While browsing through stories in the MSM about the hurricane and flood I found a few that really touched me. I thought I would share one of them for those of you that haven't shed enough tears over this tradgedy yet today.
Evelyn Turner's partner died because he had lung cancer and they ran out of electricity and oxygen. As if that wasn't enough, she was determined not to leave his body, and she had a hard time getting help in taking her husband to the hospital morgue.
From the story:
Curtis Miller, a former city employee, helped float the body down the road, hoping a passing military truck would pick Bowie up. He was disgusted.
"I'm hurt to my heart with this," the grizzled man said. "To see the city stoop this low. It shouldn't be, mister. It should not be."
The entire situation is sad, but it just seems like the people running the show in LA and DC are only able to perform the most basic reactionary tasks related to saving lives.
It seems that there should be plans for a group of people that do nothing other than pick up dead bodies immediately after the disaster. Not to take away from those saving lives, but it's not like there is a shortage of people in the United States, or even ones that already are on the public payroll. Couldn't there be a small crew that removed bodies to prevent disease that will just make things worse?
Why do they have to take people from the Superdome to the Astrodome? Why doesn't our military have the ability to set up a refugee camp at a closer and better location? I know they have the equipment....if it's not all in Iraq.
Why did people in the Superdome have to go without water and sanitary latrine facilities for so long, maybe still? The minute the storm passed there should have been a phone call made that put those things on their way...or put the people on their way to better facilities immediately.
I know, a lot of hindsight....but I am really just stunned at how unprepared the US was for a large disaster, and how slowly they seem to be responding with basic needs.
What the hell is the department of homeland security doing? Figuring out more ways to find that pair of fingernail clippers in my luggage?