11-08-2008, 10:18 PM
Katrina Facts:
Katrina was the largest hurricane of its strength to approach the United States in recorded history; its sheer size caused devastation over 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the storm's center. The storm surge caused major or catastrophic damage along the coastlines of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, including the cities of Mobile, Ala., Biloxi and Gulfport, Miss., and Slidell, La.
Katrina was the 11th named storm, fifth hurricane, third major hurricane and second category 5 hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. It was also the sixth strongest hurricane ever recorded, and the third strongest hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. ever recorded.
# New Orleans' levee failures were found to be primarily the result of system design flaws, combined with the lack of adequate maintenance. According to an investigation by the National Science Foundation, those responsible for the conception, design, construction and maintenance of the region's flood-control system apparently failed to pay sufficient attention to public safety.
Estimated 80 percent of New Orleans was under water, up to 20 feet deep in places. Water was still rising as engineers struggled to plug two breached levees along Lake Pontchartrain with giant sandbags.
In accordance with federal law, President George W. Bush directed the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, to coordinate the Federal response. Chertoff designated Michael D. Brown, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as the Principal Federal Official to lead the deployment and coordination of all federal response resources and forces in the Gulf Coast region. However, the President and Secretary Chertoff initially came under harsh criticism for what some perceived as a lack of planning and coordination. Eight days later, Brown was recalled to Washington and Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad W. Allen replaced him as chief of hurricane relief operations. Three days after the recall, Michael D. Brown resigned as director of FEMA in spite of having received praise from Bush with the now-well-known phrase, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."
An ABC News Poll conducted on September 2, 2005, showed slightly more blame was being directed at state and local governments (75%
than at the Federal government (67%), with 44% blaming President Bush's leadership directly. A later CNN/USATODAY/Gallup poll showed that respondents disagreed widely on who was to blame for the problems in the city following the hurricane — 13% said Bush, 18% said federal agencies, 25% blamed state or local officials and 38% said no one was to blame.
My thoughts on all this is EVERYONE dropped the ball. More damage was done from the storm as once expected. They knew how bad the storm was but as far as the damage. I dont think ANYONE could of guessed it would be as bad as it was. In that case,pretty much ALL plans must be tossed out and rewritten.
It was a tragic moment in our history and many things both human and nature came together to slow things down once the storm hit. Human errors ranging from local people all the way up to federal leaders with everyone in the middle. Its kinda hard to do your job and save or help rebuild while your being shot at!
My thoughts,get the people out and leave the city under water.
Katrina was the largest hurricane of its strength to approach the United States in recorded history; its sheer size caused devastation over 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the storm's center. The storm surge caused major or catastrophic damage along the coastlines of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, including the cities of Mobile, Ala., Biloxi and Gulfport, Miss., and Slidell, La.
Katrina was the 11th named storm, fifth hurricane, third major hurricane and second category 5 hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. It was also the sixth strongest hurricane ever recorded, and the third strongest hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. ever recorded.
# New Orleans' levee failures were found to be primarily the result of system design flaws, combined with the lack of adequate maintenance. According to an investigation by the National Science Foundation, those responsible for the conception, design, construction and maintenance of the region's flood-control system apparently failed to pay sufficient attention to public safety.
Estimated 80 percent of New Orleans was under water, up to 20 feet deep in places. Water was still rising as engineers struggled to plug two breached levees along Lake Pontchartrain with giant sandbags.
In accordance with federal law, President George W. Bush directed the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, to coordinate the Federal response. Chertoff designated Michael D. Brown, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as the Principal Federal Official to lead the deployment and coordination of all federal response resources and forces in the Gulf Coast region. However, the President and Secretary Chertoff initially came under harsh criticism for what some perceived as a lack of planning and coordination. Eight days later, Brown was recalled to Washington and Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad W. Allen replaced him as chief of hurricane relief operations. Three days after the recall, Michael D. Brown resigned as director of FEMA in spite of having received praise from Bush with the now-well-known phrase, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."
An ABC News Poll conducted on September 2, 2005, showed slightly more blame was being directed at state and local governments (75%
than at the Federal government (67%), with 44% blaming President Bush's leadership directly. A later CNN/USATODAY/Gallup poll showed that respondents disagreed widely on who was to blame for the problems in the city following the hurricane — 13% said Bush, 18% said federal agencies, 25% blamed state or local officials and 38% said no one was to blame.My thoughts on all this is EVERYONE dropped the ball. More damage was done from the storm as once expected. They knew how bad the storm was but as far as the damage. I dont think ANYONE could of guessed it would be as bad as it was. In that case,pretty much ALL plans must be tossed out and rewritten.
It was a tragic moment in our history and many things both human and nature came together to slow things down once the storm hit. Human errors ranging from local people all the way up to federal leaders with everyone in the middle. Its kinda hard to do your job and save or help rebuild while your being shot at!
My thoughts,get the people out and leave the city under water.
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