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Taking a Step Back
By Jan Larson (09/05/05)
The Monday morning quarterbacks are out in force critiquing the response to Hurricane Katrina and those critiques will certainly continue for a long time to come.
With so many still in harm’s way as of this writing, I will refrain from piling on criticism other than these observations:
1. Leadership, especially at the state and local levels, was (and is) abysmal. Days after the hurricane passed it continues to appear that no one is in charge.
2. Response was woefully slow (see item 1). Given the fact that it was known days in advance that a killer hurricane would strike the Gulf coast, there is little excuse for the failure of relief personnel and supplies to begin to arrive later than a few hours after the rain and wind stopped.
3. Far too many that were capable of leaving the area failed to do so despite warnings. Many of them are now dead.
4. The failure of the communications infrastructure was the single most significant factor leading to chaos and ultimately the needless deaths of many.
Taking a step back from the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the long-term consequences for those that either escaped the disaster or were rescued are not yet known and for many, it may take many months or years before their lives take on some semblance of normalcy.
Right now, the people streaming into shelters in Houston and other cities are simply grateful to be out of New Orleans and to have food to eat, water to drink and a place to sleep.
In a couple of weeks if not sooner, that euphoria will be gone and the carping will begin. No one can blame people who have lost all of their worldly possessions, their livelihoods and possibly friends and family for becoming disillusioned and bitter. That will happen. The question is, however, what will become of these people and what should the rest of us do to help?
Think about it. What would you do if everything that you owned, your home, your car, your furniture, your clothes, your pets, your photos, etc. were gone? What would you do if the business that you owned or the store in which you worked were destroyed? What would you do if you lost your driver’s license, your Social Security card, your checkbook and your credit cards? What would you do if you woke up in a different city with nothing to your name but the clothes you were wearing?
This is exactly what many of those displaced from New Orleans and surrounding areas are facing or will soon face.
The effect of these people on a personal level is going to be unbelievably profound. Each person takes his or her identity, on a very personal level, from the place where they live and the things they have. Yes, you could say that “things” can be replaced, and while that is true, simply replacing things that have meaning to people isn’t really replacing them and it will be very difficult for many.
Of practical consideration, where will the displaced live? Where will they work? There were thousands of people employed in New Orleans and the gulf region affected by Katrina. Some may be able to transfer with their company to another location elsewhere in the country. Others will not have it so easy. Those with marketable skills may be able to find work, but unskilled workers may have a tough time. School children and college students must be enrolled in new schools. The youngest will adapt most quickly, but it will be a difficult transition for many.
The cleanup of the region will be a daunting task, especially in the flooded city of New Orleans. Some very serious questions must be asked when it comes to rebuilding. Naturally, those closest to the situation are now saying that they will rebuild and restore the city, but in reality, that seems ill advised.
We have seen what happens when Mother Nature challenges mankind. Mother Nature wins.
The costs to clean up and rebuild New Orleans will be massive and the inherent problems of a city below sea level will remain. While politicians complain that the disaster could have been avoided if only more money would have been spent shoring up the levees, the fact remains that building and maintaining levees and pumps is an expensive and, as we’ve seen, a risky proposition.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert questioned rebuilding the city and suggested that it “could be bulldozed.” Of course some Louisiana politicians immediately pilloried his comments. The fact remains that for many of the outlying residential areas, bulldozing appears to be the only viable solution.
I have no doubt that the city will come back in some fashion, that the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama will persevere and that Americans from around the country will once again demonstrate their generosity in helping the recovery from this disaster.
There will be future disasters – hurricanes, earthquakes and floods. With the anniversary of September 11, 2001 fast approaching, we must also be aware of the fact that there also may be man-made disasters. The real question is whether our elected leaders will learn anything about disaster response. One thing is certain, al Qaeda undoubtedly is.
While the tragedy of Katrina is today’s news, it won’t be in tomorrow’s headlines. For the people affected, however, this tragedy will be with them for the rest of their lives. Let us all do what we can to help them recover and move forward as obviously there is no going back.
(Printer friendly version) Email: Jan Larson
Jan A. Larson is currently employed in private industry in Texas. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska, a Master of Science degree from the University of Kansas and an MBA from Colorado State University.
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Site: http://www.pieofknowledge.com
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United Progressive Socialist States of America
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