Its really sad

[Modas]

N.O.'s mayor was on a radio interview that CNN originally broadcasted unedited.

They mayor basically reamed the governement and others for their lack of and slow response to what is going on down there.  The original interview involved a lot of words like friken, BS, A&&, etc and you could just hear in his voice that he was at his wits end.

He said that they were getting calls from people stuck in their attics, neck deep in water and couldn't get out.  Yesterday someone posted that 50,000 bodybags had been ordered.  They might need those yet.  

He also said, that when the Tsumani hit last year, we had food drops in those areas within two days.  Its been 5 days now and nothing like that has started.  One of the CNN anchors was grilling a the head of FEMA as to why food wasn't being dropped in.

So, I pose a question.....

Given the desparate situation down there now, would it be beneficial to air drop food/supplies into the area, or would it make it worse due to the potential of violence/rioting to get the food?

Talk about being between a rock and a hard place...

[Ripsnort]

Frustration is certain, especially when lack of state government planning was lackluster at best. As I posted in another thread...THe primary reason is water. Andrew's water from rain receded within the ground quite quickly. The levi in NO busted on the 2nd day after the hurricane and filled the "bowl" up making it very difficult to get in to set up anything on dry ground. As for Mississippi, the flood water combined with the devastation is incredible and from what I am seeing, much more extensive. One of the worst logistical nightmares is flooding from a rescue/recovery point of view.

I think we all should stop pointing a finger (including those politically-driven) and start lending a hand, in any way we can. That includes cutting back on gasoline, opening up our wallets no matter how small the donation may be (if you can..) or volunteering, if you're able to do so.

[Skydancer]

Watching the events unfold on this side of the pond. Its very sad.

What I'm sure many of us can't understand is why a country with the resources at its disposal like the US can't get immediate help to these people. I'm suprised the US navy hasn't sent a task group. Why can't they use amphibious vehicles to evacuate people. Provide massive air support to airlift people out of there and deliver food. Honestly its seems a terrible mess. If I was a resident in the affected area I would be livid, after that is I'd struggled to survive.

As for the food situation I think just dropping stuff by air would make no sense. Unless there was massive logistical support on the ground.

It realy looks as if the US govt has failed in a terrible way. ( not political point scoreing just a seemingly sad fact. )

Very sad and I hope any body on this board who hails from that area is OK.

[AWMac]

I agree with Rip.

[Vulcan]

Originally posted by Modas
He also said, that when the Tsumani hit last year, we had food drops in those areas within two days.

Evidence please. Sorry just sounds a bit dubious to me

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Skydancer
Watching the events unfold on this side of the pond. Its very sad.

What I'm sure many of us can't understand is why a country with the resources at its disposal like the US can't get immediate help to these people. I'm suprised the US navy hasn't sent a task group. Why can't they use amphibious vehicles to evacuate people. Provide massive air support to airlift people out of there and deliver food. Honestly its seems a terrible mess. If I was a resident in the affected area I would be livid, after that is I'd struggled to survive.

within 24 hours after the hurricane, Navy ships were already conducting rescue opertions.  The U.S. military was sending a hospital ship and two helicopter-carriers to assist two other Navy ships already conducting rescues in the area. Things don't happen as quick as a post on the internet.  Better to open your wallet than open your mouth with complaint.

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by Modas

Given the desparate situation down there now, would it be beneficial to air drop food/supplies into the area, or would it make it worse due to the potential of violence/rioting to get the food?

Talk about being between a rock and a hard place...

Rock and a hard place is pretty good discription.

Food is getting down there but getting it to the people and areas that most need it is the problem I think. Its such a large area and people are all over the place. Not to mention places that are underwater.
and even if you set up drop zones in these areas how many men would be needed to protect each area to prevent the violence while the food is distributed. and what happens once it is and the person at the back of the line figures out its easier to take from those who were at the front of the line then to wait their turn.

and those that are still potentially stuck in their attics. How do you go about getting them but by going house to house one by one?

Its a tough situation and there is no easy solution where we can say."well we should just do this or that"

Even getting people out is a problem. I saw yesterday on the news where a whole convoy of volounteers with boats in the words of the reporter "as far as the eye can see" had to be called off because there were people shooting at the rescue boats. So they are having a tough time just getting in to be able to get people out. And you cant ask volounteers to risk getting shot at and killed themselves to try to go in.

Tough and complex situation

[Skydancer]

Not complaining. Just observing what we are shown on the news over here.

I don't live there obviously.

By the way my wallet was opened already. Hope my meagre contribution helps!

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Skydancer
Not complaining. Just observing what we are shown on the news over here.

I don't live there obviously.

By the way my wallet was opened already. Hope my meagre contribution helps!

Thank you. If more people contributed, no matter what amount, such as you, we can help to get these people back on track to recovery.

I'll probably be flamed by the usual suspects for asking people to contribute as I was in the Tsunam disaster.

[Modas]

Originally posted by Vulcan
Evidence please. Sorry just sounds a bit dubious to me

Sorry -

Just regurgitating/paraphrasing what the mayor of NO's said on his interview...

The purpose of the post is not come up with evididence as to what we did (or didn't do) in the past.  Just to pose the question

Would air dropping food/supplies into NO make the situation better or worse?  

Personally, I think it would make thing much worse.  I think in the end, we would have a mass riot and even more deaths than there are now...  I think the whole situation is already boardering on being totally out of control.  Right now, most people are still controlling themselves somewhat.  Give it another week without serious help......  Its gonna get really ugly.

[DREDIOCK]

Before


After


and thats JUST New orleans

I do not think any of us are really fathoming the full extent of this.

I keep seeing reporters on site saying how its much much worse then it then they can even begin to show

[Skydancer]

See Rule #5

[Ripsnort]

We are, as a nation, experiencing typical reactions...shock, grief, anger  and reconcile. The truly ugly part of America and the world is those who use this disaster to point a political finger at the other side of the isle, when indeed we should be joining hands and helping.

Lets stop pointing fingers and lend a hand, shall we?

[Skydancer]

Indeed but somewhere down the line someone has to take responsibility for the failure! Otherwise it will happen again and again. Sea levelsd are set to rise don't ya know and Europe will face that too. The Dutch ought to be watching pretty closely and learning how not to manage the situation !

[lazs2]

Ya know what...  Why do you allways look to government to solve every problem?  

lazs