Please DO NOT Recommend this diary. Instead, please recommend the Mothership #2.
These diaries are intended to provide an up-to-date emergency information and references for our many Gulf Coast Kossacks. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by the hurricane. If you are trying to reach someone in the area of the storm, try text messaging. It often works when cell phones do not.
Please, relevant images only. We are trying to keep these diaries loading easily.
Please use the first comment to post updates. Responses to the first comment should be updates only.
Please use the second comment to volunteer for liveblogging. Respond to the second comment if you can volunteer to liveblog. It's very easy! You can just copy what others have done.
Resources are below the fold.
Weather & News Updates - National
National Hurricane Center’s Gustav page
NHC Satellite Loop
Stormpulse (Flash)
NHC podcasts
NHC text only
NHC Mobile/PDA
Weather Underground’s Gustav page
Wunderblog
MSNBC Hurricane Tracker
Hurricane Watch Net monitor them on shortwave at 14.325 MHz (set it up for USB mode)
Spaghetti Models
Hurricane Frequencies additional short wave frequencies
Watch 4 streams at once
Caribbean Hurricane Network's Gustav "how close can it get" calculator.
millwx has been providing thorough updates and analysis
As has Darksyde
Weather & News Updates – Local
211 LA residents hotline for shelter information
1-866-438-4636 Residents from other states hotline for shelter information
1-800-469-4828 LA State Police hotline for road closures
WDSU Streaming video
WBRZ
WWLTV and live video feed
WWL
WWL Hurricane Info Page
Times-Picayune
Gulf Coast News
Clarion-Ledger (Mississippi Gulf Coast)
Texas Hurricane Info (via Rick Noriaga)
Texas Gustav Situation reports (also via Rick Noriega)
ABC26 Livestream
New Orleans Live Cams..
Bridge Cam
French Quarter
Emergency Alert Radio System
In the event of any emergency, information will be broadcasted on these Louisiana Emergency Alert System radio stations:
Alexandria.........KZMZ 580 AM and 96.9 FM
Baton Rouge.....WJBO 1150 AM and WFMF 102.5 FM
Lafayette..........KVOL 1330 AM and KTDY 99.9 FM
Lake Charles.....KLCL 1470 AM and KHLA 99.5 FM
Monroe.............KNOX 540 AM and 101.9 FM
New Orleans.....WWL 870 AM and WLMG 101.9 FM
Shreveport........KWKH 1130 AM and 94.5 FM
Conference Call
Hurricane Gustav Conf Call for Kossacks
517-417-5000, access code is 62262 (OBAMA!) Sunday call starts at 12:30 Eastern ...
You can use FreeConference.com to arrange a conference call if you need to do so for any reason. All you need to get an account is an email address and it takes just two minutes to rig up a call. There are all sorts of features but the minimum is simple - set up a call with a dozen slots for callers, post the call in number and code IN THE SUBJECT of the comment announcing the call. We've been using 62262 (OBAMA!) as the access code instead of the random six digits codes the web site issues.
Advisories
1PM CST Advisory #28A
Evacuations
Louisiana residents needing shelter: dial 211
Non-Louisiana residents needing shelter: dial 1-866-438-4636
New Orleans extends pick-up service for evacuees until 3 p.m
Evacuations in NOLA are now Mandatory (Sunday, 8:00a.m. for the West Bank, noon for the East Bank -- Reuters)
St Bernard - mandatory evacuation Sunday. St. Bernard Parish now locked down; no one allowed back in; 11:40pm EDT
St John parish MANDATORY evac NOW (reported Sat; 10:12pm, EDT)
St. Charles - mandatory evacuation began NOON, Saturday
Algiers evacuation starts 8 AM Sunday
Contra-flow begins tomorrow at 4:00am (NO)
Amtrak service is suspended on 'City of New Orleans', trains 58 & 59 length of the route, 'Crescent', trains 19 & 20 south of Atlanta including Birmingham, 'Sunset Limited' trains 1 & 2 east of San Antonio.
Some Amtrak service suspended
New Orleans airport to shut at 6 PM Sunday
Tulane University Evacuation information
To Locate Louisiana Residents, Starting Monday...
