Big Easy recoups much easier thanks to lessons from Katrina
Louisiana residents express gratitude to Kansas Guard members for relief help
3:22 p.m. Monday, September 8, 2008
In 12 hours, 49 News flew down to Louisiana and visited four communities where Kansas Guardsmen are providing relief aid. Our crew traveled to Carville, Port Barre, Baton Rouge and New Orleans, which was ground zero for Hurricane Katrina.
We discovered the lessons learned from Katrina three years ago are now helping victims of Hurricane Gustav.
"It was very, very dangerous. Right now, same situation but good," said one New Orleans resident who insisted only going by Lee.
This is a follow-up on a story we brought you Sunday. Read Part I: Kansas troops help out Gustav victims
Lee said during the hours and days after Hurricane Katrina, he was afraid to leave his home because of all the looting. Hours after Hurricane Gustav crashed ashore, the National guard began patrols.
Many of those soldiers providing relief in New Orleans are from Kansas. They are helping the Louisiana Guard get life back to normal for residents, but they also face challenges.
"Initially it was getting the citizens out of the city. The biggest challenge now is getting the citizens re-integrating back into the city," Louisiana Guard Sgt. Johhnie Ball said.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin says it's the levies that made the difference.
K-State research in Louisiana
Even K-state has a presence in Louisiana. 49 News crews ran into faculty conducting research. They are studying what residents learned from Hurricane Katrina.
"There was a better job of emergency preparedness for Gustav. That people did take evacuation orders more seriously this time because they understood how grave the consequences could be," K-State Associate Professor Joye C. Gordon said.
"That's giving people a lot of comfort in this community and around the country. It's saying America your investment paid off," Nagin said.
In Port Barre, 49 News crews saw residents thanking soldiers repeatedly for their help.
Kansas Adjutant General Tod Bunting said the residents' new awareness of hurricane dangers helped keep them safe.
"There were no rescues -- no rescues -- because people didn't put themselves in a position where they needed to be rescued," he said.
Now, the supplies just keep coming. Port Barre is one of the key distribution centers in the state.
Louisiana's Emergency Operations Center was in operation 24/7. Several Topeka residents, including Topeka Police Cpl. Tom McNeal and Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Mark Enghold, made it possible for other workers to take breaks and deal with their own clean-up.
"Things are much better organized and are running smooth considering the amount of devastation and the needs of the community," McNeal said.
"We're thanked constantly by troopers, people in the EOC, even the public when we stop for gasoline," Enghold said.
While our crew was in New Orleans, the power outage made headlines. That situation has gotten much better. At least 66 percent of the residents now have power.
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