Bracing for the Next Gustav or Katrina?
I’m home in Atlanta, washing the clothes I wore in Tropical Storm Hanna, only to repack them for Hurricane Ike.
If this storm maintains its current track, there’s a good chance we’ll be heading back to Louisiana, which is still drying out from Hurricane Gustav.
Gustav was not “the mother of all storms” New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin had predicted. However, the system did pack a powerful punch to some of the smaller towns and parishes outside the national spotlight, as the media focused attention on the levees protecting major population centers.
Linda, a FOX News viewer and reader of this blog, writes: “Please remind the country that these people may live in small towns, but have big needs.”
While reporting on Gustav for local FOX stations around the country, one of the most common questions I got from anchors is whether Louisiana residents would become more complacent after seeing how well New Orleans fared in this storm.
While there may be some resentment for the mandatory evacuations, residents will, hopefully, remember the lessons of Hurricane Katrina, which killed at least 1,600 people three years ago.
Gustav bore many similarities to Katrina while out at sea, but came ashore as a considerably weaker storm. The Crescent City’s new flood control system has yet to be tested against the “next Katrina.”
Tags: Hurricane, hurricane ike
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Jonathan Serrie is an Atlanta-based correspondent for FNC. He was
stationed in Macedonia during Operation Allied Force and in Uzbekistan
during Operation Enduring Freedom. 
I definately think that the folks living in the Gulf Coast are more aware than 3 years ago. Plus with the fact preparedness of FEMA and other services, we can rest assured that peoples lives wont be in jeopardy.
Let’s hear mor about the Parishes that haven’t been rebuilt since Katrina and Rita. New Orleans recieved a lot of money to rebuild and has somehow managed to mismanage these funds, “Suprise, Suprise”. What about Cameron Parish and some of the lower lying parishes where the hard workers are?
Our family will be praying for all those who live in Texas. I can’t imagine that type of a storm. We live by the ocean in Oregon. As we look at the power that is there, we know the importance of protecting the people who live in Texas.
May God watch over your State and the surroundings.
Just to prove how dumb reporters are, they tell everyone else to get out, go to higher ground, etc. Then what do they do? Try to go to the place they think it will be the worst!! Can’t wait for one to get ‘blown away’ — on live TV!
I live in one of those small towns in Louisiana that was hit hard but all we ever heard was how bad the Baton Rouge area was hit and how well New Orleans did. If they spoke of Pointe Coupee Parish, it was the New Roads area and that is not the area we live in. Thank you for not forgetting the small town folks.
I do believe that Katrina taught this state a valuable lesson and Jindal as well as the other organizations came through for us.
4 tarps on my roof, two weeks without power, my children still haven’t returned to school and I wake up this morning to leaking windows and no electricity. I’m not sure how much more our small town can take.
I am still in the midst of Gustav recovery. What amazes me is that the national media failed to recognize that Baton Rouge is now the largest city in the state of Louisiana thanks to Katrina. It was Baton Rouge that took the brunt of Gustav. It will take months for us to fully recouperate. My small business is teetering on the brink of extinction thanks to Gustav. There are hundreds like me in Baton Rouge alone, not to mention the other areas of the state that were affected by Gustav.
Was watching coverage on friday – Jamey received call from lady living and staying thru storm in victorian house on Broadway in Galveston. Watched coverage later and water in stores on the Strand. Have you heard from that Lady on Broadway?
TELL GERALDO HE ONE OF YOUR BEST REPORTERS PLEASE STAY SAFE
GERALDO PLEASE STAY SAFE
As far as what Mayor Nagin said about Gustav being the mother of all storms, could it be that he learned his lesson with Katrina and said what had to be said to get the people out of town? There is a prevalent attitude of Entitlement in the US today. From what I see mostly in the big cities. Thus big cities like New Orleans there are a lot of residents that are “entitled” to assistance despite their choice to ignore government, whether it be local or Federal, requests to evacuate.
What fox news did breaking away from the Mayor speaking in Spanish to warn of dangers of the water was horrible. It shows a lack of caring along with being irresponsible. Or are they so racist that they don’t care if the hispanics are sicken or even die? I have lost all respect for Fox news and I hope they will replay the speech in spanish Maybe saving lives
Oh how cool–you have a blog!
You sure have been busy with all these storms, Jonathan!