Another baby born tonight, her one year old sibling was floated out of New Orleans in a bucket.
Poor mother was in pre-term labor, brought on by too much stress, too many days and nights in the Superbowl. Her story reminded us all of the flood on Featherstone when Win left as the water reached three foot deep, with Jessica and a bucket, and came to my office (on the 5th floor) to wait it out.
We named our next child Heather, but so many here are naming their children "Dallas."
We've a flood of them coming in from New Orleans, except we greet them with much more love and kindness, a flood of new life instead of a flood of death.
With all their suffering, only compassion has any answers.
I almost can't watch, I certainly can't fathom, and my heart will never comprehend.
ReplyDeleteI hold my own tight, thank God for my blessings, pray for understanding and beg for peace.
HURRICANE KATRINA USAF RELIEF EFFORTS AS OF 5 SEP 2005
ReplyDeleteUSAF Action Today
USAF Action To-Date
Rescues
558
Rescues
4,674
Sorties
572
Sorties
3,532
Passengers flown
2,097
Passengers flown
20,816
Cargo tons delivered
2,474
Cargo tons delivered
9,197
Aeromedical evac. patients moved
11
Aeromedical evac. patients moved
2,552
Civil Air Patrol sorties
24
Civil Air Patrol sorties
110
USAF AIRCRAFT IN ACTION
Aircraft
Mission
Aircraft
Mission
C-130 Hercules
Airlift
E-3 Sentry
Air traffic control
C-130 Scathe View
Aerial photo
KC-10 Extender
Airlift & aerial tanker
C-17 Globemaster III
Airlift
HC-130
Helicopter aerial refueling
C-5 Galaxy
Heavy airlift
HH-60 Pave Hawk
Search & Rescue
C-141 Stratolifter
Airlift
MC-130 Combat Talon
Search & Rescue
KC-135 Stratotanker
Airlift & aerial tanker
MH-53 Pave Low
Search & Rescue
OC-135 Open Skies
Aerial photo
C-9 Nightingale
Aeromedical evacuation
C-21
Passenger transfer
USAF SYSTEMS IN ACTION
1. 4th Air Expeditionary Group Emergency Medical Squadron (EMEDS) at New Orleans IAP has treated 5,512 patients to date.
2. Air Force erected a Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources 550 housekeeping set at New Orleans IAP; one BEAR set houses about 550 people with facilities for showers, latrines, chapel, tactical field exchange, laundry, supply, civil engineering units, kitchen, water system and various types of low- and high-voltage power. A follow-on set is also located at NO IAP and includes more shelters for billeting, water system, and voltage power.
OVERALL AF MESSAGE:
The Air Force’s primary focus involves saving lives, sustaining lives and assisting FEMA in recovery operations for HURRICANE KATRINA.
KEY MESSAGES:
· More than 5,000 Active and Reserve Airmen are supporting hurricane relief operations.
· The U.S. Air Force Total Force is working around the clock to save and sustain lives with aeromedical evacuations and EMEDS, airlift, search and rescue and air refueling missions being flown.
· America’s Air Force is answering the call for emergency assistance in this crisis. Our total force – active, Air Guard and Air Force Reserve units – using a mix of air support, transportable hospitals, logistics and vital services are superbly trained and well equipped to respond to the nation’s call to help.
· U.S. Air Force Pararescue specialists are equipped with specialized night vision capabilities for search and rescue missions. They are highly trained emergency medical technicians.
· The U.S. Air Force has re-opened the New Orleans International Airport and are supervising flying operations in and out of the city. We’re experts in aerial operations in austere conditions.
· The Air Force is committed helping those in need for as long as we are needed.
· This is a collaborative effort. We are working to meet local and state requirements forwarded to the Department of Defense through state governors and FEMA federal coordinators.
· We are partnering with state and federal agencies, such as the Dept of Transportation to move supplies and equipment and the Dept of Health and Human Services to augment hospitals and provide medical support.
· US Northern Command is leading the Department of Defense effort, as directed by Secretary Rumsfeld, in direct support of FEMA and in accordance with the National Response Plan. Responding to disasters is something we have planned for, trained for, and are ready for.
· Responding to disasters is something we have planned for, trained for, and are ready for.
SECAF statement: "Our active, Air Guard and Air Force Reserve units have responded as a total force to this national emergency. Our goal is to save lives and help the people of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama recover from this disaster."
CSAF statement: "America's Air Force is answering the call for emergency assistance in this crisis. "Our total force -- active, Air Guard and Air Force Reserve --using a mix of air support, transportable hospitals, logistics and vital services, are superbly trained and well equipped to respond to the call for help. We will continue to work with other agencies to provide this much needed support."
http://www.redcross.org/faq/0,1096,0_682_4524,00.html#4524
ReplyDeleteHurricane Katrina: Why is the Red Cross not in New Orleans?
· Acess to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders.
· The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city.
· The Red Cross has been meeting the needs of thousands of New Orleans residents in some 90 shelters throughout the state of Louisiana and elsewhere since before landfall. All told, the Red Cross is today operating 149 shelters for almost 93,000 residents.
· The Red Cross shares the nation’s anguish over the worsening situation inside the city. We will continue to work under the direction of the military, state and local authorities and to focus all our efforts on our lifesaving mission of feeding and sheltering.
· The Red Cross does not conduct search and rescue operations. We are an organization of civilian volunteers and cannot get relief aid into any location until the local authorities say it is safe and provide us with security and access.
· The original plan was to evacuate all the residents of New Orleans to safe places outside the city. With the hurricane bearing down, the city government decided to open a shelter of last resort in the Superdome downtown. We applaud this decision and believe it saved a significant number of lives.
· As the remaining people are evacuated from New Orleans, the most appropriate role for the Red Cross is to provide a safe place for people to stay and to see that their emergency needs are met. We are fully staffed and equipped to handle these individuals once they are evacuated.