A Nightmare in New Orleans
Things are finally looking better for the citizens of greater New Orleans, LA after four
days of sheer hell on earth.
When Katrina was downgraded by a hair and moved to the east a little bit, the officials in
New Orleans and elsewhere thought they would be spared, for the most part. Believe it or
not, they were. If Katrina had stayed on its previous course New Orleans would have had
a direct hit and all of New Orleans would have been under water and it would have
happened more quickly and more people would have died.
As it is now, many survivors are dying slowly. The aged, sick, and children are dying from
lack of food, water, formula, and medical care.
I don't know how many people reading this have visited New Orleans but I lived in the
New Orleans area for four years. It is unbelievably hot and humid there this time of the
year. The air is thick with water and that makes a healthy person struggle for a good
breath at times. It is oppressive, to say the least.
Tempers were always quick there when it was over ninety degrees. Some people in
public housing had no air conditioning. Can you imagine living in a square box in the dead
of summer with no air conditioning and no wind? New Orleans gets virtually no wind from
the Gulf of Mexico unless a storm is moving upon it from the south.
The people who are creating havoc and shooting and doing other illegal things would be
doing them regardless of the circumstances. All big cities have the same problem here
and all over the world.
The thing that concerns me is the people of other countries see what is happening and
think, is that the way they treat their own people? How can we preach love thy neighbor
and do unto others as you would have them do unto you, when we are setting such a
horrible example?
Could we have responded faster to this human crisis? Yes, I think we could have. We got
to Banda Ache, Indonesia in about the same length of time. The hospital ships that were
sent there are taking about as long to get to New Orleans, they will not be there until next
week and the week after. What purpose will they serve then?
The main hospitals downtown were left as islands in the Pacific without any outside help
of any kind. One hospital had about one hundred babies in incubators and moved out as
many as they could before the storm hit. Some did not make it. Believe it or not, there are
still patients in two hospitals in New Orleans. How many more will die before they are
rescued?
One major question, if the powers that be, both local and federal had made up a disaster
scenario about what could happen in a disaster such as this, why weren't they
prepared? There was no evacuation center set up outside the greater New Orleans area
with food, water, and basic sanitary needs.
They knew at least 50,000 would not evacuate regardless of warnings. Did they have a
"Let's wait and see" attitude? These questions beg answers and the citizens of New
Orleans deserve an answer.
Lavenia Ann Claman
copyright September 02, 2005
All Rights Reserved
Things are finally looking better for the citizens of greater New Orleans, LA after four
days of sheer hell on earth.
When Katrina was downgraded by a hair and moved to the east a little bit, the officials in
New Orleans and elsewhere thought they would be spared, for the most part. Believe it or
not, they were. If Katrina had stayed on its previous course New Orleans would have had
a direct hit and all of New Orleans would have been under water and it would have
happened more quickly and more people would have died.
As it is now, many survivors are dying slowly. The aged, sick, and children are dying from
lack of food, water, formula, and medical care.
I don't know how many people reading this have visited New Orleans but I lived in the
New Orleans area for four years. It is unbelievably hot and humid there this time of the
year. The air is thick with water and that makes a healthy person struggle for a good
breath at times. It is oppressive, to say the least.
Tempers were always quick there when it was over ninety degrees. Some people in
public housing had no air conditioning. Can you imagine living in a square box in the dead
of summer with no air conditioning and no wind? New Orleans gets virtually no wind from
the Gulf of Mexico unless a storm is moving upon it from the south.
The people who are creating havoc and shooting and doing other illegal things would be
doing them regardless of the circumstances. All big cities have the same problem here
and all over the world.
The thing that concerns me is the people of other countries see what is happening and
think, is that the way they treat their own people? How can we preach love thy neighbor
and do unto others as you would have them do unto you, when we are setting such a
horrible example?
Could we have responded faster to this human crisis? Yes, I think we could have. We got
to Banda Ache, Indonesia in about the same length of time. The hospital ships that were
sent there are taking about as long to get to New Orleans, they will not be there until next
week and the week after. What purpose will they serve then?
