A description of what's going on in Baton Rouge...

Received this email from a friend earlier this evening, and cleaned it up a bit (removed line breaks, etc). I've heard the Blackhawks going over my house since yesterday.....



---------- Forwarded message ----------

Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 16:53:31 -0400
Subject: Perspective...

This is from a former student-worker of mine at LSU. Puts a lot of things into perspective. (Points of reference, the PMAC is the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, the on-campus arena; The Field House is the indoor track)


The PMAC will never host an important event like it did tonight Little did I know what I would be doing following Hurricane Katrina's aftermath but as I type right now, there won't be a more gratifying or more surreal experience I went through tonight. We went up to the office today and held a press conference regarding the postponement of the game and it was the right decision. As the PMAC and Field House are being used as shelters we decided as an office to do everything we could to help the situation.

At first, we were just supposed to make copies of this disaster relief form for all of the people. The copiers will never print a document more important than that. It's weird. Nearly 12 hours ago we were running off copies of game notes for a football game that is now meaningless. We printed the copies and carried them over to the Field House at 6:30 p.m. I wouldn't leave the area for another 8 hours.

On the way back to the PMAC in a cart, it looked like the scene in the movie Outbreak. FEMA officials, U.S. Marshalls, National Guard, and of course the survivors. Black Hawks were carrying in victims who were stranded on roofs. Buses rolled in from N.O. with other survivors. As Michael and I rode back to the PMAC, a lady fell out of her wheelchair and we scrambled to help her up.

We met Coach Miles and Coach Moffiit in the PMAC to see all the survivors and it was the view of a hospital. Stretchers rolled in constantly and for the first time in my life I saw someone die right in front of me. A man rolled in from New Orleans and was badly injured on his head. 5 minutes later he was dead. And that was the scene all night. What did we do, we started hauling in supplies. And thousands of boxes of supplies. The CDC from Atlanta arrived directing us what to do.

One of the U.S. Marshalls was on hand so the supplies could not become loot. I asked him what his primary job was. He serves on the committee of counter terrorism, but once he saw of the disaster, he donated his forces to come help. He said the death toll could be nearing 10,000. It was sickening to hear that.

After unloading supplies, I started putting together baby cribs and then IV poles. Several of our fball players and Big Baby and Tasmin Mitchell helped us. At the same time, families and people strolled in. Mothers were giving berth in the locker rooms. The auxiliary gym "Dungeon" was being used as a morgue. I couldn't take myself down there to see it.

I worked from 8 pm until 2:45 am. Before I left three more buses rolled in and they were almost out of room. People were standing outside, the lowest of the low from NO. The smells, the sights were hard to take.

A man lying down on a cot asked me to come see him. He said,"I just need someone to talk to, to tell my story because I have nobody and nothing left. He turned out to be a retired milit! ary veteran. His story was what everybody was saying. He thought he su rvived the worst, woke up this morning and the levees broke. Within minutes water rushed into his house. He climbed to the attic, smashed his way through the roof and sat there for hours. He was completely sunburned and exhausted. Nearly 12 hours later a chopper rescued him and here he was.

We finished the night hauling boxes of body bags and more were on the way. As we left, a man was strolled in on a stretcher and scarily enough he suffered gunshots. The paramedic said he was shot several times because a looter or a convict needed his boat and he wouldn't give it to him. Another man with him said it was "an uncivilized society no better than Iraq down there right now." A few minutes later he was unconcious and later pronounced dead. I then left as they were strolling a 3 year old kid in on a stretcher. I couldn't take it anymore.

That was the scene at the PMAC and it gives me a new perspective on things.

and thank her/him for all of this work. Sometimes, just being there to listen is priceless. It obviously was to that man.

thank you

Heavy.

He said the death toll could be nearing 10,000.

Thank God some people were finally getting out of NO.

I knew it was bad--saw the helicopters and ambulances coming in every few minutes. Had a sort of "war zone" feeling as I walked to my car. But I had no idea it was that bad inside.

Way, way, way more than Bush and any of his fellow criminals.

Way, way, way more than most every elected representative of the People of the USA.

Bless you for your compassion and your efforts.


Peace.

Hang in there. You are needed.


I used to be a surgical orderly, and I have seen people in rough shape, some of whom died, some dying before my eyes. But your efforts are important. Take a break, share your sorrows with us, but when you're ready please keep doing what you can.

Bless all those who are really helping out in this nightmare for so many thousands of people.

Bless you for being there. Thank you for sharing. It's very hard to grasp the horror, but it's sinking in very very deep.

Ten thousand. Ten thousand. :cry:

http://news.globalfreepress.com/mp3/katrina/NO-8-31-05-2427-onscene_report-wdsu-katrina.mp3

thanks for sharing, this story needs to be told :toast:

peace

semblance of organized help going on

im sure there are other places as well but we just havent heard much about it (or i havent anyway)

thank you for posting this and to your friend and all those working so hard to bring some hope in the midst of this tragedy

"the lowest of the low from NO"

This is a beautiful account. The author deserves applause for actually getting involved and helping. But does he have to describe these people as "the lowest of the low"?

... their economic or social class; rather, I think he was referring to their current state.

to keep us safer, so that 10,000 of us could die and an entire region could collapse.

This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

... has me wondering whether it's true, given the widespread complaints directed at the feds for their inaction.

they do come in, they do bring food, ice, and water. The trouble is, they set up distribution points that a good percentage of the population cannot get to, especially without some transportation. They need to take supplies into the neighborhoods. Last year when we were without power for two weeks from Hurricane Frances, the nearest distribution point was miles away from us and we're in a heavily populated area. You've got to go in a car. Most of these people have no cars and no way to get the supplies.

Edit: Many times people would wait in line for hours in their cars, burning gas, only to be sent away because the supplies were gone.

and stomach.:grouphug:

I hope he/she will be able to see some positive outcomes as well. When surrounded by complete destitution, the deep feeling of pain in your soul can be overwhelming and difficult to overcome. I sincerely hope he/she will be able to help with something that refuels the spirit.