Proof - NAGIN did USE the SCHOOL BUSES to take people out

[DoYouEverWonder]

at least until 3 people died on one probably because of being stuck in traffic and the HEAT for so long.

Traffic was backed up for hours with people trying to leave NO. Keep in mind school buses have no AC or bathrooms. Imagine beginning stuck with a bus full of people and no where to go to the bathroom.

After this is appears that Nagin stopped using the buses and begged FEMA to send Greyhound type buses instead to take people out.

Once again, it looks like Nagin did everything humanly possible while FEMA was too worried about maintaining a good image to bother saving lives.



UPDATED: 9:26 am CDT August 29, 2005

3 Die While Fleeing Storm

An official with the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner's Office said three residents of a New Orleans nursing home fleeing Hurricane Katrina aboard a school bus died Sunday during an evacuation to a Baton Rouge church.

The names, ages and sexes of the dead were not available.

Don Moreau, chief of operations, said the coroner's office responded to a call from emergency medical technicians to a Baptist church, which was the destination for the bus of nursing home patients. Once there, Moreau said one person was dead inside the church and another was found dead inside the bus.

He said the person in the bus appeared to have been dead for some time.

http://www.wdsu.com/news/4909184/detail.html

[Lone_Star_Dem]

1. So, the buses which had drivers were used.

Sounds like a shortage of man power, sure would be nice to have a federal agency that could provide aide at a time like this. We could call it something like Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA for short.

Wouldn't it be nice to have something like that to help us out during a disaster?

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. It wasn't even a shortage of man power

When people started dieing, Nagin had to stop using the buses. Imagine if the storm didn't hit badly or if NO didn't flood. Then those deaths would have been blamed on him.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

3. Good Point

Weren't people also bused to the Superdome? Then they were left there by the Feds until it became a madhouse. I thought I read that and can't find it again.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. Yes, Nagin had used the buses to pick people up

from around the city and brought them there, after FEMA finally decided it would be okay to use the Superdome for a shelter.

Prior to FEMA giving the okay to use the Superdome, no place in NO was supposed to be used has a shelter because they knew there was no building that was certified has safe during a Cat 4 or 5 hurricane.

[SFOR]

22. FEMA did not certify the Superdome

FEMA did not give the OKAY to use the Superdome. The mayor of NO set that up. FEMA has no jurisdiction in certifying buildings for evacuation - it was always part of the LA emergency plan and the mayor used it. Also, FEMA did not bus anybody to the stadium.

[ohio_liberal]

5. On Oprah yesterday--Why did Mayor Nagin refuse to respond?

On Oprah they showed pics of the flooded school buses and asked why they weren't used and said Mayor Nagin refused to respond to the question. Why? The man has GOT to defend himself from the spin or he's going to find himself being the fall guy.

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. He shouldn't have to defend himself at this point

He's got better things to do.

We need to help him and counter this crap.

[ohio_liberal]

7. I know he's got better things to do

When the mayor is on national tv doing interviews, he's got to defend himself from these questions. The same for Landrieu and Governor Blanco. The GOPers will do everything to make them the fall guys. Trying to make corrections and clarifications after the fact is too late.

[DoYouEverWonder]

8. Under nornal circumstances I would agree

but after over a week trying to deal with this crisis, I find it hard to find fault or second guess any of the people that have been at Ground Zero from the start. I can't imagine how exhausted they must be.

[spuddonna]

23. Many of these people haven't slept in 5 days...

They have lost friends due to suicide, and the flood waters...

Having watched Mayor Nagin, I honestly don't think he gives a damn about his 'political reputation' - he's trying to save people, and get them out of New Orleans.

We who are safe in our homes, with water, electricity, and food should be the ones fighting FOR that man, until he can get around to some sleep and defending his actions. That's just my humble opinion... :)

[CascadeTide]

9. Chalk silence up to Rove manuevering

I'm sure he's been offered a deal to keep his mouth shut. It would be a tough call, face the wrath of a Rove misinformation campaign or keep some dignity and a paycheck. You're damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. Nagin isn't keeping his mouth shut

He's just a little busy at the moment trying to get the rest of the people out of NO and to find all the bodies.

