Questions that need to be asked about Lousiana’s response to Katrina

This is best statement I’ve seen yet on the ineptitude with which Hurricane Katrina evacuation and recovery were handled.

After things calm down, and the memory of all this begins to fade, I hope no one forgets to ask these questions:

Why were no means of evacuation other than the SuperDome provided for those too poor or infirm to leave? These were not people who were set on remaining in their homes no matter what. They all flocked to the SuperDome for lack of a better plan.

Even if we accept the lack of leadership in facilitating the evacuation, when it quickly became obvious that the SuperDome was no longer a viable facility for the thousands of people inside – why did it still take a WEEK to get them out? Even though people were actually dying inside.

Why were people prevented from leaving the SuperDome? Even without assistance, many could have left under their own steam but were prevented by checkpoints outside from doing so, as if they were prisoners, forced to remain in completely unliveable conditions.

Why didn’t Lousiana Follow its Required Emergency Plan?

Why Did Police Threaten To Shoot Anyone Walking To Safety?”

We questioned why we couldn’t cross the bridge anyway, especially as there was little traffic on the six-lane highway. They responded that the West Bank was not going to become New Orleans and there would be no Superdomes in their city.

As a nation responding to 9/11, we were incensed that terrorists could kill 3000 people. What happened with Katrina was criminal negligence, and many more than 3000 people died needlessly because some politicians had their heads in the sand.