The Refusal to Leave

For decades, indeed over a century, the greater population of New Orleans was recalcitrant about evacuating in the face of a hurricane. They had weathered many storms, and they were fond of saying "they always turn" as if by divine providence The Big Easy would always be spared. Then, in August 2005, hurricane Katrina loomed off shore. Many failed to evacuate despite authorities announcing this was "the big one." Over eighteen hundred people lost their lives. New Orleans was pumped dry, but is still being rebuilt three years later.

As hurricane Gustav approached South Louisiana, the exodus was massive, the largest in history. No doubt having Katrina and the toxic soup bowl she left behind fresh on their minds, New Orleans was deserted and left to weather the storm alone. She was spared. The storm "turned." The evacuees returned.

Then Ike appeared. It turned also, directly towards Galveston. Reportedly over 140,000 Texans refused to evacuate. Heads of families chose to put their loved ones at risk when authorities announced that staying would amount to "certain death." In 1900, an unnamed hurricane slammed into Galveston. Between 6000 and 12,000 people perished. The death toll from Ike is still unknown.

Why is it that people refuse to evacuate from an approaching hurricane? After Katrina, there was talk of the difficulty of evacuation for so many people who were dependent on public transportation. Evacuation of the sick and infirm can place them as much at risk as staying. For the healthy father with a minivan and a family, remaining in such a perilous place is beyond ludicrous. They place their loved ones at risk of annihilation to save a few possessions from the weather and looters.

Have they become accustomed to not believing the announcements over the airwaves days prior to landfall? Do the announcements need to be revised? Has faith in official announcements dwindled because of doom and gloom forecasts every time a hurricane enters the Gulf of Mexico? Does crying wolf over and over reduce the authorities to the status of Chicken Little? Or are these people simply stubbornly refusing to evacuate because they know they can refuse? Is it a childish aversion to authority telling them what they should do? Are they acting on emotions rather than logic? I do not know. I do think that the authorities need to take a hard sociological look at this phenomenon and make adjustments in how they recommend and order evacuations. If they do not, the death toll will only rise.

Portable Generators

It looks as though we have dodged another hurricane. I am considering a portable generator now. I priced a few around town. There are plenty leftover from hurricane Gustav, from new to factory reconditioned to used. The prices are high, and you pay for having it available right here right now. It seems this one from amazon.com is probably the best deal.
3250 Running Watts/4000 Max Watts
Eastern Tools & Equipment--7 HP OHV Engine
4 Gallon Tank Provides 13.5 Hours Of Run Time At 50% Load
120V GFCI Outlets/240V Twist Lock L14-20R

My needs are keeping the fish tanks going, probable power consumption there would be 350-400 watts without the heaters and lights. If it's winter and the heaters are used I can bump that up to 700 watts. So theoretically, I should be able to run a small window unit air conditioner and the tanks in hurricane season, and if we lose power in the winter, I should be able to keep the tanks going and have wattage to spare for other small items with a 4000 watt generator. I'm busy researching the different types of portable generators. This web page is particularly helpful. Any advice is welcome.

Ike's Landfall

Authorities in three counties estimate approximately 90,000 people refused to evacuate in the face of hurricane Ike, despite a dire warning from forecasters that many of those in one or even two story homes faced "certain death."

"I believe in the man up there, God," said William Steally, a 75-year-old retiree who planned to ride out the storm in Galveston without his wife or sister-in-law. "I believe he will take care of me."



Our prayers are with those on the Texas coast.

Pet Evacuations

It is no secret that I am not a fan of the Red Cross. It is also not a secret that I am an advocate for firearms, self determination and individualism. I am also a bonafide dog lover. During the evacuation preceding hurricane Gustav's landfall in South Louisiana, evacuees were supposed to be able to bring their pets with them. Thus, when I saw this sign posted yet again in a Red Cross shelter during the Gustav evacuation, I was compelled to photograph it, lest it be later denied.

