History in the making?

[themusk]

We are facing potentially one of the worst natural disasters in our history. It is obvious from news reports that there are still A LOT of people remaining in New Orleans and its environs. In the aftermath there may be a need for mass rescues, evacuations and there is liable to be chaos, looting, etc. And the best and brightest of our military is on the other side of the globe. Great.

Unfortunately that's what has worried me since US military planning started to rely, imo, way too much on National Guard deployment. The purpose of the Guard is to guard the homeland against all manner of harm, including widespread disaster. Without a full Guard complement at home, we are much less secure.

[Anonymous]

Turning this into an anti-war thread accomplishes nothing.

There are plenty of national guard units, as well as civilian rescue and police units. It is not a question of manpower. There is only so much people can do. It appears as though they have a good handle on things. They call them disasters for a reason.

From where I sit, things look like they are going as well as can be expected. Disaster units and USAR teams all over the east are on standby. The evacuations are going reasonably well.

[cancunkid]

Just talked to my cousin in Long Beach. His daughter doesn't get off work at the airport until after 6. Last flight out is at 5:55. They are going to Ocean Springs which sure doesn't seem like much of an evac. His daughter from NO is evacing to Fairhope which also doesn't seem to make sense to me but what do I know about hurricanes. This is a man who took his family through Camille two blocks from the beach and lived without utilities for 2 months after, he has never evacuated for any hurricane but said this one was too scary to stay in his house.

[MomH]

This is one piece of history that I could very well have ended my life without seeing. God bless all in her path.
MomH

[Stormy1]

Unfortunately that's what has worried me since US military planning started to rely, imo, way too much on National Guard deployment. The purpose of the Guard is to guard the homeland against all manner of harm, including widespread disaster. Without a full Guard complement at home, we are much less secure.

Maybe the Indiana contingent doesn't count for much but I know at least 20 kids, personally, who have so far avoided being deployed and are standing ready to mobilize. Our Guard is capable of doing what they will need to do here and elsewhere.

[carve]

I just pray that everyone in NO is taking this very seriously and have evacuated.I will be praying for all..

[krysof]

I just saw TWC and there were children running on the beach in gulf shores, Alabama. I mean that is ridiculous. When the worst begins to hit in only hours, deaths will be most definite.

[krysof]

I just saw TWC and there were children running on the beach in gulf shores, Alabama. I mean that is ridiculous. When the worst begins to hit in only hours, deaths will be most definite.

[themusk]

Turning this into an anti-war thread accomplishes nothing.

I'm not coming at this from an anti- (or pro-, or any other) war perspective. The policy I've long considered questionable is much older than the current war, and has been raised more than once by persons involved in EM policy issues.

I'm coming at it from an emergency management perspective, and from that perspective, there are a lot of folks who could be evacuated, want to be evacuated, and will not be evacuated because there is no means available to evacuate them.