New Orleans - on their own

[Justicedog]

With this warning given, days before the storm,

Nagin has used stark language to get his message across to residents, calling Gustav the "mother of all storms." Emergency officials have repeatedly warned that those who stay are on their own, and there will be no shelter of refuge like in Katrina, when thousands waited helplessly for rescue in a squalid Superdome.

What, if any, response should emergency officials give to those who didn't listen and heed the advice?

[Joyto5]

I would "hope" that Katrina is still fresh on everyone's mind and they get the Heck out of there! Why leave any emergency officials behind to watch over those that won't watch out for themselves.

[Teresa64]

I agree. I think they should just do what they are told or be left on their own. If they won't heed the warning then thats their problem

[Sashahomeschoolmama]

I think that anyone working in law enforcement or emergency health care has a moral obligation to help those in need, even if those in need are absolute morons. We don't leave drunk drivers laying in the road to bleed to death and certainly nobody is unaware of the dangers of drinking and driving.

However, I don't think that those emergency personnel should be put at risk of bodily injury to help others, unless perhaps we're talking about helicopter rescues or something.

[Joyto5]

I'm sure there will be those that aren't able to leave, Be it health reasons, no family no transportation... (I also think the city took care of that. Getting everyone transportation that needs it and help.) It's the morons that stay behind for whatever reason, that are more then capable of getting out that put themselves in harms way.

Like Sasha said, "anyone working in law enforcement or emergency health care has a moral obligation to help those in need". So I'm sure there are those that volunteer and put their lives at risk for the few that aren't able to leave. I truly pray that ALL abled bodied people head the warnings and GET OUT so they aren't being a burden on everyone else!

[Marysmom]

From what I've seen on the news, there is no reason someone can't leave if they want to. I don't believe the stragglers should be helped until the threat of the storm has passed. Though, I pray for those who've chosen such a stubborn and foolish path.

[JudyJudyJudy]

Things are never as easy and straightforward as they seem to outsiders. Perhaps this (posted on another thread) should be taken into consideration:

Its a mess getting out of New Orleans. All my extended family lives there. My cousin drove for 6.5 hours last night and only made it 33 miles. :( There is no gas either, all the gas stations are out.

[Earthmama]

I'm concerned for those who feel they can't leave. Judy brings up a valid point.

[hidesome]

Personally, I'd stay.

[Gigi]

My sister left on Saturday morning. They made it out fine.

She said some people she works with left early this morning and it took them almost 13 hours to get from Kenner, LA (where the airport is) to Vicksburg, MS. This is usually a 3-hour trip.

She also said that they shut down I-10. The only way to get out as of 5pm was to head North or West.

[jessiehannan]

I feel bad for the people that can't afford to take off work and leave earlier,they end up stuck in traffic wasting gas they don't have. They really need to set up a better evacuation plan, where there is a steady stream of people leaving, but not every one laving at once and causing a nasty mess.
People who were not able to leave for what ever reasons, should be assisted before those who chose to stay.

[Michaelrob]

With this warning given, days before the storm,



What, if any, response should emergency officials give to those who didn't listen and heed the advice?

Are you fucking kidding me? So if someone in New Orleans does not have a car, can't afford a bus or is otherwise stranded at home then emergency personnel should not have to help them if they need it? I am speechless."rant"

[hotlama]

If New Orleans has an international airport, I am curious why the military doesn't just fly people out in cargo planes. You could evacuate 1000's of people in a matter of a few hours and take them to multiple locations so the surrounding areas aren't as stressed.

[hotlama]

I'm also curious why the founding fathers of New Orleans were dumb enough to build a town below sea level right next to the sea. Doesn't make sense.

[QuiltyConscience]

With this warning given, days before the storm,



What, if any, response should emergency officials give to those who didn't listen and heed the advice?

the very same thing that Emergency response teams do for anybody else gets lost or stranded, hurt, etc.

I pretty much feel the same way about ambulances, the fire dept, and police.

[QuiltyConscience]

And how in the world would rescue workers even know who willingly stayed behind because they were being stubborn or if someone couldn't leave for whatever reason?

There isn't time to sort out WHY people are in trouble.

[babymakes4]

human life is human life. Weather or not those people made a foolish choice or not they still deserve help and medical attention when the storm is over. However, they should be on their own DURING the storm, and until medical personell can reach them. I would not think it ok to make EMT's Fire Fighters, And Police, stay behind because of a few people who refuse to leave when they knew this horrible storm was coming. They were warned.

[gobucks1013]

Are you fucking kidding me? So if someone in New Orleans does not have a car, can't afford a bus or is otherwise stranded at home then emergency personnel should not have to help them if they need it? I am speechless."rant"

I believe the point of Nagin's warning (although not very professionally delivered) was to discourage thousands and thousands of people with the means to evacuate from blatently ignoring the mandatory evacuation with the expectation that emergency services will be at their beckon call.

A mandatory evacuation order is just that, mandatory. Once the local government designated the evacuation mandatory, they have a responsbility to assist those without transportation and/or funds to obtain transportation. From what I've read, the state of LA has allocated around $7 million for buses to provide a means for evacuating those in need. They also assumed the responsibility of evacuating hospital patients and frail eldery from nursing homes. If everyone without a means of evacuating has been provided with one and they STILL CHOOSE to stay behind, I think it is absolutley fair to deny them emergency assistance until the brunt of the storm has passed.

It is not as though the people who CHOOSE to stay behind are being callously denied basic human rights. They chose their plight as far as I'm concerned, and they should be held accountable for said choice until emergency services can be safely deployed without a threat to the emergency personnel. It is NOT fair to expect emergency personnel to literally risk life and limb during 150mph winds and torrential rains because some willingly chose to ignore the mandatory evacuation order and/or chose not accept the means of evacuation provided by the state.

[Gigi]

FREE transportation was offered to evacuate, both bus and train...they left on FRIDAY.