They're putting people ON THE FIELD! of the SuperDome???

[alphafemale]

:wtf:

Seriously. No cable. But on the local 11PM News...? There was a short video clip looking like people were bedding out on the field.

I thought that was supposed to be in the storm surge area?

[xultar]

1. Best laid plans....

[expatriot]

4. GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE, XULTAR! (revised to explain)

on edit: I confused xultar with someone else.

[xultar]

5. I hope you are joking.

[tjdee]

12. Maybe expatriot thought you were still in NO?

That's the only thing I could think....?

[expatriot]

22. Yes, I thought she was...

[xultar]

14. I moved from NOLA a few years ago. I couldn't take the storm thing

and my EX. I couldn't imagine worrying constantly about storms. I can't swim.

[expatriot]

24. In another thread you said you were in central NO... thank god I misunder

stood.

[xultar]

26. Nope I know the thread some other DUer was in Central NO.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4488778

Frustrated Lefty

[Reverend_Smitty]

2. thats what I thought too

I heard on MSNBC that they would put them in the higher up areas because they were pretty sure that the field would flood...what gives?

[soup]

6. Are they still waiting in line to be processed - maybe?

Or is that all done now? Can't believe they'd allow set-up down on the field.

[Elidor]

3. It's okay. If things get ugly, they'll move them ahead of time.

They're trying to make it more comfortable for them, I'd imagine. Safety from rising water is right there beside them.

[xultar]

10. The dome is pretty high in town. If water does get in I hope they can

move them faster than they got them in.

[expatriot]

21. keep trying to covince yourself of that.... there are simply too many

people and there is no more room at the inn. Get prepared for hell on earth... truly...

[Elidor]

29. There are 15,000 people in the Superdome

If most or even all of them are on the field, they can be moved to the stands in a matter of ten or fifteen minutes.

[expatriot]

38. 3 hours ago it was reported at 35-45K at the Super Dome...

See post #33.... please tell me where you heard otherwise... I want to believe it... I wish these poor people the best i have ever wished.

[Elidor]

41. This was according to WWL TV in NO

http://www.wwltv.com/perl/common/video/wmPlayer.pl?title=beloint_wwltv&props=livenoad

I've been glued to this feed for almost 11 hours now.

[Elidor]

47. They evac'd the NO station to Baton Rouge

The anchors were kind of amazed. They had a plan for this, but they've never had to use it, and they could hardly believe they were shutting down the station.

[smurfygirl]

7. I heard earlier today that they have never done the study

to see if the super dome can even withstand cat 4 winds. They don't even know. That place could end up a death trap. Although it's highly unlikely.

[friesianrider]

9. Smurfygirl...

I LOVE your signature line! How awesome!

On a side note, if you haven't seen it already I made a post to help the Louisiana SPCA here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4485360

Just in case you can donate or can pass it along to friends/family who may be able to help too.

Anyway, just wanted to say I love your "adopt" sig line! :hi:

[markus]

48. My dad was sr. vp of the architectural firm that designed the dome

It was built post-Betsy, with concerns for this very situation in mind. My dad went into Waveland as soon as he could get past the roadblocks after Camille to help his brother and sister.

He saw that devastation first hand, and said after he belived the Dome could survive that as well (a phenomenal cat 5 storm).

It is believed they could house 100,000 if they have to, but that I believe assume they can use the field and lowest level seating.

I don't recall how high above ground (or sea) level the dome is, but a lot of other areas will experience more catastrophic flooding first.

And I hope that, if push comes to shove, the USA CoE will do what everyone believes they did in '64 in Betsy: dynamite levees elsewhere to save the city. (The levees failed in St. Bernard Parish and it is widely believed they were dynamited to protect the city from the failure of the river levees. The river literally ran backwards in that storm, and likely will in this storm).

There are far too many poor people who can get buy without a car because there is an extensive transit system. But there almost certainly aren't enough bus seats for everyone.

So, the plan has been to use the RTA buses to move people to better shelter, to the strongest and highest buildings believed capable of surviving the winds.

Not an ideal plan, but if you have a better one, you should have suggested it to the emergency planners in the city sometime during the last 31 years they've been trying to figure out how to handle the next major storm.

I just hope most people are heading to a shelter. There were only 200 people at Bonnabel High School in suburban east Jefferson Parish they just said on WWL-TV. Either that means that everyone in Jefferson Parish left town (not likely) or some people are going to try to ride this out in their homes.

I'd take the Superdome over just about any private home I've seen or been in in New Orleans, with the possible exception of certain parts of the quarter. But even there, where you have phalanxes of time-tested masonry structures standing up against each other, roofs could fail. (I spent Hurrice Betsy in my two great aunts ground floor apartment on Royal St, now the Hove' Parfumier).

