Residents in the storm’s path should be ready for emergency
by Colin Lovett – PIC Current Producer
**UPDATE** – New Orleans May Ray Nagin has issued a mandatory evacuation order for the city. Anyone who does not leave by Sunday evening is being warned there will be no emergency shelters in the city during the storm. If you are in the New Orleans area, please take this warning very seriously.
Click on the map to see full size image
Thousands are already fleeing New Orleans, which may be hit by Gustav Tuesday morning. Millions of others in the possible path of the storm are getting ready and so should you.
As I write this, the storm is heading into Cuba and is expected to cross the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday and Monday, picking up even more power as it crosses the warm water.
People from the panhandle of Florida to the coast of Texas could be in harms way, with the most likely landfall taking place in Louisiana. The Associated Press has a good story on the situation in New Orleans as of Saturday.
Everyone in the gulf region should do the following four things right now to be ready:
- Pack a go bag so you are ready to go.
- Prepare your home by boarding up windows or hurricane shutters. Valuable should be moved off the ground whenever possible in case of flooding.
- Listen carefully to all official announcements. If officials say you need to leave, then go.
- Make sure every family member knows where you will be going and how to get there.
These are just a few of the things you will need to do in the next day or two. For a detailed list of steps you can take to get ready, please visit our sister site, The Beehive.
Stay safe and use the comments section to tell us what is going on in your area.
This is a nightmare…my heart grieves for those in Gustav’s path.
August 9 1969…I was in Gulfport, MS. I was spending time with friends before the start of my first semester at Univ of Tx at Austin. A few days after my arrival Hurricane Camille struck the coast (Aug 17)…200+ mph winds…and devastation like I could never have imagined.
Until this event…my goal was to go into law (this was the reason I selected Univ of TX). Yet, after completing four years…my career choice had taken a drastic turn. I knew my feet were firmly planed in a different direction…so I spent a few more years shoring up my education for that of service to others. It was Hurricane Camille that not only changed the course of my life…but that of MANY others during this same event.
I worked for several years with community agencies and non-profit organizations. Eventually, I ended up working for 30 years as a Humanitarian Aid Relief Coordinator and Educator for First Responders. This gave me entrance into numerous nations across four continents.
Now, I’m back in the US permanently…and it’s as if I landed on a different planet. The lack of concern for the welfare of others…coming from certain groups…has surprised even me…one that’s seen more disaster than anyone should view or be part of.
None of us had a say into which nation, or family we were born. If one is free of difficulty today, that does not mean you’ll be free of difficulty tomorrow. We, as a nation, have got to get passed all the bias and partisanship . We are all in this together!
We are “our brothers keeper”. Thank you so very much for posting this. It is critical that this information be made available to EVERY corner of our nation.
Michelle