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| Katrina: A Call To Action
Hurricane Katrina, the flooding of New Orleans and surrounding areas and the suffering and chaos that have taken hold constitute the worst natural disaster in US history -- and only the humble towboat mariner and his industry can break the government inertia.
At this writing, rescue teams continue to find survivors in flooded areas. Farther downriver below Chalmette, hundreds of victims -- including St. Bernard Parish government officials -- are stranded. According to the Associated Press late Friday, "rescue efforts already hampered by communications meltdowns, lack of power and stagnant floodwaters continue to get stuck by bureaucracy, by planning snafus and by the sheer volume of disaster."
Even the Republican US senator from Louisiana, David Vitter, says the feds are lost. "I think FEMA has been completely dysfunctional and is completely overwhelmed," he said today.
I'm calling on towboat mariners and the river industry to take this matter into their own hands. Crank 'em up, turn loose and head for New Orleans. Don't wait for the Coast Guard or some other agency to tell you what to do, and don't ask anyone for permission. The feds don't have a clue, but one lousy towboat can provide electricity, water, hot food, communications, sanitation, a place to rest -- and transportation.
Let me tell you something. Jesse Jackson showed up in New Orleans with three busses and started shuttling Xavier University students to Baton Rouge. He did it right under the noses of the feds, who had their fingers somewhere. If Rev. Jackson can do that, then any towboatman can show up with a boat and a barge.
We in the river and canal industry have always said that the Coast Guard and other government agencies don't know their ass from a hole in the ground, whereas we professionals can get the job done. Well, the government has spent the last few days proving the former; now is our chance to prove the latter.
If you're reading this, you probably own a boat or work on a boat or know where to find one in the New Orleans-to-Baton Rouge area and crank it up.
Do it.
Crank one up and find a barge. Preferably a fuel barge with fuel and water. Then go down there to New Orleans or St. Bernard or Plaquemines and take action. If you find a federal responder -- Coast Guard, National Guard, whatever -- don't ask them what to do. Instead, turn on your loudhailer and tell THEM what to do.
Tell them to use your light plant to recharge rescuers' radios and satellite phones. Tell them to let rescue personnel use your galley and head. Tell them to use your spotlights and floodlights. Tell them to use your VHF.
Ask them what they're trying to do, then tell them how you can do it better.
Do it! Now!
Dan Hubbell
05 September 2005
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Train Man
a novel by
Peter T. Deutermann
How many railroad bridges are there over the Mississippi River? Are you sure? Someone has just blown up two of them, and the FBI must find him and stop him before national security is compromised.
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