(202)225-6636 - inside Louisiana
(866)498-6161 - toll free from anywhere in the US
TEXAS Evac info:
Jefferson and Orange counties: mandatory evacuation of all residents starts Sunday at
1. 6 a.m. in Sabine Pass
2. 8 a.m. in Port Arthur
3. 10 a.m. in towns north of Port Arthur
4. 12 noon in Beaumont
Sabine Pass residents ordered out first.
Estimated Evacuation Times from New Orleans:
Alexandria 16 hours (800) 841-5778 (special needs shelter)
Baton Rouge 8 hours (800) 349-1372 (special needs shelter)
Hattiesburg 8 hours
Houston 18 hours
Jackson 24 hours
Lafayette 8 hours (800) 901-3210 (special needs shelter)
Lake Charles 16 hours
Meridian 16 hours
Monroe (866) 280-7287(special needs shelter)
New Orleans Area (504) 658-2500 (special needs shelter)
Shreveport 20 hours (800) 841-5776 (special needs shelter)
Travel time during an evacuation is four times longer than in normal conditions
Evacuation Tips
Crashing Vor's Evacuation How To Diary
WWLTV live video feed with evacuation info
Ellicatt suggests
To use cell phone service to or from the affected area, try text messaging vs. a phone call. I understand that you'll have a better chance that way of getting through.
Disaster Supply Kit Information
Red Cross / FEMA Preparedness Guide (PDF)
Volusia County, FL guide
Florida Division of Emergency Management guide
Offers of assistance:
DailyKos housing thread
Kosmate chauie
Kosmate alkalinesky
We Care Texas
This site will provide information regarding resources for medical, housing, food and water, transportation, communication, and search information for lost relatives and loved ones.
DK San Antonio Red Cross volunteers can coordinate with MKSinSA
Obtaining FEMA Assistance
AustinCynic's Employer can board 10-15 dogs in the Austin area
question everything has offered advice for setting up recovery and rebuilding efforts
Animals
Noah's Wish; animal rescue
Texas SPCA - Fairgrounds are beginning to prepare for livestock to be brought in; ALL shelters in Texas and beyond are preparing to take on animals
United Animal Nations Emergency Animal Rescue Service
Notes:
This is BarbaraS, I just got off the phone with a good friend who works in Texas coordinating with Homeland Security and the various Shelters/Rescues etc...so for ALL YOU ANIMAL PEOPLE. Anyone who wants to get involved with donating/sending supplies, I will be getting informed as to WHAT, WHEN, WHERE TO SEND, ETC. Noah's Wish has mobilized to the Gulf Coast.
Some of the FAIRGROUNDS in Texas are opening to allow livestock to come in. Shelters in Texas are moving pets NOW to other states so that they can start taking on pets. Please email me if you want to be on the list that I contact as I know what is needed.
More on Animals from Barbara:
I would suggest those who can get or have trucks and horse/livestock trailers and are CLOSE, may want to prepare to get horses out. Contact LARGE ANIMAL VETS and see if they need animals at their hospitals EVACUATED. Also, if you have a dog breed you 'belong' to, find the TEXAS, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI club and contact them directly to see what is needed. Or do a search of shelters/rescues/vets, etc in the above listed states and call them and ask what they need. If they are a good contact, then get all the contact information, their wish list, etc and we can get it up and posted for others to use. Check out the various COUNTY/STATE Fairgrounds, these will be taking animals and need volunteers and supplies.
Additional Information
Loop Current Wikipedia page, explaining the importance of the current
Loop Current Graphic
Explanation of the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane rating scale
UCAR explanation of how hurricanes form
Oil infrastructure damage expected to be significant
Kossack synchronicityii's analysis about Old River Control fails
Kossack millwx' analysis of current storm conditions (8:00a.m. EDT)
Gustav eying Gulf oil and the LOOP written by ManFromMiddletown
arubyan's view from Baton Rouge
Parish map
Donations
INCITE! - New Orleans Women's Health Crisis
United Nations EARS Animal Relief
Information we're seeking - Let us know & we'll update
General Population Pick-Up Sites
RTA buses and Train information
Pet friendly hotels
Senior Citizens Evacuation Pickup Sites
map information on evacuation routes
Weather Channel weather map
Volunteer Information of various organizations
State resources for Louisiana
Pets/Animals Supply Kit
NOAA Weather Radio Information Local station informtaion
Transportation and evacuation information for various parishs/areas