Celebration Station Virtual Tour... continued

 

My virtual tour continues on around the building.  We last left off with Red and his little area where everyone showed some love to the precious Pibble.

In the area to the left of Red was a large caged pen.  The grumpy occupant was terrified, tired, rarely heard and would very rarely come to the front of the cage for a head scratch or a hand lick.  The occupant's name was Whisperer Al.  Talk about a story!  All the babies that came through Celebration Station had a story... all too common of the pets that were left behind either by their people that were forced to do so or by their people that thought it just wasn't going to get as bad as it did.  Whisperer Al came to be at Celebration Station and Best Friends due to a dead dog report.

I'm not sure about Al's beginnings as to WHY he was left AND left in the condition that he was.  This beauty of a shy, withdrawn boy was left chained to a very huge tree in his back yard.  The tree toppeled over in the storm and Al was able to find refuge in the large hole the trunk left in the ground. 

Cari, the aforementioned volunteer coordinator... you remember, the one that brought her dog and then adopted one?  Well, she also adopted Whisperer Al, which was later named Frank.  Like so many there, I fell in love with Al too.

http://network.bestfriends.org/groups/hurricane/news/archive/2006/01/26/whisperer-al.aspx

http://network.bestfriends.org/groups/hurricane/15218/news.aspx

The only dogs kept inside were either in the intake or the infirmary area.  The rest of the sooo many were kept in the kennels and runs outside.  I'll get to that later as well. 

THIS was an important sign for everyone to see as there was just one for the entire bottom floor:

The Cat Area

On to the next main area on the lower level of the building.  I'd like to walk back through the cat area.  This was an AMAZINGLY organized, clean, volunteer-filled area.  The vets and the vet techs that so generously gave their time were amazing!  They all stayed for so long... many, many months until the Station closed down.
 

 

Celebration Station Virtual Tour...

Downstairs - Main Floor - Inside



Inside the main entrance this little table was placed for people to go for an adoption application or an information sheet on how/where to find their pet. Off to the right was where they would go to get assistance to search on the computer. That was my job for a few days where I worked with Best Friends and Stealth Volunteers to reunite pets and their families. I did some of that before and after going out to search and trap. Totally REWARDING!!!

This is the desk that we/someone sat at from morning until night searching EVERYWHERE for pets and/or people.  We would try the best we could while evacuees were there on-site and then would continue once they had gone.  That is Mindy (PetRecover) on the left and Theresa on the right.  I had the pleasure of working with so many wonderful people.  Mindy was there for quite a long time... between the desk, feeding, searching and trapping. 

This area to the left of the entrance table was the special "infirmary".  This is where the incoming dogs and cats were taken.  There was a special pup that would just cry and cry.  One of the volunteers, Amy, was taking care of that one.  Only certain techs and rescuers were allowed to interact with them unless they were taken out.  It looks so enclosed and dark, but there was always someone in the area.

To the left of the search desk was the little kitchen area.  There was plenty of donated foods that anyone could help themselves to.  Theresa made the best protein shakes for everyone in the morning.  There was always some good coffee going and something for everyone.

To the left of the kitchen area was where the dining table was set up for every communal meal.  There were certain groups of people that handled certain duties (cooking, cleaning, trash, etc.) and they were all rotated.  Everything always seemed to go off without a hitch and everyone was taken well care of.  Mind you, everyone was volunteering their time there.  It was nice being able to sit down after a long day and mingle with everyone, listening to their rescue stories.

RED

Red was a loveable red Staffordshire Terrier at Celebration Station.  He was outside intake at the back of the main area.  He was such a sweetheart (and, yes, he was adopted by a most special person).  Red had such a sad and uplifting story at the same time.  He was at the Station injured with a broken back, but like Trixie... he had no idea!  After the hurricane he was being fed by a neighbor.  Sadly, he was hit by a car or a truck and his back was broken.  He dragged himself back to the house he was staying at.  At the Station, he was so alert, active, friendly, loving, playful and the list goes on.  He stayed in a pen with enough room for him to scooch around.  Everyone new to the Station was introduced to Red as if it were initiation.  Everyone assisted with the cleaning of his pen and making sure it was comfortable at all times.  You couldn't resist laying in there with him.  Many a times I'd see someone with a blanket and a pillow curled up with him trying to catch a nap between trappings and rescues. 

