I don’t think there were any US citizens in our shelters. The problem with the ice storm is that it occurred in early January and knocked out power for several weeks in certain areas. The temperatures varied from 32F to -15F making it impossible for people to stay in their unheated houses or appartment buildings.

Interesting reading:
Storm

I agree...I think we we have seen played out here is a real life situation of the old fable the Grasshopper and the Ant.

The Ant's planned ahead..they left town, made other arrangements and generally prepared for what was upon them. The Grasshoppers...did nothing and now expect the ants to provide for them, rebuild their homes and take care of them.

This was a terrible tragedy. I feel for all the affected victims in the coast region, this situation would have been far less critical if the disaster plan already in place would have been followed, if money to fix the levees wasn't diverted to casinos and if the state officials would have done a better job. I do understand that many people did not have transportation... and I am sure not everyone in NO thinks like the majority of people on this site....but if I had small children..NO WAY would I be taking a chance...I would have walked my family North to avoid the storm..that's the disturbing thing for me. Many of these people had small children and make the decision to stay behind and chance it.

I'm just glad the body count has been gratefully lower than Mayor Nagins original projection of 10,000.

Blank Stare Blanco vs. Bambi Goat Book Bush in '01?

OOps. Politics. But how do you avoid the obvious?

Also, I gather that government benefits get paid at the beginning of the month, so a lot of folks who receive/depend on those payments were awfully low on funds when Katrina hit on the 29th.