Let’s see what we’ve learned.
Three weeks ago we watched the inundation, immersion, and destruction of a major American city. The population of New Orleans was scattered, with a sizeable number heading to Houston (150,000!). Because of this and the media attention that came with the evacuees, Houston residents have had a more personal experience of the costs of Katrina than most of the rest of us.
So, when an even bigger hurricane heads toward Houston, what do we expect the people there to do? Maybe they’ll pack up and leave? You think?
Mayor Bill White suggested that people in low-lying areas of his city might want to evacuate. That’s estimated at about 1 million people. Several hundred thousand people from the Gulf Coast are also moving north. That’s a lot of folks on the roads. Add to them all the people who learned one of the key lessons of Katrina: get out before the government – any level of government – becomes responsible for you.
Why weren’t the inbound lanes of the roads opened to outbound traffic? Why weren’t the police directing traffic more efficiently (they can do a much better job than that)? Why wasn’t there enough gasoline in and around the city? Where are the buses to evacuate those without transportation? Where are the citizen caravans of neighbors helping neighbors?
(I expect that we’ll soon be hearing some heartwarming stories about neighborhoods working together. But why do we also hear the Mayor direly warning that for people who don’t have any options "There will not be enough government vehicles to go and evacuate people in all the areas"? Why the fuck aren’t there enough vehicles, Mayor White?)
Is there enough water and food in the city? Are there stores of it in appropriate locations (how far will people have to walk)? How many National Guardsmen are in the city? How quickly will the airport be able to reopen for relief flights? How quickly will the city’s electrical grid be repaired? Are there enough engineers and maintenance workers still in the city? If there is “no gasoline left in the city”, are there still some stores for the rescue vehicles, the maintenance vehicles, the chainsaws?
How is the morale of the police department? Will they stick to their posts?
Are there convoys of water and food and fuel heading toward the city? Are there rescue efforts underway to take people off of the highways? Or will some people have to weather the storm huddling by their broken down jalopy?
Is there a chain of command? Is there anyone who is responsible?
Will anyone be held accountable?
Posted by Martial