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re: What was Katrina like?
Posted on 4/20/15 at 9:17 am to xxKylexx
Posted on 4/20/15 at 9:17 am to xxKylexx
quote:
What was Katrina like?
Smelly. Katrina made me realize that there really isn't anything worse that a bad smell. I have a pretty strong stomach, but the smell of Katrina fridge made me yack. I'm sure if Hell exists, it must be a very smelly place.
1
Posted on 4/20/15 at 9:20 am to TheCaterpillar
quote:
is the smell. I’ll never forget that smell and hopefully never experience it again.
There really is nothing like that smell. You cant explain it to people, you just had to experience it and know you never want to deal with it again.
Posted on 4/20/15 at 9:24 am to Supermoto Tiger
I was on station off the coast of Somalia when Katrina went down. The only people that knew were the radiomen that received the messages about it and our Commanding Officer. About a week and a half later we pulled into Bahrain and there were around 8 of us that got called to the wardroom. We were only told that the CO wanted to talk to us so we're standing around for a few minutes wondering wtf all of us could have done... thinking we're about to get in some sort of trouble.
CO came in and informed us that the reason we were all there was because all of us were from LA or MS and then he started reading message traffic about the hurricane. The way the messages made it sound, parts of LA and MS were completely wiped out.
They let us go straight to the pier and call home. Luckily my parents had a working phone by then and I found out they were OK. A few of the other guys had to wait days to find out about their families/loved ones.
CO came in and informed us that the reason we were all there was because all of us were from LA or MS and then he started reading message traffic about the hurricane. The way the messages made it sound, parts of LA and MS were completely wiped out.
They let us go straight to the pier and call home. Luckily my parents had a working phone by then and I found out they were OK. A few of the other guys had to wait days to find out about their families/loved ones.
Posted on 4/20/15 at 9:25 am to xxKylexx
I was at Jackson Barracks when the storm passed. The levees failed and by late morning, we were inundated - drawing 8 feet in Building 35. Troop Command (where I had been initially, until about 2000 on Sunday) drew 2 to 3 feet on the second floor.
The Air Guard folks ran the water evacuation from Building 35 to the levee. It was well after dark on Monday when my boat departed building 35, across the parade field, past the general's house and we splashed up onto the river levee. A blackhawk helicopter (and there is a significant chance that either Griffin or Strother from my sig picture was flying the thing) picked a group of us up at around 2200 or so and flew us to the Superdome. I was at the Superdome for the remainder of that crisis, from Monday evening until the following Monday (Labor Day, 2005, unless I'm mistaken) when a CH-47 Chinook helicopter took me to Carville, Louisiana.
That was my home unit and I had a locker there with fresh clothes, my truck was there, etc. I took a hot shower, probably an EPA-disapproved 15 or 20 minute one, had a hot meal (beef tips and noodles) and an A&W root beer. Honestly, I've never felt better in my entire life than I did at that point.
As far as the week at the dome itself? I don't recommend it.
The Air Guard folks ran the water evacuation from Building 35 to the levee. It was well after dark on Monday when my boat departed building 35, across the parade field, past the general's house and we splashed up onto the river levee. A blackhawk helicopter (and there is a significant chance that either Griffin or Strother from my sig picture was flying the thing) picked a group of us up at around 2200 or so and flew us to the Superdome. I was at the Superdome for the remainder of that crisis, from Monday evening until the following Monday (Labor Day, 2005, unless I'm mistaken) when a CH-47 Chinook helicopter took me to Carville, Louisiana.
That was my home unit and I had a locker there with fresh clothes, my truck was there, etc. I took a hot shower, probably an EPA-disapproved 15 or 20 minute one, had a hot meal (beef tips and noodles) and an A&W root beer. Honestly, I've never felt better in my entire life than I did at that point.
As far as the week at the dome itself? I don't recommend it.
This post was edited on 4/20/15 at 9:26 am
Posted on 4/20/15 at 9:27 am to Ace Midnight
quote:
drew 2 to 3 feet on the second floor
yikes, thats a shite ton of water.
Thankfully only two out of some 50 cousins of mine were in the flood zone. Had a few others get all their shite stolen though and one had a house fire of unknown cause that took everything.
Posted on 4/20/15 at 9:33 am to TheCaterpillar
I wasn't there, but my parents and some of my really good friends parents decided to go to New Orleans when it was still out in the coast and it hit while they were there. My parents almost went to the superdome but got lucky and had a friend in the area who let them borrow some cars.
