Is enough "search and rescue" manpower being used in N.O.?

[Skwmom]

Today, one of the talking heads said it's likely that some people are stuck in their attic with no way to get through the roof. If this is the case, how long can these people hold out with rising water and a limited supply of air? Does anyone know anything about this?

[achtung_circus]

1. Not I, and I wonder

the US military has lots of small, flat bottomed boats. When will they arrive? It'll be a house to house search for survivors and a recovery operation for the many who didn't. Flat bottomed boats, people who know how to use them and chain saws are desperately needed.

[Skwmom]

2. We can do house to house searches in Iraq so we should be

able to do them in New Orleans. I thought they would be going house by house by now. If they don't have enough guard, they need to send in the reserve and active duty troops.

[Streetdoc270]

3. No...

There are unused SAR resources all across the east coast!

[mithnanthy]

5. flat bottomed boats

I have been watching video coverage all day and have only seen ONE small private boat navagating thru flooded streets where people are in despirate need of ways to escape their flooded homes. WHY are there NO boats? Pontoon boats could be of great assistance. The victims of this storm should be taken to the thousands of churches in the South for help from the Church communities. Most of these Churches are vacant most of the time except for "Services". Are Churches really about helping our fellow man? Now is the time for them to open their doors to the needy.

[radar]

4. $h!t - reminds me....

Of what happened at Pearl Harbor after the Japanese attack - sailors in the capsized ships waiting for rescue.

"...some people are stuck in their attic with no way to get through the roof."

[chicagiana]

6. What boggles me ...

What boggles me is that we knew there was a VERY serious chance that this might have happened from the storm surge. Why weren't those resources put on standby and moved close to the scene just in case
they were needed.

Is Condaleeza Rice going to come out and say that no one could have seriously considered the possibility that a city under sea level, under lake level and under river level could flash flood?

I'm having the same feeling that I did the day after 9/11. Who didn't do their job??? Yeah shit DOES happen but we're supposed to have thinkers who plan for contingencies and have an idea of what to do when bad stuff happens.

Once again, not enough troops and the looters run rampant. Perhaps they were hoping that the storm surge would have topped the levies and simply DROWNED all the looters.

[htuttle]

7. Weren't nearly 100,000 Nat'l Guard and active duty deployed for Andrew?

I remember Poppy Bush was criticized for being slow in responding to Hurricane Andrew, but once he did, I think he sent an awful lot more help than this.

[Rose Siding]

8. A police chief on WWL- said he's gotten calls from all over the country

for rescue help. Biggest problem now is coordination btwn agencies- communications systems underwater.

[Skwmom]

9. They should immediately take up any offer of rescue help.

They could put the volunteers to work doing a house by house search, putting an x (in bright neon paint) on every house cleared. If we ever have a large attack in this country, we are screwed.