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Phyllis Montana-Leblanc is a Hurricane Katrina survivor. Other people call me the Dr. Phil of the streets.. But more and more people were being evacuated from their rooftops after being in the sun for long periods or overnight and being put on highways on high ground. Judy Benitez, of the Louisiana rape crisis group, says the non-report rate would be far higher given the nightmare of Katrina. Victims of Hurricane Katrina fight through the crowd as they line up for buses to evacuate the Superdome and New Orleans, Sept. 1, 2005. Trachelle Addison cuddles her 2-week-old son, Jirra-e, in the stands of the Superdome, where some 25,000 refugees took shelter after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Within five hours I start to get reports from my staff members, who are out doing assessments, the water's rising. He came right back and he said, I dont know why, but theres probably a foot of water on Claiborne Street, Landreneau said. "I'm telling you the number of reported rapes we had.". And New Orleans itself has worked to rebuild. When Hurricane Katrina forced New Orleans poet Shelton Alexander to evacuate his home, he took his truck and video camera to the Superdome. President Bush flies over the area on his way back to Washington. Exploring the experiences of a black member of the New Orleans Police Department and assorted other New Orleans residents during their stay in the Louisiana Superdome during and after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005. Years later, much of the money committed to New Orleans residents had yet to reach them. A final, official tally of those killed in the disaster is still not in. During Hurricane Katrina, around 20,000 people took refuge in the Superdome. And then finally I just stopped and said: 'Excuse me, but time is of the essence. It was late August, and some of the staff of the NREMT and I were attending the combined NAEMT conference and EMS Expo in New . I am still going out into the streets every day to talk to people about their experiencesI call it getting phyllisophical. After Katrina, the spectacle of a Black refugee population in the Superdome, along with the short-lived plan from Mayor Nagin's committee to wipe out some Black neighborhoods, revived these . Some parts of the city already showed slipping floodwaters as the repair neared completion, with the low-lying Ninth Ward dropping more than a foot. And he said definitively, "Mr. Mayor, the storm is headed right for you. The city floods further. "A week after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans state officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say once the canal level is drawn down two feet, Pumping Station 6 can begin pumping water out of the bowl-shaped city. Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. [Secretary of Homeland Security Michael] Chertoff is there. More women are coming forward with stories of sexual . Around this time 17 years ago, Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans, and permanently changed life for thousands of people across the country. ', We immediately did turn to the military and mission-assigned them to start doing airlifts, start bringing things in. In the six weeks since the Web site has been up, with almost no publicity, it has received 42 reports of sexual assaults. Recalling her attack, she sobs, "They just left us to die. Some 11,000 National Guardsmen are now on duty in Louisiana and increased security begins to have an effect on lawlessness in New Orleans, although some violence continues. FRONTLINEs documentary The Old Man and the Storm followed Gettridge for 18 months as he worked to rebuild his home, which took on 10 feet of water when the levees breached. His death came nearly two years to the day after his wifes passing. I began to believe that no buses had been ordered. They didn't have water. I just expressed to her my concern about the lack of unified command, and the need to have more of a structure of what was going on. Here's all these thousands of people that don't have any way to get out of the city. We'd sent them all the information they needed. Kathleen Blanco: Directed by New Orleans native Edward Buckles Jr., who was a teenager when Katrina struck, the documentary, which premieres Thursday on HBO, reminds us of the storm's real-life ramifications. More than 1 million more in the Gulf region were displaced. U.S. Cities and States Are Suing Big Oil Over Climate Change. I aint about to leave, Gettridge said. Nearly two decades after Hurricane Katrina, Edward Buckles Jr. asks what happened to the generation of kids who grew up with that trauma in the documentary "Katrina Babies" on HBO Max. Already, these preliminary cases show a high number of gang rapes and rapes by strangers, both unusual characteristics. Left to right: Mayor Ray Nagin, President Bush, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, FEMA Director Michael Brown, Gov. Over 1,800 people lost their lives in the hurricane and an estimated 1 million people were displaced from their homes. Two national crime-victims' groups have reported a spike in the number of reported rapes that happened to storm evacuees. Instead, officers at the compound arrested Glover. After suffering heavy damage during Hurricane Katrina, the Superdome was re-opened on September 25, 2006 for the Saints' Monday night game against