Have we learned enough in 3 years?
Sunday evening, Aug.31st, at around 9:25 PM, Phoenix time, I am currently sitting at my computer, writing this blog, and watching the news on television. So far there is nothing to report concerning the incoming hurricane (Gustav) which has already showed the first signs of it's anticipated arrival.
The President and FEMA
All residents have, supposedly, been ordered to evacuate from the New Orleans area, as concerns are heeded to do things right this time around. "We cannot screw this up again!", announced New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin.
Armed guards are working hard to reassure efforts against another fiasco. Like the one that happened just 3 short years ago with Hurricane Katrina.
President Bush has met with FEMA and all precautions have been announced and every necessary action has been taken to prevent as much damage as possible. Facing a hurricane situation is not easy. Natural disaster is very hard to predict.
Hurricane Gustav is rated a category 3 storm, which means, it carries wind gusts between 111 and 130 miles an hour with a ten to fifteen foot storm surge. Tornadoes and heavy thunderstorms warnings have been announced. There will be extensive damage and the losses, in dollars, will accumulate well into the millions.
94 people have already been killed as the storm ripped through the Caribbean Islands. Hopefully, enough preventive maintenance has been taken here in the U.S. as Gustav drives for the Gulf of Mexico. Maybe, this time the losses will not be so crucial.
Perhaps, with the evacuation of over 1.9 million people, the largest exodus in history, the death toll (compared to the amount of deaths from Katrina) will be dramatically reduced.
It is now after 11PM, Phoenix time, not much more to report from New Orleans. The wind has been gusting outside and it just started raining. It is raining hard and tomorrow morning, Arizona will have it's own weather update to report.
As I prepare to call it a night, I would like to take this moment to pray to God for all of the folks who must weather Hurricane Gustav and her mighty wrath.
God be with you and yours.
-Michael L. Wilson