They drove east and did a bigass circle all the way back down to Waco. My parents still to this day say if they had ended up in the superdome then my stepdad (who is a former Texas Ranger and U.S. Marshall) likely would have killed multiple people from all the crime that happened there if anyone messed with them.
Two white people, so they I'm assuming they would have gotten messed with.
They drove east and did a bigass circle all the way back down to Waco. My parents still to this day say if they had ended up in the superdome then my stepdad (who is a former Texas Ranger and U.S. Marshall) likely would have killed multiple people from all the crime that happened there if anyone messed with them.
Two white people, so they I'm assuming they would have gotten messed with.
Posted on 4/20/15 at 9:35 am to Ace Midnight
Thanks for the tears terd and ace....
Those reminders of being a military wife are still not easy even years later.
Those reminders of being a military wife are still not easy even years later.
Posted on 4/20/15 at 9:45 am to madamsquirrel
One of my good friends was one of the radiomen that knew about the Katrina messages. After everybody finally found out he kept apologizing to me for not saying anything for that week and a half. I told him that I was glad he didn't tell me... who would want to sit around for 10 or 11 days wondering about that shite with no way to contact anyone? You know that eventually all the worst case scenarios would start playing out in your head. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss.
Posted on 4/20/15 at 9:48 am to xxKylexx
It was like 'nam all over again
Posted on 4/20/15 at 9:51 am to boxcarbarney
quote:Probably smells like sulfur and brimstone.
I'm sure if Hell exists, it must be a very smelly place.
Posted on 4/20/15 at 9:58 am to Serraneaux
quote:
I wonder what strictly local firms did?
Business interruption insurance is a good thing.
Posted on 4/20/15 at 10:17 am to Peazey
quote:
Then night school with Jesuit satellite school at St. Martin to finish out the first semester.
As shitty as Katrina was, this was awesome. For me at least. Some of my best memories from JHS happened at St. Martins
Posted on 4/20/15 at 10:19 am to JohnnyKilroy
I went to EHS in Baton Rouge and we got TONS of Newman, St. Martins, and Country Day kids. Still friends with some of them.
That was the only silver lining.
That was the only silver lining.
Posted on 4/20/15 at 10:33 am to xxKylexx
I'm not from the Gulf, and could only hear about it in boot camp, so I never really saw it.
I used to work with St. Bernard Project rebuilding homes, and one of the homes was for an elderly couple, with the husband slipping away from his second bout of cancer. His wife said that in the 7 years since the storm, all he wanted was to be back in his home. Mid-week, we found out he was taking a turn for the worse, and the only thing we could do was stop working on the house, and focus on finishing his bedroom. We were able to do it in a day, get it furnished with his bed, chair and his TV, and moved him back in. The man was too weak, so we had to pick him out of his chair and place him in bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he slowly looked around at his finished bedroom, and kind of let out a sigh. I like to think that he was happy that he got his wish. We went to the house to finish it the next day, and was told he passed, so we didn't finish the house, although I am sure someone else did.
I am humbled to see the gratification that some people showed to us, when we didn't relatively do all that much. We paint a house, a former chef cooks us a ton of food as thanks. Families thanking us to a point where I am uneasy at it all. Really put it in my head what it was I didn't see while I was in the Marines.
I used to work with St. Bernard Project rebuilding homes, and one of the homes was for an elderly couple, with the husband slipping away from his second bout of cancer. His wife said that in the 7 years since the storm, all he wanted was to be back in his home. Mid-week, we found out he was taking a turn for the worse, and the only thing we could do was stop working on the house, and focus on finishing his bedroom. We were able to do it in a day, get it furnished with his bed, chair and his TV, and moved him back in. The man was too weak, so we had to pick him out of his chair and place him in bed. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he slowly looked around at his finished bedroom, and kind of let out a sigh. I like to think that he was happy that he got his wish. We went to the house to finish it the next day, and was told he passed, so we didn't finish the house, although I am sure someone else did.
I am humbled to see the gratification that some people showed to us, when we didn't relatively do all that much. We paint a house, a former chef cooks us a ton of food as thanks. Families thanking us to a point where I am uneasy at it all. Really put it in my head what it was I didn't see while I was in the Marines.
This post was edited on 4/20/15 at 10:34 am
Posted on 4/20/15 at 10:42 am to xxKylexx
I live in Ascension. Rode out Katrina in my house. We did not have much damage. Actually Rita was worse for us.
