August 29, 2005

Players Before & During the Crisis Department of Homeland Security: Michael Chertoff Federal Emergency Management Agency: Michael Brown State of Louisiana: Governor Kathleen Blanco Mayor of New Orleans: Ray Nagin

Before Friday, August 26  GOV. KATHLEEN BLANCO DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY IN LOUISIANA  GULF COAST STATES REQUEST TROOP ASSISTANCE FROM PENTAGON Saturday, August 27  5AM CDT — KATRINA UPGRADED TO CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE  GOV. BLANCO ASKS BUSH TO DECLARE FEDERAL STATE OF EMERGENCY IN LOUISIANA: “I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster.”  FEDERAL EMERGENCY DECLARED, DHS AND FEMA GIVEN FULL AUTHORITY TO RESPOND TO KATRINA: “Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.”

Projected Path

Before Sunday, August 28  9:30 AM CDT — MAYOR NAGIN ISSUES FIRST EVER MANDATORY EVACUATION OF NEW ORLEANS  4PM CDT — “NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES SPECIAL HURRICANE WARNING: “Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks, perhaps longer. … At least one-half of well-constructed homes will have roof and wall failure. All gabled roofs will fail, leaving those homes severely damaged or destroyed. … Power outages will last for weeks. … Water shortages will make human suffering incredible by modern standards.”  LATE PM — REPORTS OF WATER TOPPLING OVER LEVEE: “Waves crashed atop the exercise path on the Lake Pontchartrain levee in Kenner early Monday as Katrina churned closer.”  LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD REQUESTS 700 BUSES FROM FEMA FOR EVACUATIONS: FEMA sends only 100 buses.

Evacuation  Out of 1.3 million people in New Orleans, 1 million got out by Sunday night, August 28  Many stayed because they believed they could “weather the storm” as they did when Betsy hit in 1960  Others were unable to move because they were elderly and sick  26,000 residents flee to the Superdome for safety – they have a few days’ worth of food

Why the concern for the Levees?  Built by Army Corps of Engineers  Owned & maintained by New Orleans Parrish Levee Board  Built to withstand 18’ water levels  Katrina’s winds predicted to bring 28’ water levels

During Monday, August 29  7AM CDT — KATRINA MAKES LANDFALL AS A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE  7:30 AM CDT — BUSH ADMINISTRATION NOTIFIED OF THE LEVEE BREACH  11AM CDT — MICHAEL BROWN FINALLY REQUESTS THAT DHS DISPATCH 1,000 EMPLOYEES TO REGION, GIVES THEM TWO DAYS TO ARRIVE  8PM CDT — GOV. BLANCO AGAIN REQUESTS ASSISTANCE FROM BUSH: “Mr. President, we need your help. We need everything you’ve got.”

During

After the levees broke Part of a highway is submerged

During Tuesday, August 30  MIDDAY — CHERTOFF CLAIMS HE FINALLY BECOMES AWARE THAT LEVEE HAS FAILED  PENTAGON CLAIMS THERE ARE ENOUGH NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS IN REGION

After 80,000 people are stranded in New Orleans Electricity and Communications are down

After Wednesday, August 31  1:45AM CDT — FEMA REQUESTS AMBULANCES THAT DO NOT EXIST: “Almost 18 hours later, [FEMA] canceled the request …‘the DOT doesn’t do ambulances.”  NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS ARRIVE IN LOUSIANA, MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMA, AND FLORIDA: Troops arrive two days after they are requested.  TENS OF THOUSANDS TRAPPED IN SUPERDOME; CONDITIONS DETERIORATE  PRESIDENT BUSH ORGANIZES TASK FORCE TO COORDINATE FEDERAL RESPONSE  PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY DECLARED FOR ENTIRE GULF COAST  EARLY AM — BLANCO AGAIN TRIES TO REQUEST HELP FROM BUSH

After Thursday, September 1  2PM CDT — MAYOR NAGIN ISSUES “DESPERATE SOS” TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT  2PM CDT — MICHAEL BROWN CLAIMS NOT TO HAVE HEARD OF REPORTS OF VIOLENCE: Sunday, September 4  THE LOUISIANA SUPERDOME IS FULLY EVACUATED: By the time the evacuation was finished, the Superdome was in such a poor state that “inside and outside…[it] was a sea of trash up to 5 feet deep. Thursday, September 8  CONGRESS APPROVES MORE RELIEF FUNDING: Congress appropriates an additional $51.8 billion relief funding, six days after approving initial funding of $10.5 billion. Friday, September 9  BROWN STRIPPED OF RELIEF DUTIES: FEMA chief Michael Brown is removed from his duty overseeing relief operations. He is replaced by Vice Admiral Thad Allen, chief of staff of the U.S. Coast Guard. Monday, September 12  FEMA DIRECTOR RESIGNS