HI everyone,
I lived at one point in my life in NOLA (New Orleans, LA) as it's called (3 years).
At present I live in Baton Rouge, LA for the last 20 years.
Been through a number of Hurricanes, including Andrew,Betsy and Camile.
Les Stround is one of my favorites, and the urban survival was vintage as well. Les just never seems to disappoint, there is always a tid-bit for even the most seasoned ETS visitor.
Most of us (Louisiana except NOLA) are actually very prepared, The most common item being purchased before a storm is ICE (it's hard to have extra ice perpetually). My residence is suburban, but like most of my block,we have generators,battery powered everything, batteries that would match a lot of hardware stores, extensive first aid supplies,water,food,BOB,tools,Firearms, extra bedding for unexpected guest and relatives etc.
At the store most of the natives in Louisiana would chuckle at someone buying batteries the day before a hurricane.
As far as people thinking it wouldn't be that bad, I can't imagine anyone being that silly.
New Orleans is geographically in Louisiana, but almost in no other way. Most natives don't call it the big easy either, but in fact many of my friends and relatives in New Orleans are so complacent that is drives me to tears.
Most people outside of NOLA had the impression that a Katrina was inevitable. It's been a long time coming.
The most common item purchased in NOLA before the hurricane was beer and spirits.
"Laissez les bon temps roulette"(Let the good times roll) is a popular song, and I guess things were good most of the time.
The past couple of near misses caused people to wait to evacuate (a small percentage) and then those who waited went to the Super dome in shorts with flip flops, sans any kind of food,water,radio,anything. Just waiting on the government support and planning.
Strangely New Orleans is both urban and suburban, while inhabited by some of the poorest folks you can imagine.
The suburbs were and are much better prepared than the city proper. New Orleans is also home to some of the most illiterate and uneducated people in the US.
Even as a Louisiana is my home state, I have little sympathy with most NOLA dwellers. New Orleans has had so many problems, none of which are ever addressed by the people who live there,
Mostly it's just a complaint for someone else to fix it.
I am not saying that anyone there deserved it.
Just that it was both predicable and preventable.
Now the rebuilding is likely to follow the same pattern with the next hurricane causing a repeat.
As bad as this was, most major cities in the US are in just about the same shape. The big one in LA (West Coast) could put Katrina to shame, same for Frisco. One final thought is that MOST of the people who lived in NOLA and the suburbs DID evacuate, and have had plenty of practice and warning. How would that stack up with a NO WARNING event like an earthquake ? Prior evacuation wouldn't be an option. Then I wonder how prepared the average person would be prepared ?
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