Yeah. Here are some facts. But let’s not let those get in the way….
On Friday, August 26, the National Hurricane Center predicted for the first time that Katrina would become a Category 4storm, and thus exceed the design limits of the New Orleans levees.
Map of Louisiana parishes eligible for Category B assistance due to September 27 authorization
On Saturday, August 27, President Bush declared a state of emergency under the authority of the Stafford Act for the inland parishes of Louisiana.[6]
The next day, Sunday, August 28, Katrina became a Category 4 hurricane[7] and eventually evolved into a Category 5 storm the very same day, with winds blowing at about 175 mph (280 km/h).[8] New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin decided not to declare a mandatory evacuation of the city, and instead opened up the Superdome to those who couldn't leave the city.[9] 550 National Guard troops were stationed inside the Superdome to screen evacuees for weapons.[10]
At that point, it was known that the strength of the hurricane would almost certainly exceed the levees' design capacity, and therefore the possibility for major flooding was real. If the levees did fail, people throughout the city would find it very difficult to obtain food, water, and supplies in general. If authorities had wanted to preposition food, the Superdome would have been a logical place, as the population knew it was a designated central location. The Louisiana National Guard delivered enough food for 15,000 people for 3 days.
On that same day, President Bush designated six counties of Alabama [11] and eleven in Mississippi [12] as eligible for assistance.
On Monday, August 29, at 6:00 am local time, Katrina made landfall. The Louisiana National Guard had called almost 3,500 of its members to state active duty as of 7 a.m. Army Lieutenant Colonel Pete Schneider reported a successful evacuation from the city, crediting the Louisiana Guard's partners in neighboring states for carrying out "a coordinated effort" that incorporated lessons learned from past evacuations. Schneider said during an interview today with Fox News the state stood ready to house evacuees at the Superdome "for as long as it takes", reporting that although the massive structure's protective lining tore in the hurricane's Category 4 winds, the roof itself appears to be intact.[13]
Louisiana has 65 percent of its troops available for state missions; Mississippi, 60 percent; Alabama, 77 percent; and Florida, 74 percent.[14]
USS Bataan performed Louisiana relief operations.
USS Bataan was positioned near New Orleans prior to Katrina making landfall, and began relief operations on August 30.
The next day, Tuesday, August 30, An estimated 7,500 National Guard troops from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi were on duty, supporting civil authorities, distributing generators, providing medical care, and setting up shelters for displaced residents. As of 8 a.m., almost 3,800 Louisiana Army and Air Guard members were on duty to remove debris, provide security and shelter, distribute water, food and ice, and offer medical and law-enforcement support. The Louisiana Guard was coordinating with Florida, Georgia and Texas to secure two UH-60 Black Hawk and five CH-47 Chinook helicopters to support their operations. In Mississippi, more than 1,900 Guard troops were providing similar support, basing their operations at Camp Shelby. In Florida, more than 700 Florida Guard members were on active duty.[15]
Landing craft heads to Louisiana from USS Bataan
HSV-2 Swift operated with USS Bataan.
On August 31, the number of military units were on duty in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida rose to almost 8,300. Joint Task Force Katrina set up at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, as the Defense Department's focal point to support FEMA's relief efforts.[16]