DIMANCHE

With Isaac into the Razorback State, its wrath is still felt around New Orleans, as we continue to curse him for turning out the lights. At today's round of City Hall rundowns, the message of the day was to remain patient, and we're warned not to let our guard down. The Mayor also told us of his visit to Venetian Isles, which was not spared the floodwaters. Plus, the City team shows how long they've been around each other, as nicknames and inside jokes have developed.

 

 

 

10:35 The mayor begins. Isaac moved out of our area and into the state of Arkansas. Sends prayers to Arkansas. Fully in the cleanup and recovery phase in the city of New Orleans. The bell has not rung on this storm, and it won't ring until we're finished. Duration = stress. A hurricane 

 

 

10:36 The mayor runs down some of the regional problems created by Isaac. "Just because it was a Cat 1 for some people, doesn't mean it was a cat 1 for everybody," he says.  50,000 were evacuated from Tangipahoa, and a number of deaths were reported in Braithwaite.

 

 

10:37 This is not the time to let our guard down. Last night EMS brought 11 people to the hospital because of carbon monoxide poisoning from generators. "Generators do not belong inside. They belong outside."

 

 

10:38 Several fires because of the improper use of candles. Until and unless we get the energy back on, and people continue to be without power, we ask people to use common sense.

 

 

10:39 Roads are still hazardous. Traffic lights are out, and stop signs are down. 38 car accidents reported on the streets of the city. If the police are responding to accidents. If you have to be on the street, do so. If not, please don't. We learned this in kindergarden: Let the other person go first. 

 

 

10:40 Nearly 1,000 responders fanned out across the city. The clearer the streets are of cars, the faster they're able to work. Asks citizens to get out and clean up your yard, and clean up the street. 

 

 

10:41 Garbage service will resume Saturday and Monday, and on into the future.

 

 

10:42 Continue calling 311 for non-emergencies.

 

 

10:43 128,000 Entergy custormers are out. Turned power on for 20,000 custormers. Airport, hospitals are back with power. Lots of folks have come in from around the country. "They are the tip of the spear," for recovery, the mayor says.

 

 

10:44 For residents in need, 3 pods operated by National Guard for ice, water, MREs. Longer the electricity stays off, the more we'll replenish these. 5501 Read Blvd., West Bank near Gen. de Gaulle and Whitney, 700 Poland Ave in the Bywater. "They continue to keep their finger on the pulse," the mayor said.

 

 

10:45 Rouses, Walgreens, Wal-Mart on Tchoup should be open before the end of the day. 19 gas stations open. ready.nola.gov has list.

 

 

10:46 They're setting up medical special needs shelter for people who have high risk medical conditions. 658-2500 more info to get registered. Citizens who are already registered don't need to call again.

 

 

10:47 Some people still in the rescue phase. Damage in the areas of Lake Catherine, Venetian Isles and others outside the federal levee system is in excess of what they had during Katrina. Water should be in these neighborhoods through the weekend. Toured out there yesterday. Water at least 4-5 ft. high on Chef Menteur. Venetian Isles subdivision. Firefighter who lives in that area had roof torn off of his home.

 

 

10:48 Fire department evacuated 7 people from those areas, including 1 baby and 1 bulldog. 250 people decided to stay. The city is in touch with them, making sure they have water, food and supplies. Focused on your recovery. 

 

 

10:49 The dusk to dawn curfew was lifted. Yesterday they heard from a lot of businesses, felt a lot better. Airport needed to operate as well, so best move was to lift. 

 

 

10:50 The Fire Department reported four one-alarm fires in the past 24 hours.

 

 

10:51 Airport has power, resumed service. First flights departed this morning

 

 

10:52 16 bus lines open. No streetcars. Get off neutral ground on the streetcar lines now.

 

 

10:53 Mayor Mitch will beg you on your knees not to drive through standing water.

 

 

10:54 Remove cars from the neutral grounds. From a water perspective, we're out of harm's way. If you're in the way, you may have to get towed. 

 

 

10:55 Charles Rice, Entergy - the man on the hot seat:  They're restoring main feeders that are leading the substations. Before we can return power, we need to work on lateral lines. We're working very, very hard. "Just to let everybody now, I still don't have power at my house," so it's all fair. 900 lineman, scouts, weather continues to cooperate I anticipate we'll make substantial progress today and tomorrow. Only way we make money is if the meters are turning, and we want the meters to turn. Have to show people around and orient the city. "Just becaouse you do not see a truck in your neighborhood does not mean we're not working in your neighborhood. I assure you they're going to return service as soon as possible," Rice said.

 

 

10:57 NOPD Chief Serpas says, "Everybody has done exactly what we've asked. People have stayed inside when we've asked them to stay inside." He says it was very quiet night last night. There were a few drunk drivers that "wanted to run the gauntlet. Well, we got them." 6 drunk drivers last night. 40 persons arrested for looting during the storm. People calling and telling us about looting.

 

 

10:59 NOPD Chief Parent: They're investigating every fire in the city, and will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. As people are re-energized, smell smoke, call immediately. Engine 31. The Fire Department is tip of the spear for search and rescue. Securing life and property in Venetian Isles. Have been wet, literally.

 

 

11:00 EMS: 11 folks transported for carbon monoxide poisoning. Don't use generator in a closed garage or inside a house. Don't keep it next to a window where it's going into the house. 