Red gets his wheels

While I was there someone had donated a wheelchair for Red.  THAT was a treat to watch.  That just opened his world up so wide and he took it all in again.  I was there when they strapped him into his new wheels.  He took to it pretty well as if he already knew what they were and how to use them.  It was so fun to watch him chase his tennis balls outside with that HUGE bully smile on his face. 

Here is a link to his wheelchair story:  http://network.bestfriends.org/groups/hurricane/news/archive/2006/01/19/red-gets-his-wheels.aspx

Red leaves the building

Red was one of the last to leave Celebration Station.  He went to a wonderful rescue organization that cared for his therapy needs and everything.  I also learned that he was adopted by a woman that went above and beyond to adopt Red and carried on with his care and really tended to making her home Red safe!

http://network.bestfriends.org/groups/hurricane/news/archive/2007/04/08/new-adventures-with-red.aspx

http://network.bestfriends.org/groups/hurricane/news/archive/2009/02/04/a-friend-in-need-red-the-pit-bull-and-his-person.aspx

http://network.bestfriends.org/groups/hurricane/news/archive/2009/04/21/red-goes-home--again.aspx

Isn't he a handsome boy??

... To be continued

And the real fun begins...

CELEBRATION STATION

After my short and sweet stay in the French Quarter, I took up residence with the good folks at Best Friends Animal Society at the Celebration Station in Metairie, Louisiana.  This was a small miniature golf type place that was pretty run down and destroyed so Best Friends was able to move their operations there.



Upon my arrival I  went to the "Command Center" behind the search/reunion desk.  The trappers met at the back orange wall.  To the right were the desks where adoptions were finalized (YAY!).  Behind them were the desks for the data information and the volunteer coordination. To the left of the orange wall was the entrance to the kitchen, the laundry area (YAY!) to the right and the puppy room beyond... the little nursery full of cuddlies to love up on.   I went to the volunteer coordination desk and met Cari to fill out all the necessary paperwork and waivers to begin my journey. 

 

Cari was the volunteer coordinator that gave me my orientation and the rundown of the operations there.  She was such a wonderful lady that went down there for MONTHS and brought her dog Chumley with her (pictured on the left).  While she was there she adopted Sophie, the exceptionally wiggly pup on the right.  She later adopted Whisperer Al (I'll get to his sad story later).  Cari convinced me to postpone my return flight and stay longer.  I fell in love with Best Friends and it's been my dream ever since to get to the sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. 

So after my initial orientation I was sent off to the intake area for the dogs.  This is the area that the dogs were brought in to be assessed for health and behavior then logged into the system.  The cages needed to be cleaned out and the bebes needed to be fed and watered. 

My first rescue that I encountered was Trixie.  She was a wee tiny thing just a couple months old if that... and she was a paraplegic.  I don't think she knew that, though!  She was FIERCE!!!  She wouldn't let anything stop her from working to get her food and water and squirm over to the front of her cage for a little lovin'. She had such a wonderful temperament. I was able to give her the physical therapy rubs and stretches she needed to prevent her limbs from atrophying.  I never knew what happened to her, but I'm hoping she was adopted, of course.  She was such a snuggle bug!

After working in the intake area I was taken out to the back of the main building where I was to assist with building the Igloos for the dogs in the kennels outside.  At that time of year it was getting to be very cold and rainy.  We were always changing out the bedding and the straw trying to keep the dogs warm and comfortable through the nights.  While working in the crate yard I met the nicest young man (yeah, makes me sound so old), Justin, who was a college student volunteering as well.  This picture shows a mere fraction of what we put together in two days.  Justin was such a nice, quiet guy.  At the time, he was going to school and had two jobs to help support his mom and siblings that really lost a lot. 

Journal Entry:

02/08/06:  Well, today is my first day "on the job".  I was registered with ARNO, but since they moved from Celebration Station, I tried to find their new place.  I finally found it in Jefferson Parish, but no one was there and they didn't have a sign as to when they'd be back.  So, once again, I got back in the car and drove to Celebration Station.  I left at 6:45 AM and was finally there at 7:45 AM.  I sadly had to wait until 9:00 AM to be let in.

