Airlines to lift 25,000 out of NO

[Schplinky]

This makes a lot more sense than buses or cruise ships to me. They'll get to the shelters a whole lot quicker.

 

Airlines to Fly Up to 25,000 Refugees Out of New Orleans

 

 

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By MICHELINE MAYNARD

Published: September 2, 2005

The nation's airlines have been mobilized to fly up to 25,000 refugees out of New Orleans beginning today, under an emergency plan put into effect for the first time by the Department of Homeland Security.

 

Under the department's national response plan, 15 airlines, including 10 major commercial carriers, will transport up to 25,000 refugees from Louis Armstrong Airport outside New Orleans to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, airlines taking part in the plan said this morning.

 

The airlines are volunteering their aircraft and crew for the program, which is scheduled to begin at noon and run until this evening. The airlifts also will take place tomorrow and Sunday, the airlines said.

 

The Transportation Security Administration will secure the airport, according to a memo sent to the airlines. But airlines are being told to "bring everyone and everything you need," the memo said. They were told the status of jet fuel at the airport is "unclear" while power is intermittent.

 

The airlines have been asked to provide narrow-bodied planes, like Boeing 737 and Airbus A-320 models. The T.S.A. will screen passengers, as it normally does at airports, and it will create passenger lists for the airlines.

 

The airlines are donating their services without charge, participants said. It is the first time that the Department of Homeland Security has activated the plan, which is being supervised by Michael Jackson, a former Transportation Department official who is the assistant secretary for homeland security. Airlines have been told the airport can handle seven to nine flights per hour, and that the airport will operate under visiual flight rules. That means that flights must take place in relatively good weather, so that pilots can see the airport from a distance as they approach.

 

Some airlines said this morning that they were not even aware of the plan's existence. It is the first time the department has mobilized the airlines. The Pentagon has a program called the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, in which airlines contract to transport troops and materiel in peace time in return for the use of their planes during war time. However, that program pays the airlines millions of dollars a year in reimbursements.

 

The airlines participating in the New Orleans air lift include Alaska, American, United, ATA, AmericaWest. JetBlue, US Airways, Southwest, Northwest, Continental, Delta and American, as well as some charter carriers. Many of those carriers participate in the CRAF program, but JetBlue is not known to have participated in a government program before.

[micheleg]

Now if most of the national grocery chains would just start sending their big semi's full of food, water, diapers, toilet paper, and other essentials to the affected areas that would make even more sense. It's pretty clear that our government has been pretty ineffective in taking care of our own.

 

Hmmm...shades of Andrew, when the locals and Publix and Winn Dixie (our national grocery chains here in South Florida) were the first to provide essentials. FEMA and other government officials were invisible for the first week as well after Andrew.

 

All of this brings back very bad memories. I wish I had the power and money to do something more. I feel so helpless. :(

[warmwinds]

There were many people who did not evacuate NO before the hurricane because they did not have the money/vehicles to do so. Many died, the rest are being taken out now by air, bus and ship. Why could these same vehicles not have been used to evacuate these very same people BEFORE the hurricane, thereby saving many lives and heartache?

[Schplinky]

I may be wrong but I think the airplanes couldn't land until an assessment of the runways was done. Also, air traffic would have required electricity. My guess only.

[cal2632]

Now if most of the national grocery chains would just start sending their big semi's full of food, water, diapers, toilet paper, and other essentials to the affected areas that would make even more sense. It's pretty clear that our government has been pretty ineffective in taking care of our own. /QUOTE]

 

First, its difficult to get trucks through to the affected areas. Second, many companies are holding off until they are contacted having learned from 9/11 that if you just send supplies, its all likely to end up sitting in a warehouse somewhere because there is no coordination of effort.

 

I think plenty of companies are willing to help - they just need the Red Cross to tell them what is needed and where to send it and right now the Red Cross just wants cash.

[bananavan]

The news that the people might have a means to evacuate using air support is indeed good.

As some are aware, I am 54 weeks post Hurricane Charley. What we experienced cannot be compared to that of Katrina. We all walk around now saying that we were lucky. We did not have the storm surge nor the flooding. Our community was under a form of martial law immediately. We are for the most part retirees so it seemed like overkill but we certainly felt safer when the sun went down.

Disaster recovery is unique to each event. Although we think that the Government should be right there as soon as the event happens this is impossible. The best all of us can do is send as much money as we can afford to The Red Cross, Salvation Army, or various church affiliations.

My heart goes out to all the folks in the Gulf area. The needs are so great.

For us each day brought some kind of improvement. For the victims of Katrina, the days just seem to get worse.

[mrscintn]

Now if most of the national grocery chains would just start sending their big semi's full of food, water, diapers, toilet paper, and other essentials to the affected areas that would make even more sense. It's pretty clear that our government has been pretty ineffective in taking care of our own.

 

Hmmm...shades of Andrew, when the locals and Publix and Winn Dixie (our national grocery chains here in South Florida) were the first to provide essentials. FEMA and other government officials were invisible for the first week as well after Andrew.

 

All of this brings back very bad memories. I wish I had the power and money to do something more. I feel so helpless. :(

 

 

Micheleg-I know exactly what you are saying...I was in Miami/Redlands during Andrew and we did not see any feds or get help till Kate Hale got on the horn and said "where the hell is the calvary"......... It was a good week before we got any help whatsoever from the feds. It was a long hard time for us.

 

You need to add Walmart to your list of chain stores that brought in semi's full of water/ice/etc...immediately after.

 

I just got my power back late yesterday afternoon, thanks to our bout with Katrina, but my week of misery is nothing compared to what is happening to the folks up north.........I too feel so helpless, wish I could do more.

[Seas the Day]

I live in Salisbury, MD. I heard that Perdue Poultry company is donating a half million dollars worth of ready-to-eat poultry products and shipping them to the Southeast.

[AFT_LOVER]

those were to house the RED CROSS folks assisting in Biloxi/Gulfport since the hotels are non-habitable. These were not for the homeless. Today Beau Rivage & my friend who is manager just got their power working & they can get the carpets ripped out, all slots are drained of money & out the door since they are not working & the companies do not wat them back. 4 companies that suck up the water, dirt, mud, diseases are there now to clean out the place. AC is on and many who worked there can move in with families. Floors 5-20 are warm but OK.

 

I loved the place when we went ot the grand opening 2 years after Bellagio opeed in Las Vegas. It is a half pint version of it. It was built durring a hurricance that toppled a crane into 3 floors of the top. So the owner Steve Wynn had on the contract that they will build to withstand 200 mph winds, but forgot about the storm surge of 30' with 27 foot waves = 57 foot wave that destroyed all of Gulfport.

 

Harrah's who bought Grand casinos has one sitting on I10 so no traffic for an exit when it gets up & running. But they are all history other than Beau Rivage which is now MGM who bought Mirage Resots. I told Mike all at CC send their prayers to him, his employees & the neighborhood surrounding them with the plantation homes that are all gone...........