New Orleans bout to get slammed.

[Feersty]

This is my experince so far. A Customer IMs me and asked if we were going to be hit by the hurricane that just hit Miami area. I knew it was out there but was not aware of its current location or path... so I turn on the news. I respond with "No its path is to Panama City right now, and its only a Cat. 2"
It was the day before Mitzi's (co-owner) Birthday so we went out to get a headstart... we got in at about 2-3am.

7am the power goes out Mitzi wakes up and turns on the news... what a slap in the face that was! Cat. 5 and getting stronger and 95% of the path is to New Orleans area. We start packing and calling family to get a plan of atack and destination.
11am we are heading out in a 3 car convoy, and less than 24hour till landfall.
The feeling is wierd, town seems empty and quiet... almost eerie, and there is no time to do all you feel is needed.
New Orleans is about a hour from Baton Rouge (normally)... Interstate 10 would be packed so we took back roads. All radio stations were Weather related. Another slap in the face... back roads are packed... in fact it was so packed it took over 9 Hours to get to Baton Rouge. Time is running out and were still in the path.
Once we hit I-10 west traffic was moving steady about 30-50MPH.
The sceen of deperate mass exodus hits.
A car pulling a small u-haul with the back open... looks like a pile of clothing all thrown in a pile... its half filled and looks like it should be falling out the back... as you get closer you can start to see what it really is... People laying on top of each other. Welcome Centers, Truck Stops, and Rest Areas are now packed with people just waiting for the storm to pass.
The Radio is begging people to leave... the Gov. of LA is saying he has asked for States to help with Mass Services to deal with all the dead bodies.
We get just west of Laffayette, LA and hit a rest stop... Try to sleep for 2 hours till heading on to our destination. Red Cross is at the rest stops offering food and drinks... its a nice break from the chaos to see someone care about others, because driving is nothing but a personal fight to get out, at this point.
Out of harms way but far from the destination.
Next door neighbor is a cop who had to stay behind.
Cousins wife is Medical staff so now a resident of the hospital.
Friends being stupid descide to stay because they have a generator.
Land Fall - 3 dead already.
We are blind w/o TV and Radio isn't helping because we are out of the state.

We arrive at our destination at 9am... 22hours on the road.
TV was first before sleep or food... The eye missed New Orleans but by very very little... the damage is going to be carzy and we know it now. Lack of sleep takes over. We wake up 4-5 hours later wide awake and starved.
TV again... Catastophic Damage and more to come, because now the path is going to Mississippi. My mother lives in MS and was going to ride it out at a local Hotel. My sister left Slidel, LA for a hotel in Mobile, AL. Still in harms way and on the wrong side of the storm.

All Cell phones and Land Lines are down from LA to FL
No Power
No Gas

Fear the worst as News breaks on Deaths and Destruction.
Levees designed to keep water out of New Orleans (because its 20 feet below sea level) are being breached... the Lake is now New Orleans and the Pump systems are failing because they are flooded. So they blow out a levee to evacuate water, but it only brings more... so now safe dry areas are now being flooding, and the Hurricane surge & wind is still taking effect on the area.
Biloxi to Mobile area is getting Storm Surge of 20+ feet and flooding exceeds your imagination.

Now the storm is over, so we try calling hotels to find relatives with little resolve.
Cousins wife calls and tells us that what we are seeing on TV is nothing compaired to what is really happening. People are killing each other in New Orleans for mere simple possesions... Martial Law is in effect but little help because areas are not accessable.
Grocery stores are being looted so bad that a Local Wa-Mart opens it doors freely... dont be blinded by the 1 million dollar donation to the Salvation Army.

Gov. of LAis telling us not to return. Anyone trying to return will be arrested under Martial Law. Everyone who stayed is being evacuated out. We are told it should be 1 week before we can return, and even then it will only be to collect personal items. Only to leave again!

Harsh reality at this point is... is there anything left to come back to, and will it be worth it? I can run a part of the buisness with the laptop, printer, and fax, for now... anything in the warehouse is a loss from what I can see on the News.

I am now apart of something I never thought would happen.
Its overwhelming.

Peace
Drew