Rove can't touch him with a ten foot pole.

[CascadeTide]

13. I hope you're right

I know Ray won't keep his mouth shut but I'm afraid he may have to about certain things. I hope you're right that Rove can't touch him but nobody has proved to be a match for Rove so far.

[newyawker99]

16. Hi CascadeTide!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[bklyncowgirl]

12. Failure to strongly defend against Rovian attacks mean you lose

Ask John Kerry.

Nagin needs to defend himself and counterattack in the strongest possible terms.

[ohio_liberal]

14. This is what I'm feeling too

I know the guy isn't a political animal and he has, as far as I can see, very little backup from our Democratic leadership. If he can't handle it all, goddamn it why doesn't someone from Washington send him some help in dealing with the media.

[DoYouEverWonder]

18. To try to respond to Rove attacks now

would be a total waste of time. Nagin has much more important things to worry about other then his 'image'.

This is not a political campaign, this is literally life and death at the moment.

[BlackVelvet04]

11. A lot of conclusions jumped to here.....

we don't know who ordered this school bus, for all we know it was loaned to the nursing home from a private school. We don't know that Nagin decided not to use buses after this incident. We just don't know and the article doesn't say.

[DoYouEverWonder]

15. This was info I picked up from another thread yesterday

The reports for the last week have been that Sunday morning he declared a mandatory evacuation, and requested buses.

The available buses were school and public transportation buses. Some of those he had; but every little podunk town and suburb had school buses that FEMA could latch onto.

But he required that they have bathrooms, i.e., be commercial buses: else they'd have to stop everywhere, or the people would piss themselves.

Those were in rather short supply: it's hard to get enough commercial buses in a couple of hours on a Sunday morning to haul 20k people. So the 'last resort' was the Superdome.

I could do a Lexus/Nexus search if you'd like (I'd have to learn how to do it, to be honest), but all the articles I've read on the matter have pretty much been linked to here, last Sunday-Tuesday.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4669887#4669993


Plus Nagin went on the air Sunday giving out an 800# for people to call if they needed transportation. Then he sent the buses around the neighborhoods to pick people up. Apparently those buses were directed to go to the Superdome once it FEMA decided to open it up has a shelter.

[blitzburgh55]

19. Here is the info about city buses

Mayor Nagin issues mandatory evacuation for New Orleans
As of 9:30 a.m., Mayor Nagin has issued a mandatory evacuation for New Orleans.

The Superdome has been opened for people with special needs and as a shelter of last resort. Residents should call [phone] to reserve space in this shelter.

The city has set up ten pickup areas to take people to emergency shelters. RTA buses will be picking up citizens for free and take them to these shelters. The number to call for pickup areas is 1-800-469-4828.

The pickup locations are
# McMain High: 5712 S Claiborne Ave New Orleans, LA 70125

# Rabouin High:727 Carondelet St New Orleans, LA 70130

# Mondy George O Elementary: 2327 Philip St New Orleans, LA 70113

# O.P. Walker: 2832 General Meyer Ave New Orleans, LA 70114

# Abramson: 5552 Read Blvd New Orleans, LA 70127

# S.T. Reed : 5316 Michoud Blvd New Orleans, LA 70129

# Sylvain Williams: 3127 Martin L. King Blvd. New Orleans, LA. 70125

# Augustine Middle:425 S. Broad St. New Orleans, LA. 70119

# Warren Easton: 3039 Higgins Blvd. New Orleans, LA. 70126

# MLK Jr. Elementary: 1617 Caffin Avenue New Orleans, LA 70117

# N.O. Mission, address not available at time of publish.

# Mondy Center, address not available at time of publish.

# William Franz , address not available at time of publish.

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/ar chives/2005_08.html

[bribri16]

17. This needs to sent to all Congress. Anyone have a list of e-mails?

I will gladly send them out.

[Igel]

20. One school bus, organized by persons unknown,

does not make your case.

There's a crucial link missing.

You might be right: we don't know.

[Wilber_Stool]

21. Remember

School busses have governors on their engines that only let them go 45 mph. How long would it take to drive 100 miles in all that traffic?

[bloom]

24. Thanks for posting.... eom