Good Blog Coverage of NO:

Our Way of Life has lots of no BS entries on the social side of life when the police force disintegrates.

A professor at the U. of New Orleans, now sheltering with his sister on the Eastern Seaboard, writes:

"If you have any influence, try to cover the refusal of the Red Cross to assist Jefferson Parish (a white area of almost a half million pre storm) and the almost complete lack of media coverage of St. Bernard (68,000 people) and Plaquamines Parish, two areas that don't seem to have weathered the storm nearly as well as New Orleans (yes, there are worse hit areas in the metropolitan area)."

Military Thoughts has a long entry on what can be learned from NO about how to evacuate a city after a nuclear or dirty bomb attatck:

It can also be expected that certain segments of the populace to be evacuated will pose an additional nightmare for those conducting the evacuation.

Persons best described as having "problems", "issues", or "difficulties".

Street gangs that exist in ALL major American cities will undoubtedly taken advantage of the situation. A total break down of law and order due to the absence of police [in the event of an atomic blast, many "first responders", such as the police, may be killed or wounded. There will be just NOT enough law and order people to go around]. Street gangs do have the numbers, the organization, the weaponry, the physical and mental wherewithal to "take over" large portions of American cities and become the controlling force. All entering their "turf' will have to bend to their will.

In some American big cities, there exist areas where the community is very resistant to governmental authority of any type. Mandatory orders to evacuate WILL only heighten tensions and anger directed at "authority". Especially in the aftermath of an atomic detonation. Emotions will overpower reason. Governmental "officials" in this case will have to act as if they were "walking on eggs" when dealing with such unruly "communities". These WILL NOT be docile folks that obey and do as they are told.

Provisions will have to be made to "deal" with drug addicts of all sorts. Persons NO LONGER to get their "fix". Desperate people, whether they be "crackheads" [cocaine] or "fiends" [heroin] of a sort that will pose significant difficulties for "authority".

Indeed, the whole gamut of "street people" or "homeless" will pose grave problems for "authority". 75 % of such folks are either mentally deranged, alcoholics, or drug addicts. Corralling, immobilizing, sedating, and "securing" such folks will not be easy. Moving them by evacuation is one thing, handling them afterwards is a different matter. A subject for another blog. These folks again, are dangerous to "first responders" in normal circumstances, much less in the aftermath of a catastrophe.

[This being America, also include a category of armed folks. Desperate and wanting THEIR needs attended to right NOW, no matter what!! Normally law-abiding people becoming armed and dangerous given the serious situation. "Treat my family member now, doc, or you are going to get it!!" This does happen. I heard an interview on National Public Radio [NPR} a number of years ago now where a doctor described this exact event. In such a circumstance, the doctor DOES have to comply while someone is holding a gun to his head!!]

Other classes of people will also pose a problem for those implementing evacuation. NOT "difficult" or unruly or criminal minded people, but folks with problems that are no fault of their own. Among these people will be found:

Grossly obese persons.

[Years ago now, there was a famous incident where two para-medics attempted to manhandle a four hundred pound woman down eighteen flights of stairs to a waiting ambulance. In two hours, the paramedics were able to move this woman down ONE flight of stairs, all the while being harassed by an unruly and most vociferous group of family members!! The woman died!!]

Institutionalized persons, such as found in nursing homes, or in mental institutions

Handicapped persons, such as the wheelchair bound, paraplegics, quadriplegic, and the retarded.

Sick and infirm persons as found in intensive care units [ICU's] of hospitals.

There also seems to be a difficulty that arises when people WANT to go back INTO the disaster area. This may sound strange, but this seems to be a tendency folks have when the status of their family or possessions or dwelling is in question. People WANT to know WHAT has happened. There seems to be a strong desire for information. Danger does not deter. NOR do admonitions from authorities. People going INTO a disaster area create a further problem for the authorities.

Persons being evacuated FROM a disaster must also be decontaminated.

My published articles are archived at iSteve.com -- Steve Sailer