Experience of the aftermath:
Watched General Honore's convoy make their way to the city. I10 was closed and the guard rode in what seemed like a 10 mile long convoy.
I volunteered at a closed Winn Dixie in Gonzales that was a temporary supply depot. That place was filled within a day with water a rations. It was an impressive sight. pallets of water stacked to the ceiling.
Delivered blankets and supplies to evacuees sleeping 10-15 people to a room. They'd share the cost of the room.
Helped clean up a church out by UNO. This was a few weeks after the storm. I've never seen such devastation. Homes with solid brick walls caved in from the flood waters.
What will always be burned into my mind is the smell. Especially the French Quarter.
Experience of the aftermath:
Watched General Honore's convoy make their way to the city. I10 was closed and the guard rode in what seemed like a 10 mile long convoy.
I volunteered at a closed Winn Dixie in Gonzales that was a temporary supply depot. That place was filled within a day with water a rations. It was an impressive sight. pallets of water stacked to the ceiling.
Delivered blankets and supplies to evacuees sleeping 10-15 people to a room. They'd share the cost of the room.
Helped clean up a church out by UNO. This was a few weeks after the storm. I've never seen such devastation. Homes with solid brick walls caved in from the flood waters.
What will always be burned into my mind is the smell. Especially the French Quarter.
Posted on 4/20/15 at 10:50 am to Tigeralum2008
quote:I have such a bad memory for things I see and hear, but will never forget that. Driving through Laplace a couple of years ago after that flood immediately brought them all back. I mean, like the split second I smelled it.
What will always be burned into my mind is the smell.
The smell in New Orleans was different than the Northshore, but both were very distinct
Posted on 4/20/15 at 10:50 am to GetBackToWork
Read No Ordinary Heroes by Demaree Inglese and you'll have a pretty good perspective.
Posted on 4/20/15 at 10:51 am to Montezuma
Me and my two brothers in law tried to get back into Jefferson Parish to check on our houses. We were turned back at the parish line. We didn't want to go back to Alexandria, where we were staying, so we decided to find a place to hang out for a while and formulate a plan.
We wound up living out of the back of our trucks under a Hibernia Bank drive through near LaPlace (it was the weekend and the bank was closed) for two days. We weren't the only ones in the area who were stranded. We set up kind a shanty town between the Hibernia, a Sonic behind it, and a gas station next door.
The locals were very nice. Once guy was driving down the street with a crawfish pot full of Jambalaya, giving away bowls to us refugees. A local grocery store gave us all free pieces of pie that night. One lady asked me if I wanted to take a shower at her apartment.
Around midnight on Sunday, they finally let us back into Jefferson.
We wound up living out of the back of our trucks under a Hibernia Bank drive through near LaPlace (it was the weekend and the bank was closed) for two days. We weren't the only ones in the area who were stranded. We set up kind a shanty town between the Hibernia, a Sonic behind it, and a gas station next door.
The locals were very nice. Once guy was driving down the street with a crawfish pot full of Jambalaya, giving away bowls to us refugees. A local grocery store gave us all free pieces of pie that night. One lady asked me if I wanted to take a shower at her apartment.
Around midnight on Sunday, they finally let us back into Jefferson.
Posted on 4/20/15 at 11:03 am to Ace Midnight
I was sheltered down on the northshore. It was bad but still only hurricane bad, downed trees literally everywhere. We had to cut our way out to the highway and then at different points along the way heading into town. The worst part there was the several weeks it took for the power to come back on while others places had gotten it and returning to some kind of normalcy...like being trapped between two worlds, one relatively primitive and the other relatively modern.
But Metairie was the worst I saw because it wasn't just hurricane bad, the massive sewer water flooding was an abomination. The entire landscape was dead, discolored and with the worst stench.
Gulfport/Biloxi was real bad too from the storm surge, looked like bombs went off, just completely destroying buildings and homes. Just leveled them. They had it the worst IMO, although the NO/Metaire areas with the hell flooding was a close second just because it was so bizarre and other-worldly.
But Metairie was the worst I saw because it wasn't just hurricane bad, the massive sewer water flooding was an abomination. The entire landscape was dead, discolored and with the worst stench.
Gulfport/Biloxi was real bad too from the storm surge, looked like bombs went off, just completely destroying buildings and homes. Just leveled them. They had it the worst IMO, although the NO/Metaire areas with the hell flooding was a close second just because it was so bizarre and other-worldly.
Posted on 4/20/15 at 12:00 pm to USMCTiger03
Big green flies..... Months after the storm, there were flies everywhere...
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