I, myself, would never leave a pet behind to evacuate myself. My dog trusts me with her life. She worships me as her master. Her life is precious, and I would rather spend a night in a blanket huddled under an overpass in hurricane force winds with her than seek shelter two hundred miles away while I leave her behind to a fate that I could prevent. Our dogs are devoted to us, giving us total and unconditional love simply because they are ours. They would lay down their lives for us, without hesitation, and without regret. We owe it to them, to ourselves, and to the God who gave man such a wondrous partner, to be a worthy steward of that fidelity.

Many pet owners feel the same. That devotion is one of the prime reasons many people did not evacuate before Katrina. The shameful remains of the animals left behind tethered in their own feces, dead and riddled with maggots, putrid from the oppressive heat in post-Katrina New Orleans still haunt me. I can not help but think they must have died confused, wondering how and why their master could do such a thing. The dogs standing on porches, jumping into black water and swimming to boats to regain human contact and support still bring a lump to my throat.

In times of great stress, the gentle nudge of a canine friend can bring solace that can come from no other place. One mass shelter in our area provided for pets. At least one refused them. I am not some PETA radical, I am simply a human who will repay the love and devotion given freely to me simply because I am a friend.

Looters Fired Upon

National Guardsmen protecting three 18 wheelers carrying hurricane related supplies in Evangeline Parish were fired upon by looters early this morning. The servicemen returned fire with their M-16's.

"Sometime after midnight, somewhere between two and three criminals, we believe they were attempting to loot those supplies, actually opened fire," Governor Bobby Jindal stated. "They fired about five or six shots at the National Guardsmen. The MPs, the military police, that were there took shelter behind their military vehicle. They returned fire with their M-16 rifles. The criminals fled."

The criminals remain at large. "I would just ask our people to continue to be vigilant about their safety," Jindal continued. Roger that.

Power Back On

Across Louisiana we have been pounded by the remains of hurricane Gustav. Rather than keep moving, it stalled over Shreveport, and the bands of torrential weather deluged and swept the state as it expended it's last breath.

In my neighborhood we have been fortunate. Quite a few trees fell as the water logged earth coughed up large rootballs after the wind applied leverage against the branches. Streets have been closed as crews worked to restore power. Several lines and transformers were down.

The trunks of mossy old oak trees were broken, the winds having twisted them beyond their endurance. As our water recedes, the evacuees are flooding the highways on the way back down South. After work this afternoon, I had the opportunity to ride my bike around the neighborhood to survey the damage and to get a fix on how long it might take to get power again.

When I got home, the power was back on, the fish were still alive, and Ilsa was overjoyed to see me. I decided to curl up on the sofa and take a nap instead.

Gator on the Loose

Strange things happen during hurricanes. Early this morning, an alligator made it's way out of the bayous and into the streets. Dogs were barking, cameras were flashing, women and children were screaming. Wildlife and Fisheries sent out a couple of alligator wranglers. Surprisingly, they were not from the local gator farm. Yes, we have an alligator farm nearby.

The wranglers did their best to corral and capture the critter, but the gator was uncooperative. Armed with only courage, a pole noose and duct tape, the wranglers were no match for the wild gator. After it snapped at a leg, the wranglers had enough. Authorization was given, and the animal was shot.

There is frequent speculation on gun forums over what is the "best" caliber for bears, zombies.......or gators. I can say unequivocably that .45 ACP hardball works fine on eight and a half foot gators, assuming the shot placement is good. The problem is getting the critter to hold still, and aligning the sights at night, exactly where the wrangler is telling you to shoot. This is a case where I would agree that a laser sight would be advantageous.

Flood Control

During the whipping deluge of the dying Gustav, we got rain and wind. Lots of rain and wind. The key to keeping the flooding down here in North Louisiana is to keep the drainage systems clear. Over the past three days we have gotten close to twelve inches of rain. While that doesn't seem like much, it gathers in the low areas, making flooding a serious problem.

