Here We Go Again

On this date seven years ago I was watching The Weather Channel constantly and contacting family members in my home town New Orleans to find out what their hurricane evacuation plans were. Hurricane Katrina was heading straight for Louisiana and Mississippi on a path that had been feared for decades, one that could flood the whole city. As you know, that is exactly what happened and a combination of bad planning and inept government officials made a bad situation even worse.

Today I am watching The Weather Channel constantly and contacting friends and family to learn of their evacuation plans. Tropical Storm Isaac, soon to become a full-blown hurricane, is heading straight for New Orleans on a similar path. This time the whole region is prepared. Levees and pumping stations have been improved significantly and government officials seem to have learned their lesson and are taking the correct actions in advance of the storm.

This is a frustrating situation because the flood of memories associated with Katrina always returns during the days leading to Labor Day weekend. And here we go again. Worrying doesn’t help but it is what I do. I’ll keep you posted.

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See the dot on this picture identified as 8pm Wed.?  That's New Orleans.  Ugh.