Hurricane Katrina

I was going through the blog archives and noticed that I started this rambling thing after Hurricane Katrina happened; thus, I posted nothing about my experiences with that.  So I'm doing it now, largely because I think it is history and something that my daughter and grandchildren can look at later.

Hurricane Katrina occurred in September of 2005, which turned out to be a bad year for hurricanes.  Katrina was a category 5 storm that became one of the top five worst in history for the US, for property damage and deaths.  The storm was a two-pronged tragedy:  actual hurricane damage (which was extensive all over the south), and flooding in New Orleans (where the levees failed, allowing many feet of water into the below-sea-level city).  The rest of the nation, safe in their snug homes, watched the TV in horror as the scene unfolded--people being rescued by boat and from roofs by helicopter, relocated people in the heat and humidity without enough food or water or human amenities, and aid that was slow to come.  There were rumors of murders and rapes and shootings and lawlessness--much of it media hype, I believe.  Certainly, there was looting.  Folks had been in and around the flood contamination.  It wasn't a pretty picture. 

During the worst of it, SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network) kept vigil on the air in order to provide communications for The Salvation Army which was on the scene, trying to help.  I put in to be net control operator for ONE hour of all of that, and for my efforts, two TV stations were in my home during that hour to film our operations for the evening news.  I figured it was good publicity for SATERN, and the stations ate it up.

Not long thereafter, I asked the local Salvation Army (TSA) to put me on their list to be deployed to the affected area.  I was still teaching at the time but figured this was a higher calling.  So heroic of me!  And then reality hit.  What am I thinking??  I can go down there with TSA, work my fanny off by day and have NO nice, air-conditioned motel room to go to at the end.  Showers?  Uh...maybe not.  Temperatures and humidity both in the 90's range, with no relief in sight.  I was 58 years old at the time.  I began to realize that I could be part of the problem rather than part of the solution, so I decided to let the younger bucks take over and just do the best I could from home.

That opportunity came.  Once the airport runways were cleared in New Orleans, planeloads of displaced persons were being flown out to any city that would accept them.  Indianapolis was to receive two planes.  The Red Cross would shelter one planeload, and TSA would shelter the other.  I volunteer for TSA, so I was on board for it.  I worked with Bert Williams, the EDS Director for TSA in Indy, to determine what he needed.  He wanted a radio operator at Eagle Creek Corps (church) where the shelter would be, another for the bus that would transport people to the corps after they were processed, and another at the airport terminal.  I had no problem getting volunteers.  I assigned myself to the airport detail.

The old international terminal at Indy International had been closed for awhile, but it was re-opened just for this event.  Inside the terminal were doctors and nurses, wheelchairs, tables filled with clean clothes and shoes, and snacks.  Just outside the terminal on the tarmac was a decontamination tent.  Folks who deplaned were taken to the tent, showered, and given hospital scrubs to put on before being sent inside for medical evaluation.  Bert had planned for ice cream treats for any children that were on the plane.  The corps building was all set up with cots, blankets, pillows, toiletry articles, a lounge with TV and games...anything to help make the transition better for the folks who had already been through so much.

As SATERN Coordinator for Indiana, I had asked for (and received) permission to use the 146.700 repeater on an "as need" basis.  All that day, we used the repeater as little as possible so as not to interfere with normal use, but I noticed that the entire repeater population kept somewhat silent in order to give us the leeway that we needed.  (I love amateur radio!)  Rest assured, all of the Indianapolis radio population was listening to us, but there was no interference in our communications. 

The day was sunny and warm.  When the plane landed, it took quite awhile for people to be deplaned.  The folks that went into the plane to greet them were wearing hazmat suits!  I thought it was a bit of overkill, but they didn't ask me!  One by one, people were led down the stairs to go to the decontamination tent.  I was able to confirm that there were no children on the plane.  The youngest person was in her 20s.  The rest were quite old and infirm, 99% of which were African American folks in need to a place to stay and some TLC.  We had a Spanish interpreter on site but soon determined that the young 20ish lady was deaf.  We put out a call for a deaf interpreter.  That took awhile... 

The plane "residents" were all evaluated by medical personnel.  I'd say that probably 20% of them were sent to hospitals thereafter.  The rest were given clothes to wear and snacks to eat as they boarded the bus to go to the shelter at Eagle Creek Corps.  I followed in my car.  At the corps, there was a policeman who had been called to be there in case of trouble (because of media hype).  His comment to me was, "It doesn't look like there are any rowdies in this group."  Indeed not!  They were all old folks, like me!  Sleeping on cots in a gym at a TSA corps may not seem like the Ritz, but it was most assuredly better than what they had left in New Orleans...and TSA bent over backwards to make them comfortable.  Most were quite grateful to have an air conditioned place to sleep and meals provided.  I am proud to have been a part of that.  The next day, there were buses to take them to the Salvation Army Thrift Store to find clothing.  That was a start.

About the young deaf woman--when she boarded the plane in N. O., she thought she was going to Texas where she had relatives.  When she found out she was in Indianapolis, she said she would WALK to Texas, if she had to!  Once the deaf interpreter arrived, she calmed down because she could finally communicate.  I spoke to the corps officer once after the whole experience.  She told me that she had pulled strings with a relative who had connections with Gallaudet University (for the deaf) in DC to start the young woman on a law degree.  I hope that happened!  I have no clue what occurred with the rest of the people who were on the plane.  I only know that, for that one day, I helped.

I learned a lot that day--about the dignity of human life, compassion, the cooperation of amateur radio, parking the ego at the door in times of need, relying on the faith of others who are all willing to help when times get tough, and the efficiency of The Salvation Army.  I was just a little duck in a large pond, but I felt blessed!