The Red Cross is NOT in New Orleans. Guess why.

[Largo62]

@duffer

I just thought of another thing to consider. DesertGeezer, have you ever been to New Orleans? I ask because a lot of people see New Orleans as Bourbon Street when they watch coverage of Mardis Gras. Sure, maybe you see some footage of the French Quarter as a whole, but it’s still a very small area overall of the entire city. And cities like Metairie are nearly forgotten though they are in the same spot. We’re talking about a rather large geographic area.

It’s not a matter of getting a few dozen trucks in to hand out water. There is a lot of real estate you’re looking at.

Actually, I haven’t ever been there, duffer. When I posted my OP I had just heard a quote on San Francisco talk radio KGO (Pete Wilson) from the Red Cross’ own website, explaining why they hadn’t actually been IN New Orleans. Nevertheless, there were many people who had been told to go to the Super Dome and the Convention Center, who then didn’t have adequate food and water, even though the Red Cross had offered to take it to them. SOMEbody screwed up. I understand that now that those folks have been evacuated the situation is a little better. I don’t see how it could be worse.

[Geobabe]

@Orbifold

Personally, I find the idea that someone, somewhere is worried that people are going to go into New Orleans just to mooch stuff from the Red Cross to be mind-boggling.

I suspect what they’re actually worried about is people going into NO to steal stuff from all those abandoned dwellings and whatever stores haven’t been cleaned out, and the Red Cross being there handing out food and water would make it easier to do that.

[Airman_Doors_USAF]

@DesertGeezer

One problem is that people were directed to go to the Super Dome (is that the right name?) and the Convention Center, even though there wasn’t enough food and water to take care of them for more than a short time.

That facility was intended to be a lifeboat, nothing more. I don’t see how the NO officials can be blamed for saving all those lives by coming up with an unorthodox solution that worked.

[slumtrimpet]

I’m confused about something. I guess I can understand not wanting the RC setting up shelters etc. in NO so as to encourage people to leave. What I don’t understand is preventing the RC from getting food and water to those people already in the supposed staging areas of the Sewer dome and the Convention Center. Somehow I really doubt that anyone wanted to stay there for the long term. Was there a threat that these people might stash the stuff under their arms and swim back to their flooded out homes?
Can someone explain the logic?

[Mama_Tiger]

How can a complete failure of the logical process be explained?

[Beware_of_Doug]

@Shayna

They have been lighting an old gas stove with a match to cook pasta and rice, dumping cans of peas on top for flavor.

When “peas” is a flavor in NO, things are very, VERY bad.

@Astro

Harborwolf
Last I heard, the place has effectively become toxic.

I’m thinking there a bad sci-fi movie hiding in there somewhere.

Or at least a mediocre remake of Panic in the Streets. Matt McConaughey can play the PHS officer because the Navy uniform from U-571 may still fit him. In the remake tradition, perhaps we can coax Dick Widmark out of retirement at 91 to play a cantankerous evacuee who is both wheelchair-bound and packin’ heat.

[Geobabe]

@slumtrimpet

What I don’t understand is preventing the RC from getting food and water to those people already in the supposed staging areas of the Sewer dome and the Convention Center.

I thought both those had been cleared out. Are people gathering there again or something?

[Orbifold]

@Geobabe

I thought both those had been cleared out. Are people gathering there again or something?

They hadn’t been cleared out as of September 3rd, when this first came to light. Perhaps that’s what slumtrimpet is referring to.

[FriarTed]

Red Cross not being allowed into NOLA now is understandable, tho problematic. Red Cross not being allowed to deliver food & water to the Superbowl before & right after Katrina IS a major f*ckup on the LA State Gov’t level.