the Falcons. That is why the first place we picked to do an exercise and planning was New Orleans. The numbers are not dramatic, but they are significant when seen in light of the official number of post-Katrina rapes and attempted rapes: four. On Sept. 1, with desperate Hurricane Katrina evacuees crammed into the convention center, Police Chief Eddie Compass reported: "We . He Says He Paid a Price. By the end of the day, the projected storm surge is 18 to 22 feet, locally as high as 28 feet. Buses have started evacuating people at the Superdome, but at the Convention Center thousands are still waiting and conditions continue to deteriorate there. They spend the next 24 hours trying to save themselves. Twenty-five thousand miserable people - many of whom lost their homes to Hurricane Katrina - hunkered down with little food and little water, overflowing toilets, stifling heat and the . He escaped the ch. Michael Ainsworth/The Dallas Morning News/epa/Corbis. Why haven't the bosses decided to move the people out?' "I admit that rapes are underreported," Benelli says. We have Brad Pitt and Chris Rocks wife here now, and I think collectively its making a huge, huge difference. With Glovers story as a jumping-off point, FRONTLINE partnered with the Times-Picayune and ProPublica in 2010 to investigate six questionable shootings by police revealing that, in the midst of post-Katrina chaos, law-enforcement commanders issued orders to ignore long-established rules governing the use of deadly force. The skies darkened, and the wind started to pick up. Remembers Covering Katrina Preserving History After Hurricane Katrina Katrina's Affect on Charter schools quiz: 10 Questions on Katrina. ", Leo Bosner, FEMA watch officer: The account of her rape was verified by a trained forensic nurse at Earl K. Long Hospital in Baton Rouge, where Lewis sought treatment. Ms. Blanco, she left and walked out. There was all kinds of crime taking place on a much higher level than usual. Your email address will not be published. People can say that writing a check doesnt mean anything, but honey, it does. Later, his charred remains were discovered on the banks of the Mississippi River, inside a car that had apparently been set on fire. The Convention Center becomes a destination for walk-in refugees seeking evacuation. Some parts of the city already showed slipping floodwaters as the repair neared completion, with the low-lying Ninth Ward dropping more than a foot. They didn't have communication. We go to Sam's and Wal-Mart and Winn-Dixie and gather up food and water and start distributing it because we had 60 hours' worth of resources that we had stored, but now we're out of it. Gov. New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. Looting becomes more widespread; hotels begin turning out guests. And I said [to the president], 'Look, we talked about that option, and then we also talked about another option, that we would federalize, and the governor said she needed time to think about it. About 2,000 medical evacuees remain at Louis Armstrong Airport, which has become a staging area for responders and injured refugees. Refuge of last resort: Five days inside the Superdome for Hurricane Katrina. "All I know is on Wednesday night I was convinced that there were no FEMA buses. So I can assume what the criminals were thinking, and that's exactly what happened.". Mahogany describes her actions before deciding to evacuate her home, her trip to the New Orleans Saints' Superdome, her horrific time at the Superdome, and finally her decision to leave New Orleans. Around this time 17 years ago, Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans, and permanently changed life for thousands of people across the country. Listen 7:57. By Chris Edwards. In September 2006, the New Orleans Saints marched into the Superdome for their first game since Hurricane Katrina, providing the spark for a revival. Watch it: For a powerful story of resilience and determination in the face of tragedy. The Louisiana Superdome, once a mighty testament to architecture and ingenuity, became the biggest storm shelter in New Orleans the day before Katrina's arrival Monday. And Michael Brown tells Louisiana officials, "What I've seen here today is a team that is very tight knit, working closely together, being very professional and making the right calls.". Oh, absolutely not. In an effort to get victims to come forward, the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault asked Charmaine Neville, a popular New Orleans jazz singer, to tape a public service announcement for national airplay. The Times-Picayune reports that 4,600 active duty troops under the command of Gen. Russel Honor arrive in New Orleans. 11:09. He escaped the chaotic shelter a few days later with a truckload of people and video documentation of history.Check out exclusive HISTORY content:Website - http://www.history.com?cmpid=Social_YouTube_HistHomeTwitter - https://twitter.com/history/postsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/HistoryHISTORY, now reaching more than 98 million homes, is the leading destination for award-winning original series and specials that connect viewers with history in an informative, immersive, and entertaining manner across all platforms. And the president comes, and we have this meeting. In television interviews, Michael Brown, FEMA director, states that he only just heard about the suffering at the Convention Center, when in fact, he tells FRONTLINE, he misspoke; he was told the previous day about the situation. I had all the police, the firefighters in rescue mode, so the looting thing started to rear its head. Thats why films like Trouble the Water are so important, and why its great that its making it to a wide audience via HBO. [He] came on site, I think it was Monday after the event. And you need to order mandatory evacuation. Conditions are deteriorating with bathrooms overflowing, no power for air conditioning and little food and water. 