Well, after my short tour, I was sent to the intake room where all the newly trapped dogs start out.  I cleaned the cages, walked a deaf and partially blind poodle... a very difficult task.  Then I got to sit and hold Trixie, the paraplegic puppy.  What a treat for my first day!!

I got to meet Red, the paralyzed Pit Bull that was hit by a car just after the hurricane.  They gave him surgery and he was given a wheelchair to run around with.  Sweet, sweet boy!

Then it was out to clean all the dirty dog/cat carriers and then off to assemble the new carriers and igloos.  After THAT, it was off to the cat room to feed/water, change litter boxes, put the clean laundry away and then home at the end of the loooonnngggg day.  Nine and a half hours later I was saying good-bye to some really awesome people. 

Justin helped me with all the carriers outside.  Deb helped with the carriers and the cat room duties.  Gillian helped me with the cat room.  Gillian... hmmmm, Gillian.  So, so sweet and quiet, but she suffered with self-mutilation during a former time in her life.  Cari, the volunteer coordinator, was everywhere and all around.  She's a crack up! 

Back tomorrow bright and early to begin a new day.  Gotta go see Trixie and Red for sure!

To be continued...

I take the plunge.... February 2006

After five months of working feverishly online to match up people with people, pets with pets, supplies with rescuers and having information overload, I decided to take the plunge and get my derriere down to the heart of it all.

After money was saved up, my time-off request was pushed through work (Oh, and soon after I was without a job.  Yes, that's right. LAID OFF!!!  But, I digress.), daycare was lined up and the husband was ready for me to go... So, I went.  I was very involved with Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO) and Best Friends Animal Society along with Stealth Volunteers.  I was originally supposed to be meeting up with ARNO, but the plans fell through due to not having a stationery place to meet.  Sadly, things had been changing with many rescue groups out there being forced to leave, having to pull out, dramas, etc., etc.

I was able to, however, find out where Best Friends had their center (Celebration Station in Metairie) and was headed there.  I didn't know anyone at the time and was really stepping WAY out of my box and taking a chance.  The farthest I'd travelled on my own was to Europe at fifteen to play soccer, but I was with thirty kids and five adults.  It didn't seem as daunting as this for some reason.  No fear, being younger, all that.

I ended up finding a nice little bungalow to stay for three nights.  That was all I could afford.  After that, I wasn't too sure where I was going to go.  I found the place through HistoricRentals.com and it was situated in the French Quarter.  I knew the Quarter already as I'd been to NOLA a couple times before, but not alone!!!  I stayed in their Courtyard Suite.  It was a little attached, bungalow with a tiny kitchen, tiny living area, tiny TV, tiny room, and tiny shower!  It was perfect for just me.  Later I learned that volunteers were able to stay at the Best Friends center for free including a place to put a tent/sleeping bag and meals were provided.  THAT sounded like it would work for me!

I rented a car.  I rented a FUN car.  I rented a dark, smoke colored two-door Mustang car!  That thing was fun to drive with a great stereo, GPS and lots of power. 

After my long day of volunteering, rescuing, feeding, watering, and computer work I would drive back to my little bungalow and park the car in a lot two blocks away.  For some odd reason I just felt safe.  Even when I'd walk by the seedy, smelly bar way off the likes of Bourbon Street, I felt comfortable.  People said hello and I'd hello back.  Everyone was afraid of me going by myself, but I just had to prove them wrong that I'd be okay... and I was.

I enjoyed my short stay in the French Quarter.  I was a little bummed that I couldn't walk around during the day, but just before I left the Quarter (Qwoahtah) I was able to get in some Cafe du Monde coffee and beignets.  I wasn't going ANYWHERE until I did that!  I walked around the French Market right there as well. 

I just love the energy, the ambiance and the culture of New Orleans.  I will forever be tied there, maybe not by birth, but at least from my family's birth. 