 

 

11:01 DeSalvo: Health care system is back up and running. Medical special needs shelter was opened last night Electrical or oxygen dependent, call 658-2500. Working on finding individuals that we need. West Nile will come back and visit us if we don't turn over receptacles.

 

 

11:03 The Mayor interjects with some lay terms: if you have a pot, turn it over. Everyone laughs, then the mayor says he doesn't know how to spell receptacle.

 

 

11:05 220 soldiers are on the ground with National Guard. Other main effort is pod locations - 200 airmen running those pods.

 

 

11:06 Deputy Mayor Cedric Grant says signs and signals are 55-60 percent back on. They are related to power, as the power comes on, so will the signals. After 12 noon, will start towing from the neutral ground. Majority of damage we see in public buildings is not significant.

 

 

11:07 Col. Fleming, Corps of Engineers - Moved into assessment phase, checking out entire levee system. Checking out high water marks, add those into our database, study and request for appropriations. There's been speculation that hurricane system has had effects on the Northshore. He directed the team to go back and do modeling to make sure that it's correct. We're committed to making sure that we did in fact have that done correctly. Coast Guard's working very hard at getting the river back open. Mayor wants Venetian Isles, Lake Catherine in after-analysis as well.

 

 

11:08 RTA: Limited bus services from 6 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Marigny Bywater, Tchoup, Magazine, Freret, S. Claiborne, Napoleon, MLK, Elysian Fields- Robert E Lee, Canal/Cemeteries, Canal/Museum, Morrison Express, Lake Forest, Louisa-St. Claude to Chef Menteur, Broad, General Myers, Kenner Loop, on St. Charles Ave., Algiers Local, Gen. De Gaulle to Tullis. 

 

 

11:09 Captain Pete Gauthier, Coast Guard: The Mayor has renamed him Go-Chay, even though he's from New York. The Coast Guard has been very busy. Did a number of helicopter hoists from flooded areas, one in Venice earlier this morning. 26 stranded people in hotel in LaPlace, delivering food and water. Turned attention to waterways assessments, reopening Mississippi River. Looking at condition of channel, waterway. Port assessments from Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lower Mississippi, Plaquemines. The condition of the channel was good. Mississippi River was opened last night to marine traffic, under 250 ft., and tugs pushing barges only allowed southbound. 3,500 passengers in Carnival Elation is coming into Port of New Orleans in early afternoon. The storm walloped the Mississippi River. Had a storm surge upriver of 10 ft., even at New Orleans which is 110 mi. upriver. 50 barges broke away, and ran aground on battures, etc. Much better picture than after Katrina. Heroic efforts on part of tugboat captains to keep ships from hitting things. One ship was 500 ft. of Luling Bridge. All-out effort to get the nation's most important waterway up and running.

 

 

11:10 Deputy Mayor Aimee Quirk: Grocers, pharmacies, gas stations. Rouses, Winn Dixie, Whole Foods. Monitoring gas stations, but they remain an area of need.

 

 

11:11 City Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson: City Council been magnificient, they've been on duty all the time. The entire city is totally confident, which is amazing. City believes in the leadership and the direction that this team has taken them. The biggest outrage across the city is outages. When parts of the city have said there are no trucks in our area, there were trucks at nursing homes.They do not let trucks come in from other areas without going through a safety protocol. Jackie says she knows a bunch of elderly. Have noted coordination between Corps, levee districts, Coast Guards and everbody else.

 

 

11:12 Councilwoman Susan Guidry: People are doing what they learned to do seven years ago. They're getting out there and helping their neighbors. Going up and down the street on Orleans and cleaning up themselves. 

 

 

11:13 Councilwoman Diana Bajoie: Requests to keep everybody in harm's way in our prayers. Last piece of chicken was sold right before she could get hers yesterday, but she remains patient. 

 

 

11:14 Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson-Palmer: Majority of District C without power, only the French Quarter has maintained consistent power. Downed power lines, downed utility poles and Old Algiers. No reports of flooding in homes. Quite impressed with 311 system, and she wants to thank city workers and evacuteer.org workers manning the system. Check on your neighbors, especially the elderly. All of our senior centers are closed, currently do not have power. Harmony House in Treme is closed, but anticipate opening Tuesday. Common Ground on Teche is open. 

 

 

11:15 Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell: Seven years ago we are not as well off as we are today. District D did very well, but we had some problems. Trees have been inundated with rain. A lot of them have been uprooted, taking with them the sidewalk and energy poles. Report downed trees and outages even if you think it's already been reported. We know your pain, and have your worry. A lot of the Council doesn't have power either.

 

 

11:16 Cannizzaro: At yesterday's 5 p.m. court session. Processed 33 people for felony charges. Over 30 of them were charged with looting, which carries a mandatory 3 year sentence. The judges set 50,000-150,000 bonds on people arrested for looting. "Based upon the police effort, there have been no arrests for looting as of last night." 

 

 

11:17 Mayor Mitch: We fully understand the frustration that comes for people being without power. We do not live in a vaccum. The mayor names a bunch of towns, including Pension Town. The storm does not discriminate. We've been in touch with President Obama, Craig Fugate. Mayor now takes America into his "One Voice, One Fight" line. "W are One America," he says. Do not let your guard down until we ring the bell.

 

 

11:18 No questions, and that's wrap.