Hurricane Ivan...was I the Terrible?

AFTER THE DISASTEROUS GRIDLOCK CREATED DURING THE EVACUATION OF HURRICANE GEORGES IN 1998, EMERGENCY MANAGERS PROMISED THEY WOULD FIX THE PROBLEMS BY CONTRA-FLOWING (ALL LANES OUTBOUND) THE INTERSTATE ROUTES OUT OF THE NEW ORLEANS. WHEN POWERFUL HURRICANE IVAN THREATENED THE CITY IN 2004, EMERGENCY MANAGERS AGAIN ORDERED AN EVACUATION AND THE PUBLIC RESPONDED AS 600,000 TRIED TO FLEE.

IT BACAME OBVIOUS FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THE PROBLEMS OF THE PAST WERE NOT FIXED AND THAT THERE WERE SERIOUS COMMUNICATION FLAWS BETWEEN THE LOCAL MANAGERS, STATE GOVERNMENT AND STATE POLICE. THE GRIDLOCK WAS FAR WORSE AS PEOPLE WERE TRAPPED IN THEIR CARS FOR 12-15 WITH 4 ELDERLY DEATHS REPORTED. AFTER PLEADING FOR SEVERAL HOURS ON-AIR FOR LOCAL AND STATE OFFICIALS TO COME FORWARD, THE AUTHOR STATED A COMMON SENSE SOLUTION...DELAY YOUR EVACUATION UNTIL THE GRIDLOCK EASED.

ONE LOCAL MANAGER WAS FURIOUS AS HE STATED ON-CAMERA THAT THE AUTHOR WAS BROADCASTING "CONTRADICTORY INFORMATION",...BUT WAS I? THE LOCAL PAPER (TIMES-PICAYUNE) STATED..."WEATHERCASTERS SHOULDN'T BE COMMENTING ON PUBLIC SAFETY POLICY DURING A CRISIS AND/OR DIRECTING TRAFFIC FLOW. THIS RAISES SEVERAL IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE LOCAL WEATHERCASTER? IS HE/SHE ONLY TO PRESENT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER? WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR REPORTING EVACUATION PROBLEMS AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, OFFERING SOLUTIONS? THE AUTHOR BELIEVES THE TV WEATHERCASTER HAS, NOT ONLY THE RIGHT BUT THE RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT "ADDITIONAL INFORMATION" THAT MAY KEEP HIS/HER VIEWERS SAFE. THE "STORM OF CRITICISM" THAT FOLLOWED IVAN WAS DIRECTED, NOT AT THE AUTHOR, BUT AT ALL PUBLIC OFFICIALS. THE REAL TRAGEDY MAY BE THE UNWILLINGNESS OF THE PUBLIC TO LEAVE THE NEXT TIME A CAT. 4 HURRICANE THREATENS. FOR A CITY BELOW SEA LEVEL, THAT COULD PROVE DEADLY.

THE AUTHOR WILL CHRONCLE THE SERIES OF MISHAPS IN A POWER POINT PRESENTATION THAT WAS RECENTLY PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CONFERENCE.