<p>We booked a flight last night for DS for Saturday (I suggested Sunday but he picked Saturday, as rumors were floating about when they’d close the airport), which might now be a bit premature. However, its done, and he has a seat, so we’ll decide Fri night or early Sat morning if he’ll be on that flight.</p>
<p>“And I recall that the biggest problem with Katrina were those who refused to leave.”</p>
<p>You are absolutely correct about that. My mom’s neighbor across the street stayed behind last time. I have a great story about what happened to them after, mostly the fact that they had no damage whatsoever to their house, not even the roof, until the day after the storm was over and the flood wall in the 17th St canal broke. This lady’s gardener was at her house cleaning up the yard debris (he didn’t leave either) when he saw the wall of water moving at them 6 blocks away like the blob. He ran up the steps (raised basement house) to tell her and w/in 15 minutes they were surrounded by 6ft of water. Sat there for 4 days waiting for help and had to cut a hole in the attic roof to flag down the helicopter who sent an airboat that took them to a drop off on St. Charles Ave. From there the lady hitched a ride on an ambulance to Baton Rouge. </p>
<p>Anyway, the city is making sure everyone knows this time to get out with the means provided and emphasizing no one will help you for DAYS afterward if you don’t leave. Hopefully people will listen this time.</p>
<p>Of course, if the levees and flood walls hold and the pumps work, then you can just go out and clean up your yard debris and you will be fine. Remember, my mom’s neighbor and her gardener both had cars/trucks and could have left. There were lots of people who could have left and chose not to. The city really has no way to FORCE people to get out. But I don’t think anyone is taking this lightly this time. Heck, my mom was ready to evacuate last weekend over Fay. Just having a major rain event scares the you know what out of them now. Pumping capacity is not up to pre Katrina levels. The repairs to the pumps and the canals are such that they do not have the pumping capacity they used to have. If they close the flood gates to stop storm surge, then they can’t pump. So they have to expect a little water in the streets anyway due to that. Just maybe not 6 to 10 feet.</p>
<p>Thanks, mercymom. I’ll definitely be checking that Times Picayune website. I’m praying, crossing my fingers, and hoping for the best for the entire Gulf Coast.</p>
<p>I know folks in our communities are already in fear of tropical depression 8, following shortly behind Gustav. With the St. John’s river still cresting from all the rain from Faye (when it sat on top of us for days) and the normal afternoon Fl. thunderstorms, these folks are literally up to their armpits. We have friends who are ferrying their kids back and forth to the bus stop in a canoe. Thankfully, their house is on “higher ground,” but they’re an island unto themselves. I can imagine what folks in N.O. must be thinking as they watch this storm gear up.</p>
<p>God bless 'em.</p>
<p>zebes</p>
<p>My mom just called me to say she is leaving nola today. There is so much talk on the radio down there about the various road closures they will do in order to get the lower coastal people out that she wants to avoid all that. Her friends in Orleans are leaving today also. Can’t blame her; she is elderly and doesn’t need to be on the road in evacuation traffic. </p>
<p>zebes - my heart goes out to you guys in florida too. my mother in law lives near Sarasota and fortunately didn’t have any flooding but she says the area around Orlando got hit hard with the water. Port St. Lucie too. This is a tough time of year for the entire gulf coast. One of my cousin’s children lives with his wife and new baby in Galveston. We are worried about them too. Prayers all around I say.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle…</p>
<p>Here is wishing positive thoughts for <em>all</em> of us along the Gulf Coast. While I certainly am a little anxious for the people of NO, I also am concerned for my own safety and that of all the people here on the Gulf Coast. Prepare early, everyone!</p>
<p>:: smacks WashDad ::</p>
<p>Take it elsewhere!</p>
<p>Here is the link to the story I read last night about how the evacuation plans work:</p>
<p>[Storm</a> plans put into motion already - New Orleans Hurricane Center - NOLA.com](<a href=“Hurricane Center | NOLA.com”>Hurricane Center | NOLA.com)</p>
<p>WashDad, please take it to another thread.</p>
<p>Can we all pray that Gustav will move out to the Atlantic and dissipate there?</p>
<p>My concern as I read some of these posts, is that hurricanes have a nasty habit of turning course at the last moment. I think it’s great that so much pre-preparation is being taken care of, but what if this storm turns east or west in the last few hours before landfall? No matter which way it goes, there are heavily populated areas; are these areas taking the same precautions as New Orleans? </p>
<p>I grew up on the Gulf Coast and am all too familiar with the unpredictability of hurricanes. I also went to the Rio Grande Valley two days after Dolly went through (only a Cat 1) and saw what it did. Other than northern Mexico, there just really aren’t any unpopulated areas along the coast (except perhaps the area between Corpus Christi and South Padre).</p>
<p>As someone who got smacked with Charlie (inland) as it took a wild turn at the last moment, I can assure you we watch every storm carefully. But I don’t have to run out and get things … we have a stocked emergency kit, food, plywood pre-cut from jeanne and francis, generator, etc. etc. I could probably outfit FEMA, LOL. </p>
<p>zebes</p>
<p>Another Tulane parent here–S was a Katrina freshman. He’s ready with a full tank of gas, cash, and a motel rental confirmed up north.</p>
<p>H is in emergency management and is headed to Alabama today. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed.</p>
<p>I saw that originally there was speculation that contraflow would start Saturday; however, that was before the landfall timing was changed from Mon to Tues. </p>
<p>I wonder if the contraflow will be shifted too?</p>
<p>Good Lord. Look at the National Hurricane Center map for the storm wind predictions from Gustav and Hanna. They will be approaching almost simultaneously.</p>
<p>[Tropical</a> Storm HANNA](<a href=“POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE RINA”>POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE RINA)</p>
<p>Saw the thread title and expected a review of a Dudamel led performance. Shows you where my head is at. </p>
<p>Good luck to all in the potential path. Last thing the country needs is another Katrina repeat.</p>
<p>As one who lives in Central Florida, the nightmare of a worse case scenario for us (which I know isn’t going to happen) … but still … can you not just visualize the one two punch. East … West … total knock-out! Geesh! :)</p>
<p>zebes</p>
<p>just received word from my daughter that Tulane is closing as of noon tomorrow… dorms closing noon Saturday, with bus rides to Jackson State University for any students who haven’t made other arrangements. Classes set to resume next Thursday.</p>
<p>Same message on Loyola’s website. Closing Friday, resuming Thursday and campus is evacuating:</p>
<p>[Loyola</a> University New Orleans](<a href=“http://www.loyno.edu/emergencyannouncement.php]Loyola”>http://www.loyno.edu/emergencyannouncement.php)</p>
<p>For those of us a little west - looks as of today that we will miss it. People are making preparations anyway, lots of boats trailered in yards, no generators at Lowe’s, checking for water, gassing the car. the could mean a major gas spike for a few days, lots of refining capacity in that direction. Ya’ll get our of NOLA, just in case.</p>
<p>Well, now I don’t feel so bad about having booked that flight on Sat. afternoon. If we’d booked the Sunday one as we’d originally considered, we’d be S.O.L with the dorms closing midday Saturday. </p>
<p>So “tropical depression 8” is now “Hanna”, and we are looking at a 1-2 punch?? This sux. </p>
<p>Cangel-
Are you sure you are out of harm’s way?</p>