First Journal Entry:

02/07/06 -- Leaving Orange County into the Houston Airport layover went great.  Flying into New Orleans was a different story.  On a flight completely booked, it was crowded and tight!  The pilot seemed to have a major problem trying to land the plane and did a total jig down the runway.  Oy!  I got my car fine and found the little bungalow just fine as well.  Nope, didn't get lost once.

The place I'm staying in is at 1017 Orleans Street in the French Quarter.  The house was built in the 1870s and is called a Double Shotgun style.  I'm staying in one of the small apartments in the back. There's a little courtyard between the two buildings with a little pond and fountain in the middle.  Damn, but it's quiet!  I can hear the train eerily going right now in the distance.  It's 5:00 PM and I'm about to head out to get some dinner and then attempt to find the shelter.

Well, THAT didn't work out so well!  After driving around for what seemed like forever, I finally had to turn back since it was getting dark.  I did get lost in some neighborhoods that were pretty badly hit by the hurricane.  Lots of homes are boarded up and lots of debris is out by the curbs.  I guess that's a good sign that people are around and rebuilding.  When I came back I ended up just walking to an open bar and was pointed in the direction of Bourbon Street.  I ended up with a turkey Po' Boy, chips and a much needed Diet Coke!

Back in the bungalow trying to map out my journey again early in the morning.  Thank God there's a TV and cable here.  Very quiet by myself!  Flipping the channels I see one channel that just keeps showing different pictures after the hurricane of all the different Parishes.  So many are being shown.  I worked with Stealth Volunteers for finding people and pets.

My first two cases

I was so excited when I was finally able to join the ranks and start working independently on my own cases.  I received two and I remember being so nervous.  Was I going to be able to find their people?  Would I be able to keep track of them and where they were being moved?

So many pets post-Katrina were being kenneled, fostered, moved around and some ultimately adopted.  It was difficult to keep track of their wherabouts sometimes.

When I received my first two cases, I found they were being forwarded by Best Friends Animal Society in Tylertown, Mississippi.  I came to learn that Best Friends was by far the rescue people that I wanted to work with if my journey were to ever take me to Louisiana in this whole thing. 

I worked very hard for these two kitties.  All I had were their pictures, their faces, and very little information of where they came from.  Like so many pets I was assigned, these two looked like every other cat or dog I worked on.  I really learned to see the differences in their specific markings, sizes, and personalities.  I was almost glad that I only had names with some in the beginning.  As time went on I had names and had many conversations with the actual evacuees looking for their babies.  THAT was tough!!!



BFC1961





BFC1959

Each pet was given a five digit PetFinder number as well as a Best Friends number.   It was so very important to make sure they ALL matched.  One mistake could send the search efforts into a small hurricane themselves...  swirling with misinformation. 

Ecstatically, I was able to reunite BFC1961 with his mom, Pamela, in New Orleans.  I learned his name was Gizmo!!  He was the first that I was able to reunite and get transported back home.  He was picked up in New Orleans, taken to Tylertown and then on to Eleventh Hour Rescue in New Jersey.  Since Gizmo was the standard white cat with greenish eyes, his mom was able to give me a bit of information that sealed the identification deal.

It was his meow, or lack thereof.  She said he had a meow as if he lost his voice.  She said it was a bit raspy. 

Sadly, I was unable to find BFC1959's people.  I worked so hard for this little one.  But, in the end, he was adopted to a loving family.

And this is where I came in...

Like the rest of the country and even the world, I sat almost glued to my television as the media gave us moment by moment updates on the happenings in the Gulf.  I was especially drawn to the happenings in New Orleans and the hardest hit areas of Louisiana.  I'm first generation Californian with "pert near" all my relatives being from Louisiana, in and around New Orleans.

I felt I NEEDED to do something for the people that were forced to be evacuated from their homes leaving behind all their belongings and their beloved pets.  At first we didn't hear of all the pets that were FORCED to be left behind in the attics or tethered to trees outside... fearing for the worst and missing their humans so badly. 

At first I was scanning the internet for any information about Katrina herself, the path she was taking and the destruction she had left behind.  I saw countless numbers of people being separated from their families, just going off in so many different directions.

