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September 20, 2005
Hurricane Rita: Don't Get Stuck on Stupid
That's the message from General Honore to the press.
Listen to the smackdown. Transcript and audio also available at Radio Blogger.
I feel infinitely more confident about the situation should Rita stike the mouth of the Mississippi River than I did the Sunday prior to Katrina. New Orlean Mayor C. Ray Nagin, until late yesterday under pressure from Federal officials, seemed determined to set the stage to compound the tragedy that is still ongoing in his city by reopening areas of the city against the advice of people such as Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen.
Thankfully, Nagin's not in charge of evacuating the city this time, nor is Michael Brown heading FEMA. Listening to Horore, it is possible to believe that any resource available to move people will be utilized and communication between state and federal levels will be more streamlined.
If only that lesson had not come at so high a price.
But to return to the subject of being "stuck on stupid", are you?
Do you know your city/town's evacuation plan (if it even has one)? Do you have a flashlight, first-aid kit, bottled water (available by the gallon), a battery powered radio (a CB radio would be an added bonus), or anything else listed on an emergency preparedness list? If you don't, you may be.
Or worse, do you think that this only happens to other people? You're not just stuck on stupid, you've established residency and are sending out change of address forms.
I live in Delaware, a state perhaps better known for DuPont or a Senator positioning himself for an inevitably disappointing presidential bid than tornados. But on September 28th last year, as the remnants of Ivan passed, I watched as one formed not 1000 yards away. A little jog to the east and I would have been a victim and not a witness. And from September 16th to the 18th, 1999, while I still lived in New Jersey, I remained trapped in my house until the water surrounding it (courtesy of Hurricane Floyd) receded. I was lucky twice, but the same rules apply here as in Vegas: eventually the house wins.
General Honore's message to the press applies to us all.
UPDATE: Video available here.
Posted by Skayhan at September 20, 2005 07:23 PM
Comments
Good advice. If you're considering making a general survival kit to keep on hand (so that in a future crisis you need less prep time) remember that stored bottled water breeds bacteria, whether factory "fresh" or straight from the tap. You can clean the water in an emergency, but it's safest to consider water as a perishable item for long-term storage. Unless you live in an area where tap water is very low quality, you're better off keeping clean empty milk jugs on hand to fill when a crisis looms (making one less thing you have to pick up at the store).
Posted by: Chuck at September 21, 2005 08:47 AM
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