Katrina Live Threads, Part XV

U.S. commercial air carriers continue transporting tens of thousands of evacuees from the New Orleans airport to destinations throughout the nation.

Rooftop air rescue efforts continue. One rescue chopper crashed late today. Crew members are reported safe. Gunmen who fired upon bridge repair contractors were killed by law enforcement.

To date, an estimated 70 countries and U.S. businesses have pledged hundreds of millions of dollars, supplies, food and equipment to assist the United States' efforts in Katrina's aftermath. Lt. General Honore described the damage to Mississippi today, "all infrastructure south of Jackson, MS is either damaged or destroyed." Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice visited the devastated areas, and attended Sunday church services in Mobile, Alabama.

Elsewhere, Sean Penn's rescue boat, sans plug and full of his personal entourage,reportedly sank during launch in New Orleans. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) threatened to punch President Bush, and Jefferson Parish President Broussard decried that the bureaucracy of FEMA has committed murder.

New Orleans Emergency Operations Center - is now open:
504-463-1000
504-463-1001
504-463-1002

All information is subject to change. Many stations are relying on their corporate parents to configure and maintain Internet streaming. Because of the intense interest in the feeds, they may be unavailable at times because of network congestion or a problem feeding the video to the streaming servers.

WWL-TV New Orleans - WWL-TV is operating from studios at Louisiana Public Broadcasting. CBS has a relay during the morning and afternoon. When available, use the CBS relay first as they have greater streaming capacity. They have a secondary stream from Yahoo. WWL-TV is also offering a special low-bandwidth audio-only stream for dial-up users.

WDSU-TV New Orleans - The news staff has started to return to temporary news studios near New Orleans. However, expect evening coverage from Hearst-Argyle sister stations WAPT Jackson and WESH Orlando when the New Orleans staff needs to take a break.

WGNO-TV New Orleans - New Orleans' ABC affiliate has returned to the air with WBRZ-TV and launched video streaming with continuous Katrina coverage.

WPMI-TV Mobile, AL - WPMI is webcasting from 5:30am - 10:30pm CDT. When off air, you can view pre-recorded reports on demand. This feed is often unreliable.

WKRG-TV Mobile, AL - This station is providing good coverage of the situation to the east in Mississippi and Alabama. However, the station is now signing off at around 10:30pm CDT like WWL and WPMI.

WJTV-TV Jackson, MS - The CBS affiliate in Jackson is providing live coverage for both the Jackson area and south Mississippi (knowing a lot of media in that area is off the air).

WFAA-TV Dallas, TX - WFAA-TV is here because Dallas is one of the evacuation cities.

United Radio From New Orleans: WWL-AM, WNOE-FM, "KISS-FM," WRNO-FM, WYLD-FM, and WJBO-AM (Clear Channel & Entercom) who have joined forces as United Radio From New Orleans, and they are streaming.

Gulf Coast Storm Network (Clear Channel Radio) - Clear Channel offers radio listeners across the gulf coast access to a simulcast emergency radio service. This service seems primarily focused on Alabama and Mississippi, but does cover Louisiana to some degree.

Due to the number of requests to assist, the following list of some charities is provided.
This is not intended as an endorsement for any of the charities.

www.redcross.org or 1-800 HELP NOW - note: website is slow, and lines are busy
Salvation Army - 1-800-SAL-ARMY or Salvation Army currently looking for in-state volunteers - (888)363-2769
Operation Blessing: (800) 436-6348.
America's Second Harvest: (800) 344-8070.
Catholic Charities USA: (800) 919-9338, or www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee: (800) 848-5818.
Church World Service: (800) 297-1516 or online at www.churchworldservice. org.
Lutheran Disaster Response: (800) 638-3522.
Nazarene Disaster Response: (888) 256-5886.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance: (800) 872-3283.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is accepting donations at its 3,800 stores and Web site, www.walmart.com.
National Black Home Educators Resource Association http://www.nbhera.org/ Southern Baptist: NAMB - http://www.namb.net/
Samaritan's Purse - http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

I referred to another posting by TennTuxedo with a most horrific account of NO from a NOPD officer. Here's another one of TennTuxedo's postings from other threads, which I think wasn't posted here. It's another email, but it's proud and hopeful. Get some kleenex ready though.

Here is an email from a hurricane chopper relief pilot sent to me from this pilot's good friend and a resident of New Orleans who did evacuate the city ahead of the hurricane hitting land.

" A note from a friend running choppers in Louisiana.... No words to describe what I have seen. Much like Vietnam, but I wish to tell you all..the negative media can kiss my ass. I have seen miraculous and heroic action like you have never seen.

DO NOT listen to the negative media. They look to sensationalize and place blame. The sequence of events could not have been forseen and it was a minute by minute crisis like this country has never seen.

God bless the people who have served and God Bless the best damn military in the world and God Bless our President. He has shown strong leadership and screw the naysayers who try to politicize this issue..they have no damn clue..none.

I can tell you I have seen things I have never seen or thought possible and the good that is being done far, far outweighs the negative crap you see from media. Those magnificent ####s are getting it done and they are doing it without a road map. You adapt and you roll.

Put the damn petty politics aside and pitch in and support these wonderful men and women. There will be many books written and history will tell the real story. The cream has risen to the top and I have seen it firsthand and these people of New Orleans have cried in my arms thanking us and I can assure you that there will be a changing of their hearts of many when all this is said and done and they reflect back on the events.

A special thanks to the people of Lafayette and Baton Rouge. My crews say they have never seen such wonderful people in their lives. LSU coeds greeted us when we landed at Ryan field and Bernie Moore with food and water and tearful hugs and it meant so much to our haggared crews and pilots. We have been pushed to our limits but our crews never stopped and often we threw the rule book out the window. We just get it done. I have never done such flying in my life and I am so grateful I knew the lay of the land and was able to help our crews and the dozens of other crews. I have witnessed so much heroism and sacrifice. So many stories..real stories and the media needs to tell it to the American people.

Do not dispair...America and their people are strong and no other country in the world could have done what I have witnessed. This country will be so much stronger and do not let the few bring it down.

God Bless President Bush. I do not care what your politics are...but this man has and is showing leadership and I have witnessed it firsthand and I don't give a damn if John Kennedy or Abraham Lincoln or FDR was President...no one could have foretold the scope of this event and what it would entail...but by the grace of God it is getting done.

As I walked thropugh triage and smelled the death and saw the magnificent work being done under horrible conditions that are beyond description..I stopped to check on an elderly 80 year old lady sitting alone in a corner..she looked at me and smiled. She looked near death and I walked to her and asked if she was OK. She said she was dying, but that was OK..she welcomed the peace and seeing her God. She took my hand and said, "God Bless you and save all you can. God protects the saviors."

I tried to say something, but the words would not come out as my throat tightned and tears came into my eyes. I have not cried in 40 years, but I could not stop the tears from my eyes. I gathered my crew and went back to my mission. I told my crew we had to put on our game face and when we lost people..we just lost them. We had to keep on going. I am glad they did not see my tears.

Keep the faith and we as a people will be stronger. This country and it's people are magnificent. Absolutely magnificent.

Got to get some sleep. Later"

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