My hat is off to each humble hero that regularly went out of their home during the worst of the storm to clear leaves and debris off the sewer grates along the streets. May every driver that knowingly sprayed these people with water as the sped by, or toppled them over in the wakes their automobiles were making suffer the curse of the waterlogged ignition system.

Power Loss........

Quick note from library computer..... Gustav stalled out over Shreveport. We are getting battered by the bands. I got the limb off the roof during a reprieve in the squalls. Power is lost. Family and dogs and fish OK.

Limbs and Looters and Drug Seekers

According to CBS News, nearly two million people evacuated South Louisiana as hurricane Gustav approached. I spent most of the day at the hospital, working. The emergency department was filled with drug seekers who claimed to have left their sanity preserving tablets behind. It wasn't an easy day, and I found it hard to be empathetic.

Between cases, I stole glances at the weather channel to keep tabs on things. The industrial canal levees were impressive, but the most memorable on the spot coverage was a reporter who pointed out that some limbs were bent, and that the parking lot with speed bumps above the water she stood in was "flooded." I suppose she was an Arizona reporter. We have been lucky. Power is out all across the state, but here, the lights stay lit, and the air conditioner churning, although once in a while the lights dim or flicker. The winds are still rattling the window panes. Limbs are down and the store shelves are bare, but there are a few cheerful signs.

Amazingly, the price of gasoline went down. Most people, myself included filled the gas tanks of our cars on Friday or Saturday at $3.89 a gallon. Today, gas is $3.59 a gallon. Looting has been curtailed in South Louisiana by announcing that looters would be bused directly to Angola and housed among the general population. This was odd, as pointed out by one blogger, as those accused are held in jails, while those convicted go to penitentiaries.. But then, there was a report of at least two looters, Thomas Battenburg of Arabi and Kelcy Price of Ponchatoula who experienced just that surprise. Angola. The Farm. Famous for "Dead Man Walking" and the Angola Prison Rodeo. Louisiana State Penitentiary. LSP stands for something else among the prison population, "Last Slave Plantation." True or not, the threat of Angola seems to have been effective.

It's looking like the levees held in New Orleans. Grand Isle and Lafitte were hit the hardest, it seems. Lafitte is still fighting rising water. It makes the limb that dropped across the roof of my veranda an hour or so ago seem small potatoes.

We are still waiting for confirmation that the worst is over. It's somewhat understandable why some people chose to stay in New Orleans, saying the hurricanes "always turn." Picking up one's life every two weeks and running from a storm during hurricane season can be trying. I suppose a lot of people feel rather silly for evacuating. I know I feel rather silly in my precautions. I'm just thankful that the evacuees will have a place to go home to, and perhaps by the middle of the week things will be back to normal. Tonight, a curfew is in effect. Tomorrow, after the blow is over, I will fire up the chainsaw and deal with the limb on the roof and any more that may fall tonight.

Landfall

The Black Devil

I went to the hospital early this morning to knock out the last two elective cases on the calendar. All other elective cases are on standby, emergent stuff only. There are three official evacuation shelters in my area, and they were filling up at six this morning. By the time I stripped off my surgical scrubs around 11:00, they were all full to overflowing, and people were feigning heart problems and other assorted ailments so they could get themselves and their families into the hospital. This is one time I am thankful I do not work emergency anymore*.

Once home, I began to take inventory of all the items my wife had purchased the past couple of days. Fifteen days worth of toilet paper.....Check. Beaucoup canned goods..........Check. Cigars.........Check. Distilled water to keep the saltwater tanks at a correct salinity for the fishies........Check.