I found a website called Stealth Volunteers.  "Stealth".  I love that word.  Just under the radar, but working so hard and diligently.  In the beginning the Stealth Volunteers from all over the world joined together in one forum to gather updates on people that were missing and could not be found by their loved ones.  I joined a massive data site called, yep, MelissaData where I was able to get background information on people and where they originally lived.  I, with all the other Stealthers, were able to track down missing people based on website information which then allowed us to reunite them.

THEN, as the days and weeks and months wore on, more and more information was coming out of that area about the pets that were left behind, being picked up and taken to any shelter they could as well as any rescue group available with the room to take them.  I kept my eye on one in particular called Lamar-Dixon.  They were taking in all walks of four-leggeds, slitherers, feathereds and fluffies.  But, they too, were getting full and it just seemed never ending.

The Stealth Volunteers then shifted gears a bit and added another "branch" to their outstretched tree to help people find their pets that they were so sadly forced to leave.  That's where my former days as a rescuer kicked in and really fueled my desire to help.  THIS was my calling.  I truly felt that the people were okay and would be okay because they had a voice.  They were being helped... being fed, clothed, housed.  The pets were the ones that were being forced into small cages and kennels frantically looking out for any familiar face to take them back to the comfort of their home.  That wasn't happening quickly enough and they needed more and more people to do it.  They didn't have a voice and I wanted to be one of the ones that voiced for them.

So, for about six months I worked tirelessly at night looking through PetFinder.com, 
MelissaData and various lost pet blogs and databases along with the Stealth Volunteer files and endless notes just to match up anything I could. I had quite a few successes in adding to the whereabouts of some and since we worked as a Goliath Group of hundreds, there were plenty of eyes and information going around for many successful reunions.  I formed bonds with total strangers hundreds of miles away working together towards the same goal.  It was amazing!!!  Talk about Social Networking BEFORE the phrase was even thunk up!!

I worked with many rescue groups that were on the ground and in the middle of it all.  THEY were the ones I was envious of.  They were doing what I really wanted to do.  I wanted to get in and get dirty and really do something tangible, physical.  What I was doing was so very good, but I wanted to do more.   

I formed some pretty constant contact with one of the other Stealthers, Penny.  We both had the same feelings of wanting to go there and do MORE!!  I felt I couldn't go...  I had a full-time job, a husband, and a two year old at home.  I couldn't up and leave to go somewhere BY MYSELF, not knowing ANYONE or where I would really be staying.  My wheels started to turn and the gears started catching…

I was goin' to NAWLINS and git me some o' dat rescue work done!!

The formation of a disaster...

The beginning
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Tropical Depression Twelve formed over the southeastern Bahamas.

Thursday, August 25, 2005
Florida landfall as a Category 1 hurricane. As many as six people were killed.  Hurricane experts determined that tornadoes had been spawned out of the hurricane, but luckily only struck between houses, causing no deaths.

Gulf of Mexico
Friday, August 26, 2005
Katrina was downgraded to a tropical storm.  Increased winds once again upgraded Katrina to a Category 1 hurricane.  In the early afternoon, Louisiana's Governor declared a state of emergency for Louisiana.  This activated the state's emergency response and recovery program and federal troops were deployed to Louisiana to coordinate the planning of operations with FEMA.  922 Army National Guard and 8 Air National Guard are deployed.

Saturday, August 27, 2005
Hurricane Katrina reached Category 3 intensity.  Mandatory evacuations were ordered in some Parishes while voluntary evacuations were offered in others.  At 5:00 PM EDT, the New Orleans Mayor announced a state of emergency and a called for a voluntary evacuation. He added that he would stick with the state's evacuation plan and not order a mandatory evacuation until 30 hours before the expected landfall. This would allow those residents in low-lying surrounding parishes to leave first and avoid gridlocked escape routes. However, he did recommend that residents of low-lying areas of the city, such as Algiers and the 9th Ward, get a head start. The city would open the Superdome as a shelter of last resort for evacuees with special needs. Anyone planning to stay there was to bring their own food, drinks and other comforts such as folding chairs.The Louisiana National Guard had delivered three truckloads of water and seven truckloads of MRE's to the Superdome, enough to supply 15,000 people for three days.

