Reply #13: well obviously no one expects them to be psychics, be reasonable [View All]

the hurricane "pam" study was based on a worst case scenario, worse than katrina in terms of where it hit and wind speed, but if you notice that it projects only 60 % of the population able to evacuate by automobile -- hence the enormous projected casualties

the state gov'ts fixed this, contra flow was fine tuned and improved, and 80% of the population was able to evacuate by car -- well above projections

i don't think the study was a waste of time because they couldn't look in the future and name katrina by name, that's just silliness, i think it a pity that the FEDERAL GOV"T didn't step up and look for ways to learn from this projection

if the feds had looked at the projections and supplied sufficient helicopters, national guard troops, supplies, etc. IN ADVANCE, there's no doubt that casualties would have been fewer, yes, the people who drowned would still have drowned, however people on rooftops or at superdome who later died of dehydration/exposure would NOT have died

we pay enough taxes and refine enough oil that the feds should have treated us better than this, that's the take home

not petty squabbling about whether a projection could foresee exactly when and how such a storm might strike, i don't expect anyone to have a crystal ball several years in advance of an event, we are doing well to know where they will hit 72 hours in advance