Hurricane Rita

I am wondering how the preparation for Rita would have been had it not been for Katrina? I am sure everyone knew they would be under the microscope and would be featured on FOX, MSNBC, and CNN if they dropped the ball. FEMA was there in force in the perimeter of the expected path of the storm but thinking back there was ONE glaring difference between New Orleans and Texas.

New Orleans is below sea level and surrounded by dikes designed to withstand F3 hurricanes and their accompaning surge. The hurricane hit Texas and part of Louisana but even under the worse conditions, the water would recede back into the Gulf of Mexico once the storm was over. Not so in New Orleans.

Sure we could have done a better job, but let us not criticise the first responders. I was in the CG and have been a fire fighter and we were the first guys and gals there pulling people off rooves and dropping supplies. The diffence between the two storms is New Orleans was literally surrounded by a lake of water and the primary responders had to stay out of Katrina's way so they would not be victims.

Texas was lucky compared to Louisana and gained much by what happen a month ago in Louisana. The government, FEMA, everyone all learned from Katrina. It is still bad in Texas in lots of towns but now New Orleans is flooded again by the sea coming over the makeshift levee repairs. I have more thoughts on this but time is off the essense....News at 11:00!