Posted by
techlizard on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 12:23:33 AM
Don't buy into the Katrina 'retrospectives' this week that criticize everything about the federal reaction to this unprecedented disaster. The truth is
much different. A small taste:
As has been reported, when the Superdome was established as a
shelter of last resort on the weekend before Katrina hit, the Louisiana
National Guard sent several hundred soldiers there who were trained in
policing and crowd control. They also, as rarely noted, stocked huge
quantities of combat rations, also known as Meals Ready to Eat (MREs),
and water, both of which were never in short supply, according to Maj.
Ed Bush, who was inside the Dome the whole time.
Dressler said that about 2,000 other troops, MREs and water were
stationed at armories and schools around the city, mini-versions of
what the Guard had set up in the Dome. They had about 50 high-water
vehicles available, and two dozen boats. Some satellite sites and
equipment would later be put out of business by flooding. Elsewhere in
the state and around the country, another 6,000 troops were standing
by.
As these preparations were underway, National Guard helicopters
dispersed out of state away from the storm, which was standard
operating procedure. Like the Coast Guard (also running by a detailed
playbook), they later circled south behind Katrina and followed the
storm into the city. Thus there were up to 64 National Guard
helicopters that began rescue operations, as well as critical
reconnaissance that revealed more details of the breached levees,
arriving Monday afternoon and into the evening. Because of high winds,
it literally was impossible for help to arrive any sooner.
According to the author, Lou Dolinor, rescue operations saved as many as
50,000 people in the wake of the monster hurricane and the unexpected levy failures (if you recall, some 'topping' was expected, but the breaches were not). A lot of those people needing rescued were stuck on roofs and in attics. The priority early on was saving lives. By any measure, that mission was a huge success.
The very real discomfort some people experienced at the Superdome and the convention center is unfortunate, but resources simply couldn't be spared from life saving rescue operations to increase the comfort level of the survivors at that time. And we now know that virtually all of the stories of rape and murder we were being fed were simply made up.
The imagery that people most identify with Katrina -- of people 'stranded and abandoned' at the superdome -- is simply not based on reality. The media blew it big time on this -- assuming their goal wasn't to undermine confidence in the federal government and damage the Bush administration. Sadly, I'm not convinced that assumption is valid.
Read the whole thing
here.