[candy]

8. Probably just leting them move around until the storm hits-----the

stress of just sitting hours in one spot would be awful.

I can't imagine what it would be like with small children to care for.

[alphafemale]

11. It looked like people laying out sleeping bags and the like.

Scary. A storm surge would come int there faster than anyone could run.

But they're just poor people right...

[candy]

30. Nah---they'll get them up higher when the time is right.

What's this "poor people" business? They are,and will be,treated very well.

[CottonBear]

16. They're letting people hang out, relax and let the kids play on the field.

I'm sure they're preparing the bleachers for people to bed down later. It's not like there's a lack of stairs and elevators in the Superdome so they can move the estimated 25,000 people around quite easily. They may have people sleeping in the hallways too. there's lots of bathrooms and food prep areas in addition to broadcast facilties and emergency generators. It's a good place to be if you have to be in NO.

The kids looked like they are having a blast playing on the field! It'll be a good memory for them. (I saw the video on CNN.)

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. It is inside

Where do you propose they put them? In the stands?

[alphafemale]

15. From all accounts I've heard the field is expected to be under high water.

Scary.

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. Sorry I didn't realize that

So the Superdome is not water tight?

[alphafemale]

27. Is anything watertight in a CAT 5? I guess we'll find out.

:cry:

I fear for those poor people.

[TomInTib]

36. MmmHmm...kind of a reverse of buying tickets for the cheap

seats and then moving down into the more expensive ones that are empty after the game starts. Go play down below while you can, and then head for the "hills". Seems reasonable...they will have plenty to deal with soon enough...let the kids frolic for a bit.

[Fleshdancer]

17. are they standing around or setting up sleeping areas with blankets?

The local news reported hours ago that the lines were moving faster in order to get the people out of the rain and they were registering the people on the field. I was about to post this info but then the news said that the line was still outside, but wrapped around the building instead in order to allow the people to stand under the awning.

If people are sleeping on the field tonight it should be ok since the storm won't hit land until tomorrow morning. It will most likely flood, but it won't be so sudden that the field wouldn't be cleared of people before it happens. These people are in a stadium. If they can get one night of decent sleep on astroturf, then by all means...they deserve as much "comfort" as they can get before the storm hits.

[alphafemale]

20. I thought I saw sleeping bags. But it was a quick clip.

There are some times I regret cutting the cable umbilicus.

Still seems dangerous to me.

The potential for a panicked mad dash for high ground could be dangerous too.

[DoYouEverWonder]

18. For tonight this shouldn't be a problem

the storm isn't going to come ashore until some time tomorrow.

[Liberty Belle]

23. Tomorrow at dawn.

[seabeyond]

25. they can easily go up if they need n/t

[expatriot]

33. seating for 70,000 at the Dome. 3 hrs. ago there were AT LEAST 35-45K

since then there are lines of thousands waiting to get in.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/2250544120

[alphafemale]

35. When direction is given to move up? PANIC! People will be trampled.

The weak, the youg the old will be absolutely be ground under a surge of human panic.

[seabeyond]

37. or....not. why are the very worst scenerios the only one we think

might happen. water start coming in, start walking up the stairs. doesnt have to be panic and chaos ect..... people are really more amazing than what we give them credit for. i am not going to look at the worst here. i am going to trust that they will be able to figrue it out

[deadparrot]

28. I'm assuming there's a JumboTron...

sounds pretty damn unsafe to me.

[Elwood P Dowd]

31. I've been in the Superdome for a few football games

There are plenty of high places to move the people - concourses, press boxes, luxury suites, bathrooms, exits, upper deck seating, storage areas, offices, ect. You could probably put 40,000 people in the upper half of the dome and above any flooded areas.

[ultraist]

32. Are they opening up those luxury suites? They should be! eom.

[DoYouEverWonder]

34. And if the roof comes off?

Then what should they do?

[Elwood P Dowd]

39. I don't want to think about that.

If something as massive as the Superdome can't handle this storm, then 100,000 people might die, and New Orleans will cease to exist.

[Tyranny_R_US]

40. If most of the people are african americans (and looks like they are)

The people who put them in that death trap will never be held accountable and in the end it will recieve little media coverage.

*sigh* Isnt life just fucking grand? :puke:

[seabeyond]

42. are you for real. and now if something happens to the dome

you want to blame soemone for that. how about shit happens. this so far seems to be a once in a couple lifetime storms. it happened fast. only yesterday that they saw it really looked to head in this direction and continued at this strength. how about, this is life, we cannot protect ourselves from all things in life. this may be a horror and it may not, but fuck people.......
a little perspective here. not all things in life has reason

[Tyranny_R_US]

43. ...Wow

"Shit happens"

I don't know how to respond to such reckless disregard for these people lives.

