re: Memorial Hospital after Katrina

quote:

---

Well I can tell you that when Katrina hit, every ENGR Guard unit was on lock down until after and also was still pending 256th's arrival back home from Iraq.

---

What about Mouton and his guys at the Convention Center?

Where is this charity episode??

Radiolab put out a podcast about this a while back, it's a really good listen. LINK

quote:

---

I don't believe he was in the ENGRs at that time and even so, I don't recall soldiers being sent into NOLA prior to Katrina making landfall. But it was a while back.

---

Who do you think was manning the Dome?

I'm not sure where they were from. Likely rear det 141 or maybe from Bogalusa? The 256th Brigade was still inbound from Iraq. The biggest pool of manpower available in the state were the 225th and Troop Command/RSG. Certainly the SRT was there,but they were unmistakable.

quote:

---

Who do you think was manning the Dome?

I'm not sure where they were from. Likely rear det 141 or maybe from Bogalusa? The 256th Brigade was still inbound from Iraq.

---

The ENGRs, specifically the 205th, wasn't manning the Dome..... trust me. One of their missions was debris removal of Washington Parish and others in order to open the roads. I believe a lot of the people at the Dome were 61st TC, possibly some TAOG, others relocated from JB and as you mentioned... those black hat wearing SRT joes that believed they were better than the rest. Don't forget about the MPs from CB and thinking about it, I know the 769th was at the convention center but that was after the water was gone. It was a rough time, I do remember that and then some.

ESSAYONS!

The Dome was being manned with troops from the 159th Fighter Wing. Others guard showed up after the Barack’s flooded.

That’s fair enough.. 20 years after the fact all the events are clear as day, sequence less so. We we got to the Dome Sunday Morning and by the End of the week I was at the river front (via Blackhawk) clearing the convention center. Then back to the Dome on duece and a half’s, then Zephyr field. Interesting time to serve.

The Engineer Company in the Dome was from the 527th. All other Engineer Units came in after the storm. I was at the Dome 3 days after the storm hit after evacuating St Bernard residents via the Algiers ferry. Because of limited Comms and all of the Fed, State, Parish and city governments all being stupid as frick, it took us almost 20 hours to go from the Ferry to LAPLACE! This was on school buses brought in from other parishes. Katrina was worse than either deployment to Afghanistan or any other assignment I ad in my 30 year career.

I remember Katrina, the storm, the 17th street canal levee break, the city filling up & then becoming a cesspool of sewerage, hazardous chemicals/gas/oil/ancient pesticides/poisons that were sitting or stored in 100's of 1,000's of "basement" garages throughout N.O. for up to a century or more...... all mixed in a biochemical/biohazard soup which engulfed most houses and surpassed roofs. No food, no water, no power, no communication, no transportation, in total darkness or sweltering heat with bodies floating. A city under the BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES/TIMES that resembles, feels often like a 3rd world country and is equally dangerous with much of the population living/acting/behaving no different. Rescue Helicopters & Personnel being shot/sniped. Pharmacies invaded + bullrushed BEFORE essentials of food/water and finally everything disappeared @ Schwegman's on Annunciation.

Yes....A city I LOVE & worked/played/lived fully (Irish Channel, French Quarter, Tchopatoulis St, Napolean Ave., Uptown, Esplanade, Kenner).

The Nurses, Staff, Doctors & Pou specifically are Heroes. I would only hope that I myself, or my loved ones, under ANY circumstances, but especially under those described above would have & be under their dedicated, passionate, tireless, SELFLESS loving medical care, direction.

I read the lengthy, thoroughly investigated, comprehensive link/article (30-40 page?) that was given above. I too recommend this outstanding report and commend the investigative journalist who compiled, wrote it! I was somewhat familiar with the story, events, circumstances & case; but this document greatly expounded my knowledge with precise details of who/how/what was involved, while also refreshing my memory and allowing me an eerie play by play sense/feel of practically being there with the doctors/nurses/patients @ Memorial Hospital before, during, after that epic, cataclysmic event.

When analyzing this tragedy, case - one fact we should know and keep in mind - which was NOT included, mentioned - is that KATRINA was an "ACT OF GOD"! (read your insurance policies). It was SUDDEN, but NOT ACCIDENTAL!

The were a dozen or so (human) "experts" that N.O. Coroner Minyard consulted with, including the celebrated Forensic Pathologists Michael Baden, Wrecht, etc., who claimed "Homicide"! Regarding these esteemed Doctors, medical Specialists, Forensic Scientists (men/women) whom used & peered through high powered, digital Microscopes to then apply their knowledge, human experience regarding their highly specialized "fields" of "Science"; it's also wise to remember and note that "science" has been & is always being changed, updated, corrected! How many criminally accused men/women who were arrested, accused, charged, jailed & sentenced to death by "human" courts, judges, attorneys to then latter be proven and found, through science, to have been innocent!?!

Remember too that none of these forensic experts were "from" New Orleans, nor were they (nor you or me) "there" @ Memorial to experience or witness the circumstances. Nor probably have any of those experts, nor will they ever, witness, experience or live/die/survive a CAT Level/Type Hurricane.

Of all the characters/players - doctors/patients involved before, during & after Katrina descended upon Memorial Hospital.......One thing that very clearly, specifically & repeatedly jumped out in the extensive report/document article - repeatedly - is that of all/everyone involved in this case surrounding this 4 DAY/NIGHT LONG HORROR OF PAIN, FEAR, SUFFERING, EXHAUSTION - WHERE LIFE/DEATH WAS UNCERTAIN for practically all/every man, woman, beast, cop, first responder, etc trapped in New Orleans........

ONLY Dr POE & THOSE NURSES, DOCTORS ACCUSED WERE ACTUALLY THERE WITH THE PATIENTS ....DOGGEDLY, LOVINGLY ADMINISTERING & GIVING MEDICAL CARE, SUPPORT.....CLEANING DIAPERS, HAND PUMPING AIR INTO THEIR LUNGS..... RISKING THEIR OWN LIVES, FAMILIES/PETS HEALTH BY SELFLESSLY TRYING TO SAVE, HELP, CARRY/LOAD/RESCUE EVERYONE & EVERYTHING WITH EXTREMELY LIMITED SUPPLIES, NO ELECTRICITY, NO COMMUNICATION, GOVERNANCE DURING UNPRECEDENTED, HORRIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES

AND THAT WHILE DOING/GIVING/SUPPLYING THE BEST MEDICAL CARE, COMFORT THEY COULD WHILE TRAPPED IN THAT HOSPITAL HELL - OF ALL THE MEDICAL EXPERTS, CEO'S, SCIENTISTS, D.A.'S, ETC MENTIONED IN THE LENGTHY ARTICLE.........IT WAS ONLY POE + HER COLLEAGUES, FELLOW NURSES @ MEMORIAL....THEY WERE THE ONLY ONE'S WHO WERE "P R A Y I N G" - PRAYING TO A GOD, FOR MANKIND NOR EXPERTS WERE THERE AND/OR WERE UTTERLY POWERLESS TO DO ANYTHING!

THEY WERE THE ONLY ONE'S "WISE, LOVING, CARING" ENOUGH TO RECOGNIZE & DO/BE WITH & FOR THEIR PATIENTS & THEMSELVES TO - P R A Y - TO THE ONLY SOURCE, RELIEF - THROUGHOUT!!

think about that while you judge, determine, opine