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Hurricane Katrina reached Category 4 intensity with 145 mph winds. By 7:00 AM CDT, it was a Category 5 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, gusts up to 215 mph.  At 10:00 AM CDT, the Mayor declared that a mandatory evacuation was ordered.  At 12:00 PM CDT, the Louisiana Superdome was opened as a, "refuge of last resort," for those residents that were unable to obtain safe transport out of the city. 20,000 people entered the Dome. 4444 Army National Guard and 932 Air National Guard are deployed (5,376 total).

Second landfall and the waters are rising

Monday, August 29, 2005

At 5:10 AM CDT, Hurricane Katrina made its second landfall as a strong Category 3 hurricane near Buras-Triumph, Louisiana, with sustained winds of more than 125 mph , although Category 4 winds may have briefly affected the area.  Katrina also made landfall in St. Bernard parish and St. Tammany parish as a Category 3 hurricane for a total of three landfalls in Louisiana. At approximately 8:14 AM CDT, a flash flood warning was issued for Orleans Parish and St Bernard Parish, citing a levee breach at the Industrial Canal. The National Weather Service predicted three to eight feet of water. By 9:00 AM CDT, there was 6–8 feet of water in the Lower Ninth Ward.  At 10:00 AM CDT, Hurricane Katrina made its third landfall, with sustained winds of 120 mph after crossing Breton Sound.  By 11:00 AM CDT, there was approximately 10 feet of water in St. Bernard Parish.  Many rooftops could not be seen as they were submerged. Therefore, there was much more than 10 feet of water in many places.  At 2:00 PM CDT, New Orleans officials confirmed a breach of the 17th Street Canal Levee.  There was also confirmation of breaches at two other canals.  The hardest-hit areas of the city were the Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans East, Gentilly, Lakeview, St. Bernard parish, and Plaquemines parish.  The Governor ordered 68 school buses into New Orleans from surrounding parishes to begin evacuating any survivors that remained in the city. 6908 Army National Guard and 933 Air National Guard were deployed (7,841 total).

The Aftermath
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
At 12:00 PM CDT, they became aware that the New Orleans levee breaches could not be plugged.  The Governor ordered that all of New Orleans, including the Superdome, be evacuated due to the flooding of the city. She commandeered hundreds of buseswhich eventually evacuated more than 15,000 people that were stranded in the city to the SuperDome by Thursday, September 1. There were also many instances of reported of looting, including looting by police officers. The Governor also said that she will request President Bush send federal troops to help restore law and order in New Orleans. 9,668 Army National Guard and 956 Air National Guard were deployed (10,624 total).

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Hurricane Katrina is downgraded to a tropical depression.  At 10:00 PM CDT, The Mayor announced that the planned sandbagging of the 17th Street Canal levee breach had failed. At the time, 85% of the city was underwater. The USS Bataan was positioned off the coast of Gulfport, Mississippi to support the relief efforts and The US Navy moved additional ships and helicopters into the region at the request of FEMA.

The Mayor ordered almost the entire New Orleans' police force to abandon search and rescue missions and turn their attention toward controlling the widespread looting and a curfew is placed in effect. At 11:00 PM EDT, it was announced that the center of the remnant low of what was Hurricane Katrina has been completely absorbed by a frontal boundary in southeastern Canada, with no discernible circulation.

Thursday, September 1, 2005

U.S. Senate passes a relief package.