Getting a generator at this late date is a lost cause. Instead, I am going to rely on minnow bucket aerators to keep the tanks going if need be. The neighborhood is full of live oaks that shed limbs on power lines without discrimination. If we lose power though, I don't expect it to last more than a day or two. Judicious use of battery power will more than cover the fish, I believe. Food, water, toilet paper, a crank 'em up radio, buckshot, and a good charge on the cell phone, and I should be good.

Of greater concern is the additional people who are out and about. Last night, as my wife slept and as I was publishing the "Locking and Loading" piece, Ilsa was asleep at my feet. Suddenly she perked up, jerked up, and sauntered to the front of the house with a purpose. That's not unusual, really, she usually inspects things and comes back to snooze some more.

This time was different. I heard her snort at the front door, and suddenly start barking with determination. I placed the nearest loaded gun at hand, a nickel Model 10 snubbie into my pocket and went to see what was the matter.

Ilsa was not giving up. I placed her leather quick leash over her head and without turning on the porch light, I took a look through the peephole. Nothing. Ilsa was insistent, still barking, and snarling gutteral growls.

I quickly opened the front door and Ilsa lunged forward on the leash, white teeth flashing and barking into the darkness. Two dark figures bolted away from my wife's car, shouting "Diablo! Diablo!" In a flurry of feet they were down the street, without looking back. Ilsa strained at her leash, standing up on her hind legs to get at them. To calm her down, I took her around to the areas where they had been, and let her urinate on all the spots she wanted. My wife's car was still secured. After that, the night was quiet.

*Scratch that....... In the middle of typing this post, I got called back to the hospital because of some jughead in the convention center.

Contraflow

The routes out of NOLA went to contraflow at 4:00 AM. this morning. Camera of I-10 at Power Blvd



This is the 2008 contraflow map out of New Orleans. Click to embigginate as needed.

Estimated evacuation drive times from New Orleans to:
Alexandria-- 16 hours
Baton Rouge-- 8 hours
Lafayette-- 8 hours
Lake Charles-- 16 hours
Shreveport-- 20 hours
Hattiesburg-- 8 hours
Jackson 24-- hours
Meridian-- 16 hours
Travel time during an evacuation is four times longer than in normal conditions.
Click the photo at right to go to other traffic cameras.

State Emergency Alert Broadcasting System

Greater New Orleans WWL 870 AM & WLMG 101.9 FM
Baton Rouge WJBO 1150 AM & WFMF 102.5 FM
Lafayette KVOL 1330 AM & KTDY 99.9 FM
Lake Charles KLCL 1470 AM & KHLA 99.5 FM
Shreveport KWKH 1130 AM & 94.5 FM
Alexandria KZMZ 580 AM & 96.9 FM
Monroe KNOX 540 AM & 101.9 FM

Download the 2008 Louisiana Citizen Awareness & Disaster Evacuation Guide (pdf)

Locking and Loading

Gun, ammo sales are brisk ahead of storm
By Chris Kirkham Times Picayune
Saturday, August 30, 2008

On what would normally be a slow summer weekday, the three employees at Gretna Gun Works Inc. frantically tended to a crush of customers admiring the racks of shotguns and rifles lined up behind the glass counter.

Among the patrons: a jewelry store owner from eastern New Orleans with plans to stand guard through Gustav; two uniformed Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office deputies inquiring about additional firearms; and an avid hunter who was in to pick up a 12-gauge he dropped off for cleaning. "It's hurricane season, you definitely want it back now, right?" employee John DeRosier said with a grin as he handed the Beretta shotgun back to the owner.

In yet another sign of hardened sensibilities in post-Katrina New Orleans, managers of gun shops and sporting goods stores across the area report a spike in gun and ammunition sales this week. As Gustav inches closer to the Gulf of Mexico, the stark images of looting and chaos in Katrina's wake remain fresh on residents' minds. Fears of property damage after a frustrating, three-year rebuilding process have some considering staying behind and taking security into their own hands.

