Lack Of Communication Was A Key Element In Katrina Disaster

[sbl_admin]

It is essential to establish an Incident Command System in case of any emergency.
KTBS

[windshop]

Things also missing in action post Katrina:

1. Leadership
2. Accountability
3. A Plan
4. Quick Response
5. US Military Presence (currently not available, sorry)

Things that we could have done without

1. Political Posturing
2. Blame

[Bob]

Originally Posted by windshop

Things that we could have done without

1. Political Posturing
2. Blame

When you get right down to it.. Yes there has been plenty of blame to go around.. and I know Nagin has been accused of handling some things completely wrong.. and I don't know him from Adam except for what I've seen on the t.v. since katrina. But I'd like to see anyone handle the catastrophe that was New Orleans and the levee breaking and the flooding of an entire city like that any better ?? I know there have been complaints about the speed of recovery in New Orleans.. but again.. I say take any city in the country, and completely flood it out like that city has been.. with an evacuation of some one million people.. and try to make things work right quick ??

My biggest complaint has to be the slow response time for food and water for those people left stranded.. when I think of how fast we have responded in the past with military personell or the like for some foreign country hit by a tidal wave or earthquake, seems we can get there in 2 or 3 days.. not like 4 or the 5 days it took us to get help into New Orleans.. ??

Not sure what the future holds for this city, but I long for it's return as a vacation destination, I've spent many a trips down there, and have countless memories of fun and good times there.

[rhertz]

I have so many mixed feelings when it comes to the Katrina "blame game". For example, I saw one family on TV who was utterly wiped out and very distraught. I really feel sorry for them. On the other hand, surely residents should have understood that they were living below sea level, and perhaps they needed better insurance. Yet on the other hand, I hear that insurance costs are very high and might not be affordable. But on the otherhand, this isn't Holland and there is plenty of land in our state that is above sea level.... And my mind goes on and on in such a way... I have decided that I am not one to judge too harshly since I have few answers to such disasters.

This family feels that the corps of engineers and government is responsible and therefore the government should buy them a new house. I can certainly feel their anger and blame, but is there any personal responsibility when building on the edge of a mountain, or on the beach, or below sea level? At what point is this a "man made" disaster and at what point is this an "act of god". It seems to be an unfortunate combination of both and the reprocussions will last for over a decade in my opinion. God Bless those with the guts to return to rebuild. Those are the true "New Orleans Saints" in my opinion.