1. A 50-member Canadian search-and-rescue team reached a flooded New Orleans suburb to help save trapped residents.
2. National Guardsmen accompanied by buses (475 in all) and supply trucks begin to arrive at the Superdome.
3. A day after the National Guard began delivering food, water and ice in New Orleans, the National President of the American Red Cross requested to set up a shelter in New Orleans to pass out food and water. However, due to the ongoing military rescue operations in the city, the Red Cross was asked to wait for 24 hours. By Saturday, the point was moot because the large-scale evacuation of the city was already underway. 
4. The conditions at the Superdome, as well as the Ernest N. Memorial Convention Center, continued to deteriorate. Food and potable water were unavailable, with mostly false reports and rumors of rescuers coming under fire from people seeking to hijack supplies or transportation, and few buses were arriving to evacuate the survivors. About 5,000 refugees made it by bus to Reliant Astrodome, yet there were only about 2,000 cots available. 
5. 4,200 National Guard troops trained as military police would be deployed to New Orleans. An additional 40,000 National Guard troops were to be mobilized. 14,284 Army National Guard and 972 Air National Guard were currently deployed (15,256 total).
6. California swift water rescue crew units deployed to the area rescued hundreds in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish. However, FEMA later halted the swift water rescue crews from conducting further rescues, citing safety concerns.
7. Sealing of the 17th Street Canal from Lake Pontchartrain with sheet pilings begins, while closing the breach continues.
8. The New Orleans suburb of Gretna seals the Crescent City Connection across the Mississippi River, turning back fleeing flood victims at gunpoint. Evacuees blamed the incident on racism, but the chief of police stated that the city was in lockdown and was not equipped to handle evacuees from New Orleans.
9. President Bush signed a $10.5 billion relief package that was passed by Congress which included supplemental funds for FEMA, as well as $500 million for the Pentagon for its relief efforts. 
10. The Bush administration sent Governor Blanco a proposed legal memorandum asking her to request a federal takeover of the evacuation of New Orleans. Louisiana officials eventually rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law.
11. Sheet piling blocks water flow into the 17th Street Canal, making closure of the breach not relevant to city flooding. Work on closing the breach continues for purposes of pumping.
12. Rapper Kanye West brought to light concerns about racism, as he goes off-script on NBC's , "Concert for Hurrican Relief" and says, "George Bush doesn't care about black people." He also made some comments about the Iraq Warand the Bush administration.
13. BNSF Railway pledged a contribution of $1 Million, and offered rail transportation to aid in relief efforts for the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Friday, September 2, 2005
18,678 Army National Guard and 2,464 Air National Guard were deployed (21,142 total).

Saturday, September 3, 2005
25,548 Army National Guard and 3,998 Air National Guard were deployed (28,546 total).

Sunday, September 4, 2005
The evacuation of the Superdome has been completed. 29,588 Army National Guard and 4,596 Air National Guard were deployed (34,184 total).

Monday, September 5, 2005
The 17th Street Canal levee breach was closed with truckloads of rock and sandbags. The canal reopened so that it could be used to pump water out of city. 33,608 Army National Guard and 6,613 Air National Guard were deployed (40,221 total).

Tuesday, September 6, 2005
Rescue workers said that there were still many, "holdouts," who were not heeding the mandatory evacuation order first issued by the Mayor on August 28. They were concerned about their property being looted, were unaware of the full extent of the disaster, worried about their pets, or concerned that conditions would be worse in the shelters. Due to unsanitary conditions in the city, as well as contaminations of E. coli bacteria in the standing water in the city, the Mayor ordered the forced evacuation of everyone that was not involved in cleaning up after Hurricane Katrina.  38,093 Army National Guard and 5,770 Air National Guard were deployed (43,863 total).
Senator Barbara Mikulski called for FEMA's Michael Brown's resignation. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid voiced criticism of the disaster's handling, and of the Bush administration's management, delegation of control, leadership, and human consideration.

Wednesday, September 7, 2005
39,736 Army National Guard and 5,952 Air National Guard were deployed (45,688 total).

Thursday, September 8, 2005
40,667 Army National Guard and 5,735 Air National Guard were deployed (46,402 total).

Friday, September 9, 2005
FEMA Director Michael Brown was removed from directing relief efforts in New Orleans. A "zero access" policy with regards to the media was announced, in order to prevent members of the media from reporting on the recovery of dead bodies in New Orleans. CNN filed a lawsuit, then obtained a temporary restraining order to prevent government agencies from interfering with news coverage of recovery efforts.
42,164 Army National Guard and 4,347 Air National Guard were deployed (46,511 total).

Saturday, September 10, 2005
The federal government subsequently agreed not to attempt to restrict media coverage of events and Honoré's deputy says that the original statement referred to a policy of not allowing embedded journalists on relief operations.
42,257 Army National Guard and 4,581 Air National Guard were deployed (46,838 total - the peak deployment, with the military then arriving).