Firefighters and other emergency personnel required to stay behind are among the more frequent customers, store managers said. "I just don't think people want to be caught with their pants down," said Robby Lack of Destrehan, who was walking out of an Academy sporting goods store this week with ammunition for the shotgun and two pistols he owns, along with gasoline containers and other hurricane supplies.

Lack plans to stay behind unless Gustav strengthens to a Category 4 or 5 hurricane, although he's quick to admit that his quiet suburban subdivision likely won't see much crime. "I'm not one of those crazy kind of people that think we're going to be at war with ourselves, but you just never know," Lack said. "I have all the faith in the world in our law enforcement, but they can't be at every place at every time."

Charlie Marshall, a towboat captain who plans to watch over his home in Gretna, had a bleaker view of local law enforcement abilities. "If the cops are looting, who's going to protect my ass?" he asked.

After Katrina, some police officers were spotted taking basic supplies from stores, and, in isolated cases, items that didn't appear necessary for survival. Though frustrated after having his purchase of a .22-caliber rifle delayed by a routine background check, Marshall still had several boxes of bullets and buckshot for his shotgun and 9 mm pistol. "Any man that doesn't stand up to protect their own assets doesn't deserve to be here," he said.

The right to bear arms became a flash point of controversy after Katrina, when police officers seized guns from civilians. The outcry from Second Amendment activists led more than a dozen states -- including Louisiana -- to pass laws restricting local officials from confiscating firearms during disasters.

Louisiana requires a concealed-handgun license, but no permits for other guns purchased in the state. Before selling a gun, dealers in the state are required to run the purchaser's name through the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check system. Within seconds, the system tells dealers whether the person can purchase a gun, or if more information is needed. The FBI collects those inquiries on a statewide basis, so no data for the New Orleans area was available. This month, there have been 16,968 inquiries throughout the state, compared with 17,062 for August 2007.

Corporate spokeswomen at both Academy Sports and Outdoors and Wal-Mart declined to comment on the rate of firearms or ammunition purchases this week. But traffic through the ammunition aisles at the West Bank Academy was brisk, and lines at the gun counter remained steady this week. Kevin Griffin, a manager at the Jefferson Gun Outlet in Metairie, said crowds in the store this week resembled the first day of hunting season. Even though the storm's path is still up in the air, residents are buying ammunition just like necessities such as batteries and water, he said. "It's just like any other hurricane supply," Griffin said. "People are getting ready."

Inside the dimly lit, wood-paneled Gretna Gun Works, a 60-year-old mainstay for new and antique firearms near the Gretna riverfront, workers have seen nearly a twofold increase in business this week. A black-and-white framed photo of former Sheriff Harry Lee, surrounded by two stuffed pheasants, looked down on the store workers as they enjoyed a rare pause in business. DeRosier stood in front of a bumper sticker that read, "Gun control means using both hands," as he matter-of-factly gave his analysis of looting after Katrina. "They didn't break in where the people had shotguns," he said.

A Humble Request

Clean out your freezers.

Getting Ready........

Things are about to get real busy for old Xavier in the next few days. Blogging will be sporadic, if at all.

If you live on the Gulf Coast and are just waiting and wondering, I urge you to spend a little time at Listening to Katrina. Instead of sitting like a dazed zombie before the weather channel, use this time wisely.

Yep, It's Coming.......

We are getting prepared to accept the first wave of evacuees this weekend. Louisiana has already declared a State of Emergency and has mobilzed the National Guard.

As of this time, forecasts show Gustav approaching New Orleans as a Category 3 hurricane by Labor Day.

Forget about the levees guys........

Bicycles in a Disaster Zone

With the opening of hurricane season this year, I was reading an internet article penned by a person considering escaping a hurricane zone by bicycle. The writer listed the advantages, and there are some. However, as much as I love bicycling, I consider a bike to be best used as a secondary mode of transport, one strapped to the exterior of an enclosed vehicle that offers some protection from the elements and from looters during evacuation. Cars can carry more, they can be used as shelter, and if well maintained and used appropriately and in a timely manner, they are vastly superior to a bicycle. Remember, you may be going 300 to 400 miles, with your family in tow, and probably setting up a temporary residence elsewhere. Give yourself the best chance possible.

