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Posted
I can give you one if you want?

 

Just stop the rescue and evac effort.

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I considered that. I don't consider it a "better" idea, as that kills everyone. The real trick is how to maximize survival...which sadly seems has come down to a very conscious and brutal triage: "What's the least number of people we will directly or indirectly kill to recover this situation?" Seriously, we might be looking at a situation where critical care patients might have to be abandoned to die in hospitals so that those that can be moved can be saved.

 

:blink: Frightening thought. Civilization is more fragile than we'd like to believe, apparently.

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Posted
I considered that.  I don't consider it a "better" idea, as that kills everyone.  The real trick is how to maximize survival...which sadly seems has come down to a very conscious and brutal triage: "What's the least number of people we will directly or indirectly kill to recover this situation?"  Seriously, we might be looking at a situation where critical care patients might have to be abandoned to die in hospitals so that those that can be moved can be saved. 

 

:blink:  Frightening thought.  Civilization is more fragile than we'd like to believe, apparently.

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Stop making sense. Say in those terms and I am on board, my emotions can't get in the way of sensibilites.

 

<_<

Posted
Who said anything about sticking anyone's head in the sand?

 

The point I keep trying to make (unsuccesfully, I guess) is that in a muliti-trillion dollar economy like the U.S., as bad as things seem right now, the OVERALL impact is still relatively small.  The economy can absorb this if we don't get some kind of collective panic attack due to CNN/Fox overload.

 

The issue appears to be too polarizing/emotional right now (understandable).  But the impact/implications will become clearer in the next few days.

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I guess things are starting to become clearer...

Posted

If they want to rebuild where NO is now they should model it after Venice - keep the water, do not allow cars, only have boats.

Posted

This guy is apparently in a building downtown in NO with a generator - diesel fuel and internet access.....so he is posting live reports throughout the day.

 

This is the most compelling thing I read there:

 

In case anyone in national security is reading this, get the word to President Bush that we need the military in here NOW. The Active Duty Armed Forces. Mr. President, we are losing this city. I don't care what you're hearing on the news. The city is being lost. It is the law of the jungle down here. The command and control structure here is barely functioning. I'm not sure it's anyone's fault -- I'm not sure it could be any other way at this point. We need the kind of logistical support and infrastructure only the Active Duty military can provide. The hospitals are in dire straights. The police barely have any capabilities at this point. The National Guard is doing their best, but the situation is not being contained. I'm here to help in anyway I can, but my capabilities are limited and dropping. Please get the military here to maintain order before this city is lost.

 

 

Here is the link: http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/

Posted
This guy is apparently in a building downtown in NO with a generator - diesel fuel and internet access.....so he is posting live reports throughout the day.

 

This is the most compelling thing I read there:

 

In case anyone in national security is reading this, get the word to President Bush that we need the military in here NOW. The Active Duty Armed Forces. Mr. President, we are losing this city. I don't care what you're hearing on the news. The city is being lost. It is the law of the jungle down here. The command and control structure here is barely functioning. I'm not sure it's anyone's fault -- I'm not sure it could be any other way at this point. We need the kind of logistical support and infrastructure only the Active Duty military can provide. The hospitals are in dire straights. The police barely have any capabilities at this point. The National Guard is doing their best, but the situation is not being contained. I'm here to help in anyway I can, but my capabilities are limited and dropping. Please get the military here to maintain order before this city is lost.

Here is the link: http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/

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Yeah, right. They got precious diesel and he is wasting it making a blog 20 times in the last 24 hrs.

Posted
This guy is apparently in a building downtown in NO with a generator - diesel fuel and internet access.....so he is posting live reports throughout the day.

 

This is the most compelling thing I read there:

 

In case anyone in national security is reading this, get the word to President Bush that we need the military in here NOW. The Active Duty Armed Forces. Mr. President, we are losing this city. I don't care what you're hearing on the news. The city is being lost. It is the law of the jungle down here. The command and control structure here is barely functioning. I'm not sure it's anyone's fault -- I'm not sure it could be any other way at this point. We need the kind of logistical support and infrastructure only the Active Duty military can provide. The hospitals are in dire straights. The police barely have any capabilities at this point. The National Guard is doing their best, but the situation is not being contained. I'm here to help in anyway I can, but my capabilities are limited and dropping. Please get the military here to maintain order before this city is lost.

Here is the link: http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/

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I call bull sh--...just because "losing the city" is putting it mildly. It's lost. If it weren't, they wouldn't be trying to get everyone out...

Posted

The response being mobilized is massive, and just about anything that can be thought about is being provided. This is a national disaster. These types of scenarios have been thought about, "wargamed" and planned for. You just can't "instantly" send the military in. FEMA is the lead federal agency here. They call the shots, and they have called them. It is impossible to deploy anything other than small emergency assessment type units and forward command and control in less than a couple days. A key word is assessment. It's very easy to let emotion ride and point fingers, but everything that can be done is being or will be done. Communications are gone, it takes time to evaluate what needs to go where. The regional response assetts are phased, on a clock. Certain things happen within 24 hours, certain things in 36, 48,96, etc. As ugly as many want to make it seem, it has to be done this way. Rushing willy nilly into a situation does more harm than good. An organized, controlled effort is better both in the long and short term.

 

When you start talking about thousands of troops and relief workers, don't forget that they have to eat and sleep too. In order to do any good, they have to be efficiently supported. Where is the fuel for the helicopters going to come from?

 

Unfortunately, though no one wants to hear it and wants everything RIGHT NOW, it can't and shouldn't happen that way. An organized response, performed by people who live this stuff daily will save thousands more lives in the long run than any half cocked "ride to the sound of the guns" approach.

 

People are doing all they can, and more.

Posted

The FEMA spokesman said the same thing a few hours ago. IYou have to set up the support for the guard or they become part of the problem.

Posted
Rushing willy nilly into a situation does more harm than good. An organized, controlled effort is better both in the long and short term.

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Which, by the way, is why they don't go randomly dropping pallets of food on people's heads.

 

Your post though...crisis management 101. A crisis is pretty much by definition a cluster!@#$. You don't address a cluster!@#$ with yet another cluster!@#$.

Posted
OK.. All jokes about the Canadian military aside, we're keen to help if needed:

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20050901/ca...katrina_cda_aid

Actually, the water purification system referenced is really something. After the tsunami it was set up in Sri Lanka:

 

http://www.terradaily.com/2005/050204015405.2avtt95n.html

 

If GW says he wants our help he'll get it!

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Must....resist....jokes......

 

Thanks Canada.

 

Wow, that was hard. :blink:

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