in a woman and child for as long as they need help. I'm so proud of her work.

[Justice]

6. That is fantastic!

I am proud of her too!

[Cha]

7. That's so Cool!

:toast: to your sistah!

[leftchick]

8. What if FEMA does not let them in?

they have not let outside help in yet.

[juajen]

9. Thank you, New York

It warms my heart to hear this. I just hope FEMA will let them in. Most of you do not know that many Acadiana people have been turned away when they went to help, including boats owned by swamp-savvy cajuns, who are quite capable of wrestling alligators and water moccasins while helping whoever needs to be helped, and, plenty of busses, which would have greatly alleviated our distressed and hurting friends in NO. Add this to the many other offers from other states and from other countries that this administration has turned away, and you wonder what the hell they are trying to hide.

How horrible that it is taking a tragedy like this to show that the emperor has no clothes.

There are also horrible rumors that abound in Acadiana, Baton Rouge and all over the country about the atrocities happening because of the evacuees. Most are totally untrue. I talked with my son-in-law who survived in Gulfport, MS and he heard that gangs were taking over NO and cities east, and that there were rival gangs shooting it up at the superdome; and, that the city was totally ruled by the gangs. He is handy with a gun and is fully armed, but, gee, he had the stories all wrong. This is happening all over this area, and it appears to be planned chaos. The gun stores are running out of guns and ammunition to sell, and this is probably happening in BR, also; all based on what are mostly lies. Every night here in Lafayette there is a scroll at the bottom of the screen or someone on the news debunking this crap, but the rumors persist.

One rumor that may be a fact is that FEMA took all of the gasoline from several stations in our fair city (not all, thank God) but enough to cause long lines and shortages in Lafayette.

I would like to thank all of you who are keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. We need all of them. Bless all of you dear new orleanians who are without the comfort of your own homes tonight. We here in Acadiana are with you and will take very good care of the ones from your area that we are blessed with.