Going live to FEMA press conf. shortly on WDSU.com (nt)

[crispini]

[CottonBear]

1. Link to live WDSU video:

http://www.wdsu.com/video/4907831/detail.html

[crispini]

2. All roadways are impassable

in Jefferson and St. Tammany parish. Block after block of homes are inundated.

[crispini]

3. Two levees breached

water "pouring" into city.

[crispini]

4. Many people are being rescued and brought to the Superdome.

They do not have the facilities there to accomodate them. Trying to locate places to evacuate those people. Plans not firm yet. Working with FEMA.

Magnitude of the situation "untenable."

[crispini]

5. "More water than most of us have ever seen."

Search and rescue is continuing. People still on the roofs. People's lives are still at risk.

[crispini]

6. Sen. Landrieu

"I did get to travel over the tsunami area. What I saw today is equivalent to what I saw in the tsunami area. There are places that are no longer there."

[crispini]

7. "the most destructive and tragic event in the history

of SE Louisiana." - Sen. Vitter

[Caution]

8. The FEMA spokesperson quite literally almost broke down in tears

Senator Landrieu is making a direct comparison to the devastation from the tsunami. She's asking for patience from everyone as they try to address the devastation.

[crispini]

9. Breeches in the levees haven't been mended yet.

This is a priority. Also supplying the Superdome is a priority.

[maddezmom]

10. wow, it's not looking good

Blanco's face says it all. :(

[Kenroy]

14. And Sen. Landrieu

I don't know what's keeping them from just breaking down. They're strong women. I can't watch this stuff without crying. I can't imagine how they're holding up.

[maddezmom]

18. I'm with you

bawling my eyes out now. Both those ladies make me proud...they know we are counting on them. Unlike the chimp playing the guitar and eating cake.

[crispini]

11. "There is no electricty and won't be any for quite a while."

No water.

No passable streets.

No food.

[crispini]

12. Have saved "hundreds" from the rooftops.

In the thousands now. Many more that have to be saved.

[crispini]

13. "total rebuild" in some neighborhood.

Some buildings in shards. I-10 span between NOLA and Slidell has many sections missing.

[gkhouston]

16. thanks for the summary. n/t

[crispini]

15. Charity hospital is out of commission.

Trying to evacuate patients. Water has surrounded it.

[crispini]

17. Kenner is locked down.

Communications network is down. Cell, landline, blackberry, all down.

[crispini]

19. Corps of engineers "working on a plan"

to close breeches. Want to make sure they are going to do something that will hold. Will start late this afternoon or tomorrow. They think they can get this accomplished in a "reasonable" short order. They are not sparing any resources. We are confident we will come up with a solution to this problem quickly.

[Kenroy]

21. they have to move fast

if the water's rising at 6" per hour, they don't have days to deal with this.

And does anybody know the integrity of the other levees? Are any of them still at risk?

[Tsiyu]

22. Thanks for the play by play

hope all of your family and friends are safe and sound

[crispini]

20. FEMA has brought in rescue teams,

national medical teams. Bringing in more now.

[maddezmom]

24. thanks for all the updates

:hug:

[crispini]

23. Worried first about the medically needy.

Set up shelters first. Then look for places to evacuate the rest. Not a very comfortable situation in the Superdome. hot, hard to get food to them. "Water lapping at the foot of the Superdome." Knee deep.

[oasis]

25. Gov. Blanco says "No food to be had".

[crispini]

26. Water up to the rooftops in St. Bernard.

Generators at Superdome are being put in jeopardy by the rising water. The generators only leave lights on anyway.

[crispini]

27. Bringing in a C5 cargo plane from CA tomorrow

with rescue supplies.

Breaches in levee: one is almost 300 feet, second is much smaller.

[crispini]

28. Talking about getting sea-land containers,

filling them with sand and lifting them into the breach. Just a preliminary thought.

17th street canal on orleans side, 10 blocks S of the lake is the big one.
Two seperate breaches near each other, industrial canal on St. Bernard side. They total about 500 feet together. Those are actually letting water OUT of St Bernard at this time.

[crispini]

29. Slidell is under the same conditions as St. Bernard.

Water everywhere, to the rooftops. We were not able to talk to anybody in St. Tammany. As you move further out the water diminish.

Twin span has collapsed in sections. Whole sections are gone.

[crispini]

30. Madison, Mandeville still have a lot of water.

[crispini]

31. First goal is to bring enough supplies in to sustain the people

in NOLA until we can get them out. Second goal is to get them out.

[crispini]

32. Water is not "toxic soup" yet. (Gov.)

It's water from the lakes, canals. We can't tell you what's under the water except houses.

Rising in the downtown area... but these conditions could be changing. Our report is an hour old -- could have changed. In the metropolitan area in general it's not rising at all. In some parts its rising. They are trying to calm people down, saying it's NOT "filling up like a bowl."

[crispini]

33. Wants to calm people down.

Have a day of prayer tomorrow. (Gov.) Life is the most important think we all share. Property is something that can be replaced.

[crispini]

34. If we can dry the area out they'll be able to come back

and survey the damage to their home. but probably "weeks" before they can come out.

[NoPasaran]

35. Thanks for reporting all that

[meganmonkey]

36. They are remarkable women, as others have pointed out

holding it together like this.

I ws also very impressed with the mayor - I saw a clip of him this morning.

At least they have strong local leaders.

[AnnInLa]

37. check your inbox

[crispini]

38. Looking at properties to build temp. shelters,

more permanent shelters. Nothing will be off the table. Something as widespread as this -- we will be "reinventing New Orleans."

[crispini]

39. Most significant disaster to hit the US in FEMA's history.

[crispini]

40. It's hard to use the normal disaster procedures because

this is so extraordinary.

[crispini]

41. Parts of Metarie look relatively dry.

South Kenner is now dry, but a lot of that had water.

[Synnical]

42. Amazing Job, crispini

:yourock: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[steve2470]

43. thanks a lot crispini ! nt