'Rebirth in New Orleans' reflects on . In what looked like a scene from a Third World country, some people threw their arms heavenward and others nearly fainted with joy as the trucks and hundreds of soldiers arrived in the punishing midday heat. A decade later . "Drug and alcohol use is another contributing factor, and no police presence to prevent them from doing whatever they wanted to, to whomever they wanted to.". FRONTLINE home+WGBH+PBS, FRONTLINE is a registered trademark of wgbh educational foundation. I probably should have asked sooner. But they're designed for short hauls.". And based upon that ["Hurricane Pam" planning exercise], I knew they needed to evacuate. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Floodwaters keep rising. Some electrical substations serving downtown New Orleans are repaired, but Entergy, the local energy utitlity, must first ensure that buildings can receive the electricity safely before the power is restored. Evacuating hospitals is a top priority: Patients and staff are stranded and supplies and power are dwindling. And it is injurious to the president. Team members said they delivered babies, treated gunshot and stab victims, and ultimately fled for their own safety. Pack as though you're going on a camping trip. Blanco and said, 'We've got to move National Guard troops in there. FEMA National Situation Update: Lewis and others had taken refuge in the Redemption Elderly Apartments, in the Irish Channel section of New Orleans. The population of New Orleans was about 400,000 by 2020, some 20 percent below its population in 2000. Katrina Cop in the Superdome. Its just rawits a look at the poorest people of the Ninth Ward, and those who couldnt afford to leave, and if you have a heart in your body, you will feel this film 100 percent. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. Your email address will not be published. so you had a very dynamic situation.". You'll receive access to exclusive information and early alerts about our documentaries and investigations. Victims of Hurricane Katrina fight through the crowd as they line up for buses to evacuate the Superdome and New Orleans, Sept. 1, 2005. "They didn't have no food. And it was a very good meeting, I thought. He escaped the chaotic shelter a few days . Producer Martin Smith: So we're just eating sandwiches and making nice while people are stranded on rooftops? Note: The Earlier Warnings -- In 2001, FEMA identified the three most likely disasters facing the U.S.: an earthquake in California, a hurricane in New Orleans and a terrorist attack in New York City. At the peak of the Katrina recovery effort, 51,039 National Guard soldiers from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and three territories worked in Louisiana and Mississippi, making Katrina by far . The situation begins to improve. Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation. The 42 reports include assaults that happened inside New Orleans and outside the city, for instance, in host homes. At a press conference in Baton Rouge, 80 miles away, Gov. Lipin says when he arrived in Baton Rouge and turned on the TV, he was surprised by reports of rampant violence in New Orleans. [2] Approximately 10,000 residents, along with about 150 National Guardsmen, sheltered in the Superdome anticipating Katrina's landfall. "I went into New Orleans and stood beside Mayor Nagin and emphasized the need to leave. By afternoon, officials issue a citywide call for more boats to help. And Mayor Nagin expressed his concerns. William E. Brown Jr. -. Female victims, now displaced from New Orleans, are slowly coming forward with a different story than the official one. FEMA organizes 475 buses to be sent in to transport many of the estimated 23,000 people from the Superdome to the Houston Astrodome. Widespread looting continues. And that is unacceptable. She was featured in Spike Lee's documentary When the Levees Broke and is author of Not Just the Levees Broke: My Story During and After Hurricane Katrina. If we arent talking about what we still need, how can we be sure people wont forget?. Explore FRONTLINEs collected and ongoing reporting on Russia's war on Ukraine. Katrina anniversary: Inside the Superdome during Katrina. Most residents have evacuated the city and those left behind do not have transportation or have special needs. Issues of race, class, government response and responsibility, and political rivalries . Officers were walking off the job by the dozens. I gave people clues on how to pack. Kathleen Blanco: Bring enough to sustain yourself, your family, your children. Producer Martin Smith: Were they going back and forth with each other? The film features 15 minutes of live hurricane video shot by Kimberly Roberts, an aspiring rapper whose family was too poor to leave New Orleans, and follows Kim's family and others through the .