The main hospitals downtown were left as islands in the Pacific without any outside help
of any kind. One hospital had about one hundred babies in incubators and moved out as
many as they could before the storm hit. Some did not make it. Believe it or not, there are
still patients in two hospitals in New Orleans. How many more will die before they are
rescued?
One major question, if the powers that be, both local and federal had made up a disaster
scenario about what could happen in a disaster such as this, why weren't they
prepared? There was no evacuation center set up outside the greater New Orleans area
with food, water, and basic sanitary needs.
They knew at least 50,000 would not evacuate regardless of warnings. Did they have a
"Let's wait and see" attitude? These questions beg answers and the citizens of New
Orleans deserve an answer.
Lavenia Ann Claman
copyright September 02, 2005
All Rights Reserved
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Alabama Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund
www.servealabama.gov
1-877-273-5018
Please mail checks or money orders to: Alabama Governor's Emergency Relief Fund
P.O. Box 1523
Montgomery, AL 36102
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
www.louisianahelp.org
1-877-HELPLA1
Please mail checks or money orders to: Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
1201 North Third Street, Suite 7-240
PO Box 94095
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9095
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund
www.mississippirecovery.com
1-866-230-8903
Please mail checks or money orders to: Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund
PO Box 3562
Jackson, MS 39207
Alabama Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund
www.servealabama.gov
1-877-273-5018
Please mail checks or money orders to: Alabama Governor's Emergency Relief Fund
P.O. Box 1523
Montgomery, AL 36102
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
www.louisianahelp.org
1-877-HELPLA1
Please mail checks or money orders to: Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
1201 North Third Street, Suite 7-240
PO Box 94095
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9095
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund
www.mississippirecovery.com
1-866-230-8903
Please mail checks or money orders to: Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund
PO Box 3562
Jackson, MS 39207
ALERT: Beware of Fraudulent Websites Capitalizing on Relief Efforts of Hurricane
Katrina
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
www.ifccfbi.gov
09/07/2005
Alert
The FBI is seeing an influx of websites soliciting for charitable donations to aid the
victims of the latest natural disaster, Hurricane Katrina. Consistent with previous
guidance on incidents of Phishing/Spoofing and Identity Theft, when considering on-
line options for providing funding to this relief effort, consumers should consider the
following:
Do not respond to any unsolicited (SPAM) incoming e-mails.
To ensure contributions to U.S. based non-profit organizations are used for intended
purposes, go directly to recognized charities and aid organization’s websites, as
opposed to following a link to another site.
Attempt to verify the legitimacy of non-profit organizations by utilizing various Internet-
based resources which may assist in confirming the existence of the organization, as
well as its non-profit status.
Be leery of e-mails claiming to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files, as
the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
Several variations of this scam are currently in circulation. Be aware, scammers will
attempt to capitalize on the popularity of the relief efforts along the Gulf coast. If you have
received a fraud, or similar e-mail, please file a complaint at www.IC3.gov
You can also make contributions to relief funds that have been established by the
respective state governments in the disaster area.
Katrina
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
www.ifccfbi.gov
09/07/2005
Alert
The FBI is seeing an influx of websites soliciting for charitable donations to aid the
victims of the latest natural disaster, Hurricane Katrina. Consistent with previous
guidance on incidents of Phishing/Spoofing and Identity Theft, when considering on-
line options for providing funding to this relief effort, consumers should consider the
following:
Do not respond to any unsolicited (SPAM) incoming e-mails.
To ensure contributions to U.S. based non-profit organizations are used for intended
purposes, go directly to recognized charities and aid organization’s websites, as
opposed to following a link to another site.
Attempt to verify the legitimacy of non-profit organizations by utilizing various Internet-
based resources which may assist in confirming the existence of the organization, as
well as its non-profit status.
Be leery of e-mails claiming to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files, as
the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
Several variations of this scam are currently in circulation. Be aware, scammers will
attempt to capitalize on the popularity of the relief efforts along the Gulf coast. If you have
received a fraud, or similar e-mail, please file a complaint at www.IC3.gov
You can also make contributions to relief funds that have been established by the
respective state governments in the disaster area.
Aspiring Writers Magazine
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