Sunday, September 11, 2005
Under the orders of the Governor, Illinois police officers on loan to Louisiana were sent out with flat bottomed boats to rescue hundreds of frozen embryos from New Orleans Lakewood Hospital's Fertility Institute, the first of which was born on Jan. 16, 2007.

Monday, September 19, 2005
After starting to allow residents back into the city, the Mayor ordered yet another evacuation due to Hurricane Rita. With the levees and pumping systems in a weakened state, even a near-miss could bring flooding back to areas that have begun to dry out.  As of September 19, the official death toll stood at 973. Mississippi had refused to raise its death toll above 218, or to explain why. Thousands of dead in Mississippi and Louisiana have not been counted, nor have the bodies been retrieved.

Wednesday, September 21, 2005
The official death toll was raised to 1,036, with 63 additional deaths recognized in Louisiana. This marked the first time since 1928 that a natural disaster in the U.S. had been officially acknowledged to have killed at least 1,000 people. State-by-state death tolls: Louisiana 799, Mississippi 218, Florida 14, Alabama 2, Georgia 2, Tennessee 1.

Friday, September 23, 2005
Hurricane Rita headed towards Houston, with its outer bands bringing rain to the New Orleans area. Efforts continued to shore up the levees weakened by Katrina.

Saturday, September 24, 2005
Hurricane Rita compounded the already growing problems as it makes landfall just west of where Hurricane Katrina had.  Brig. Gen. Doug Pritt and the 41st Brigade Combat Team of Oregon were designated as the head of Joint Task Force Rita, leading the multi-state National Guard relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Hurricane Rita.  The official regionwide death toll from Hurricane Katrina was upgraded to 1,080. Mississippi still had not officially increased its death toll by much, but added 2 to the count. Thousands feared dead in Mississippi and Louisiana remain out of the official death toll. State-by-State death tolls: Louisiana 841, Mississippi 220, Florida 14, Alabama 2, Georgia 2, Tennessee 1.

Saturday, October 1, 2005
The official death toll from Hurricane Katrina was upgraded to 1,135. It had been 33 days since landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi. State-by-State death tolls: Louisiana 896, Mississippi 220, Florida 14, Alabama 2, Georgia 2, Tennessee 1.

Tuesday, October 4, 2005
To date, approximately 1.5 million people were evacuated from the damaged areas in Louisiana, roughly 1 million have applied for hurricane-related federal aid, 30,000 are in out-of-state shelters, 46,400 are in state shelters and 972 people have perished in the storm.  The official death toll was upgraded to 1,836 with more than 2,500 still missing. State-by-State death tolls: Louisiana 1,577, Mississippi 238, Florida 14, Alabama 2, Georgia 2, Tennessee 1, Kentucky 1.

Wednesday, October 5, 2005
The Mayor announced that, due to lack of funds, New Orleans would lay off 3,000 non-essential employees from the city's payroll, or about half of its workforce, over the next two weeks.

... and they are still rebuilding today.

The above thanks to our friends over at Wikipedia.org

Hurrice Katrina Volunteer Work

This is a place for me to put together my pictures and favorite videos of the Hurricane Katrina disaster and my experience with my volunteering through Stealth Volunteers as well as Best Friends Animal Society.

I worked some long, tiring months with Stealth Volunteers trying to find missing people, which then turned into trying to find missing people to match with rescued pets,which then turned into finding missing pets for their people.

After about six very rewarding months, I decided to make a trip to New Orleans to work with Best Friends Animal Society at Celebration Station in Metairie. THAT was even more rewarding working in the intake area for both cats, dogs and any other furry or feathered friends. I worked assisting with so many duties of cleaning cages, assembling igloos, walking dogs of all kinds, trapping/feeding/tracking, and also working the adoption/reunion desk.  At the time I went they were still bringing in approximately 50 animals a day!  That's quite a lot after such a long time post disaster -- about five months!!

I would do it again in a heartbeat... although, I would never want such a disaster to happen again to ever warrant needing such a huge scale rescue mission to occur, but I'd be on the front lines of it any day.

Cheers to all who put so much of themselves into the rescues!!!