Re: Real Superdome facts
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The published plan had the Superdome as a planned refuge for those left or stuck in the city. Following the plan, the mayor told those who could not get out to go to the Superdome. The city failed to plan for food, water, and sanitation facilities at the refuge -- because of this, people wanted to leave. Because of the looting in the city, officials would not let them leave. Red Cross wanted to bring in all the stuff the city forgot to provision. State wouldn't let them bring supplies in because it would encourage more people to go there -- and the state wanted to get those there out. State had no plan to get them out. The plan may need some work.
One reason the Astrodome was able to accept people immediately is because in the Texas plan the Astrodome is the refuge of last resort for Galveston and SE Harris Co. -- the Astrodome was already provisioned with food, bottled water, cots, generators, fuel, portable sanitation units, and all of the other things reasonable people might expect to need after a hurricane.
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Actually 18-wheelers with food and water went to the superdome ahead of time. People were told that the superdome was the shelter of last resort and that they would likely be without power and other basics. They were also asked to bring their own food, water, bedding, diapers, medications, and other supplies as if they were going camping. Many of them did; others didn't. Before the storm people who entered the dome were checked for guns and drugs. After the storm as survivors straggled in, security was apparently non-existent. I was in Baton Rouge by that time, listening to local tv coverage which was way different from the national coverage.
The reason that the Astrodome is stocked with survival supplies and the superdome isn't is that a few years ago, the Red Cross (the provider of shelters) stopped opening/provisioning shelters south of I-12. Hence the superdome never was in condition to provide more than a roof over people's heads (and the roof failed).
The Convention Center was in even worse shape because it was not even a designated shelter of last resort, and people just drifted there on their own. It had no provisions at all.
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