Okay, so let me get this straight: the governor calls the mayor during dinner, and basically says “HEY, IDIOT, CALL THE F***IN’ HURRICANE CENTER!” It took a phone call from the governor to convince him to make this call?!? Well anyway, the mayor calls the NHC, and they basically tell him, “GET EVERYONE OUT OF YOUR CITY NOW!!!” So now, finally, the mayor is apparently planning to order first mandatory evacuation in city history tomorrow morning. About damn time. Story:
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said he may call for the first-ever mandatory evacuation in city history after talking with the head of the Hurricane Center who said a storm surge of 20-25 feet could be expected with major hurricane Katrina.Nagin said he would consider ordering evacuations by Sunday morning and may employ buses and trains to help get people out of the city.
In an interview on Eyewitness News, Nagin said his Saturday night dinner was interrupted by an urgent call from Governor Kathleen Blanco who asked Nagin to call the Hurricane Center.
Nagin said the Hurricane Center Chief told the mayor that if it was possible at all, he should order an evacuation due to winds that could reach 145 miles per hour sustained and 170 mile per hour gusts.
Nagin said he would put his wife and family on a plane and he urged everyone to do anything they could to get out.
“All models say this storm will land right on top of New Orleans,” he said.
Nagin said he would call churches and urge them to have their congregations adopt seniors or someone who doesn’t have transportation and get them out.
“I don’t want to wake up one day and not have done all I could do with a catastrophe on top of us.”
Um, well, “all you could” might have included already having ordered a mandatory evacuation by now, instead of waiting until 24 hours before the hurricane hits. It also might have included calling the Hurricane Center on your own initiative!! Argh. I am not remotely impressed with Mayor Nagin at the moment.
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Categories: Hurricane Katrina
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August 28th, 2005 at 12:22:46 am
I think it has to do with legal responsibilities that are REQUIRED when he orders one. They might not have the means to fulfill them. In other words, He might not legally be able to. I know when it comes to potentinal loss of life, screw the rules, however what does it really change if he does order one? ..Nothing.
August 28th, 2005 at 12:30:43 am
It changes A LOT! The Weather Channel’s reporter has talked to various tourists in the French Quarter who say they will leave once there is a mandatory evacuation, but not until then. I’m sure there are many residents who feel the same way — indeed, the fact that the traffic is presently light-to-moderate indicates strongly that this is the case.
August 28th, 2005 at 12:50:14 am
I guess there are people that are that stupid to wait. *sigh*.
I hope you understand what i was saying about the legal responsibilities, though.
August 28th, 2005 at 12:50:48 am
Couldn’t the Governor order this herself…she is the commander of the National Guard and could declare a state of emergency , well couldn’t she?
I do not think CT’s Governor would wait on an indecisive Mayor in a similar situation
August 28th, 2005 at 1:07:05 am
ironman…remember..issuing a M.E. is NOT just a press release. It is an ORDER that MUST require certain things to include (non-exsistant) shelters and police patrols. Ask youself, given what is about to happen, would you send all of those police offices to near-certain death?
I can understand why he has not issued a M.E.
August 28th, 2005 at 1:08:05 am
I hope you understand what i was saying about the legal responsibilities, though
I understand what you are saying, but without knowing more details, I can’t judge whether or not it’s accurate. My understanding is that declaring a mandatory evacuation actually relieves the government of certain legal responsibilities, such as the responsibility to respond to 911 calls and such. Basically, if people ignore a mandatory evacuation, they do so at their own peril, and the government makes no promises that it will be able to help them if they’re in need of emergency assistance.
What added responsibility would the government take on by ordering people to leave? I’m not saying you’re wrong, I just don’t know what these would be.
Anyway, since the mayor is apparently planning on ordering a mandatory evacuation tomorrow morning, it seems that he feels the gov’t can meet its responsibilities. So I think it’s a moot point, and we go back to theory #1: the mayor is an idiot.
September 12th, 2005 at 6:07:21 pm
What’s your source for the account that he was called at dinner? Trying to find it for a time line project we’re working on.