[seabeyond]

44. a reality, not a disregard to a single life

you are wrong. doesnt mean you dont do the best you can with what you have. but. a tornado drops, shit happens, car accident, shit happens. not a dismissing, just one of those things that have no explanation to it and why it happened, what so ever

no ones fault. is what i am saying. if you wish to chose to see it as a disregard for life, then know it is just to fit your own agenda. not even what it is about

so wow, to you

[alphafemale]

45. Especially...Bedding them Down... In an area that will flood by early AM

This doesn't make sense.

[seabeyond]

46. area that will flood .... you dont know this. but you have it as an

absolute. firstly. news has been doing all this. fox was most extreme saying it will be death for all, or some other outrageous comment.

secondly, as the flood is coming, they will be informed, and will easily be able to move up.

but if you want to see this as a disaster before it has happened, a good 10 hours before anything has happened. your choice. i am not going to play the game

[Tyranny_R_US]

49. "I am not going to play the game"

Its not a game real lives are at risk because of this, we're not talking about a sudden mishap we're talking about a situations where they possibly know the roof could cave in and the stadium could flood which could cause unknown structural problems yet they willingly put people in a dangerous situation where they could lose their lives not to mention they are putting them on the bottom of the stadium where flooding could occur, someone has to be held responsible for this carelessness and incompetence.

[seabeyond]

51. from what i understand there are not a lot of options of where

to put a whole lot of people. you are purposely looking for argumentative points arent your. you are purposely trying to make it appear as if i dont have compassion for my fellow man, kinda your intent with all of New Orleans officials placing people in this highly dangerous ready for total death superdome

you want everyone to look like they fell short and no one but a few care about fellow man

that game/

[Tyranny_R_US]

52. Re:

you are purposely trying to make it appear as if i dont have compassion for my fellow man

I didn't have to do much your initial response pretty much spelled out the type of person your are.

kinda your intent with all of New Orleans officials placing people in this highly dangerous ready for total death superdome

you want everyone to look like they fell short and no one but a few care about fellow man

that game/

Am I channeling Rush Limbaugh, George Bush or a little bit of both?

[seabeyond]

54. only if you chose to see me that way

you get to create me however you want. regardless how right or wrong you are. tis yours to do.

[markus]

50. Whoa Whoa Whoa!

The only way it will flood by early morning is if you sneak in there and turn on all the fire spigots. The storm is about 10-12 hours away.

Second, the roof ain't going to come off in one piece. This isn't the roof of your house. It is a very large structure of steel-reinforced concrete, if memory serves. About four feet thik, I think. I can look up the details if you like.

It's not about to "blow off" in any meaningful sense.

And again, this is the best plan at lot of people came up with after thinking about it very hard for 31 years. If you had a better one, you've had ample time to step forward and share it.

In a worse case scenario, these people would other wise drown. The levees are approximately 18' high around the city. That means athat at least parts of the city could fill up with 18' of water than cant' get back out the way it came.

Now, walk outside, and look a the roof of your house. Do you have someplace to go above 18 feet?

Now, take a sledge hammer, and whack your driveway. That's probably about like whacking the roof of the superdome.

Now, whack of few of your windows, and some siding (not brickwork).

Slight difference in damage, wasn't there?

The dome is a shelter of last resort for those who don't have cars. You can have a car in N'wawlins if you're poor. I had a string of them was I was a starting out reporter making in the high four figures (pause while you do the math). Some people choose not to have cars because there's such an extensive public transit system. It's a more effective way to use your limited dollars.

Are they poor becuase of <insert reason here>? Of course. But that's not the current problem. The current problem is they have no car, or they're old or sick and they need to do something.

The dome is a shelter of last resort, but these people need it, and I think it will hold up for them.

[Fescue4u]

53. Okay..I did what you said

..
And now you owe me a new driveway, a new window, and a siding job.

Fortunately, my brick is still ok.

:)


seriously though, I hope your right about the Dome.

[Mr_Spock]

55. On, NO! The field will get destroyed!!

There is a game there in a few weeks!!

Just kidding :D

[daleo]

56. I hope they have a good power supply, and backup generators, etc.

It could get mighty dark in there otherwise.

[dasmarian]

57. toilets

Has anyone thought about the fact that if the sewers go out, the people in the superdome won't be able to flush them. If thousands of people are stuck there for days -- and even worse if its 100 degrees in there -- that will not be a pleasant situation and will in fact be quite ripe for horrendous illness.