A bike comes into it's own as a secondary vehicle. It requires no fuel, it can travel over and past things a car cannot. Bikes are great for taking a five mile trip to a gas station, scouting ahead of traffic jams for better places to turn off congested highways(use a partner on the bike and communicate with the FM walkie talkie things), and to get around campsites crowded with evacuees.

If you use a bike to go back into the disaster zone, I recommend a heavy chain lock and a U-lock for when you leave it unattended. A basket is great, and I would run kevlar belted mud grip tires. Roofing nails will be more common than broken glass in the disaster zone. Strap a gallon jug of water to the back. It’s going to be hot and humid. Know your routes.......And alternate ones. Wear gloves and a helmet. Do not travel alone. Carry a gun.

"The debris on Lake Catherine was more interesting and varied as well as more plentiful, to the pile I crossed in Slidell. Besides the usual stuffed animals and TV sets, I noticed a shotgun in a plastic carrying case, bottles of Vodka, Scotch, and J.D., a nearly complete black Naugahide bar with matching naugahide stools, and believe it or not, a dildo. I was in Orleans Parish, after all. They don't call this town the "Big Easy" for nothing."

Here is an informative website about using a bicycle to get around the disaster zone. Remember that you may be the only human life for miles. Give yourself the best chance possible.

Listening To Katrina

Ever consider a "bug out bag?" Ever wonder what it's really like to have to leave your home in an emergency? What do you take? What do you leave? Which way do you go? How the hell do you prioritize? Do you survive, or do you prosper? Or do you die? Two and a half years ago, the Gulf Coast was destroyed by Katrina. I still hear people in my own area talking zombie killing "I am Legend" fantasy bullshit when it comes to surviving a disaster. My own blog, this one, was started as a guttural response to hurricane Katrina.

Although I saw the results of what occurred, I fortunately was not forced to leave home. I did not have to escape with hungry children in tow. My family remained intact and safe. My blog morphed towards other concerns. Other blogs that chronicled Katrina have slipped away. One, "Listening to Katrina" is a resource for those who wish to learn the lessons of survival from the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.

"If you don't like guns, then we're going to need to have a talk about this later. My plan calls for me to take my primary defense gun (in addition to my pistols) with me. I, and I alone, am responsible for the protection of my Health, Wealth, and Family, and the firearm is a key instrument in that philosophy. A gun is not only wealth, but the means to defend that wealth. I am not speaking to you from a theoretical standpoint. Get one."

Go there. Give it a read. Learn. Listen to Katrina.

The Great New Orleans Gun Grab

The Great New Orleans Gun Grab by Gordon Hutchinson & Todd Masson is due to be released on November 15.

August 29, 2005, was a day no American will ever forget. When Hurricane Katrina, one of the top five-strongest storms ever to build in the Atlantic Basin, slammed into the city of New Orleans, her towering storm surge tested the limits of the flood walls and levees protecting one of America’s largest cities. The surge would find them lacking.

As the city filled and drowned, it descended into mass hysteria and anarchy, and within hours became a place that would reveal to Americans whether their Constitution had any more value than the frayed, fragile, brown parchment on which it is written.

As looters and thugs took over, the city’s leaders turned their crosshairs and iron sights toward the lawful, gun-toting citizens who sought nothing more than to defend themselves from the marauding hordes. In what proved to be the greatest real-life test case of the Second Amendment in American history, America failed miserably.

The Great New Orleans Gun Grab tells the story of New Orleans residents who legally defied mandatory evacuation orders to protect their property, and who were subsequently beaten, harassed and robbed of their guns by the very civil authority that was funded and charged to protect them.

You can order your copy here.