Writing Letter, Need Help Re: NOLA Evacuation

[MostlyLurks]

I'm so damned angry over FEMA head Brown saying that the victims in NOLA deserve some of the blame in their fate, I'm writing to my Sens. and Rep. to call for his resignation. However, I want to make sure I have my facts straight. Can someone tell me the following? Thanks!

1. Evacuation was mandatory. What methods of leaving were given to those without transport methods (i.e. did NOLA officials provide buses to those who needed them, etc)?

2. Many of those currently stranded in NOLA are from nursing homes and shelters, or at least a segment of them are. Is this correct?

3. The Superdome was opened up as a government approved or sponsored shelter, wasn't it?

Any other points of note or suggestions for inclusion are welcome.

By the way, the story in which Brown is quoted (I think this was originally a TV interview, but I read about it at CNN):
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/09/01/katrina.fema.brown/index.html

Mostly

[madmom]

1. Did you notice...

in the televised coverage of the evacuation, for a long period of time the north bound lanes of a major interstate out of New Orleans were full and at a standstill.One could clearly see the south bound lanes were deserted.Why the fuck weren't these lanes opened up and running evacuees north.

[MostlyLurks]

2. I Thought They Did

I wasn't around to see much of the footage (pre- or post-) but I thought I heard, probably on the radio, that they were getting ready to do the "all lanes lead out" thing. Did they never do that? Or did it happen too late?

Mostly

[madmom]

5. the footage I saw on cnn showed south bound lanes empty....

thought maybe they were leaving these open for emergency vehicles,OOPS stupid me!

[madmom]

3. Haley Barbour saying he begged them for 3 days to leave....

but they wouldn't, why then if he knew this, wasn't the super dome and convention center and anywhere else filled with water, food, blankets whatever they could, in anticipation of this disaster?

[MostlyLurks]

6. Barbour's not in LA, though. n/t

[madmom]

7. Barbour is in Mississippi (I Think), but that doesn't matter...

he was on cnn blaming victims for not leaving, he was one of the most vocal, trying to sift the blame. Where the hell was he and the rest of this EMERGENGY management team?

[markus]

4. There is not means offered to those without a vehicle

The city's plan for the last 20 years always envisioned up to 20% of the city's population would not or could not leave.

If these people had tried to walk out before the storm, starting even Saturday when it became apparent the storm was coming, they might have died in the open from the force of the storm.

There are not enough busses in New Orleans to evacuate everyone. Period. That' sone the right wing murderes are spreading.