', So they went into another section of the plane, had a meeting. I said, 'All of us are going to leave right now, and they're going to work this out right now. I talk to her every other day, and thats her main question How long is it going to be? Producer Martin Smith: So we're just eating sandwiches and making nice while people are stranded on rooftops? And that is unacceptable. Phyllis Montana-LeBlancthe breakout star of Spike Lees When the Levees Broke documentary and author of Not Just the Levees Broke: My Story During and After Katrina (and a consultant on David Simons new post-Katrina HBO drama)writes below about why viewers should still care about New Orleans four years later, and why Trouble the Water just may be the wakeup call we need. We have so much intelligence down here in New Orleans, and yet, even four years after the hurricane, we cant rely on the school system. By the evening of August 25, when it made . More than four days after the storm hit, the caravan of at least three-dozen camouflage-green troop vehicles and supply trucks arrived along with dozens of air-conditioned buses to take refugees out of the city. By the end of the day, there are 30,000 people at the Superdome. And the guard unitspent most of the next 24 hours saving itself. As a shocking New Orleans documentary airs on HBO tonight, Phyllis Montana-LeBlancbestselling author and gutsy survivorexplains why the city is still drowning. 1) At least 1,800 people died due to Hurricane Katrina. But more and more people were being evacuated from their rooftops after being in the sun for long periods or overnight and being put on highways on high ground. So I went to the premiere, knowing Danny Glover was hosting it, and I couldnt get into the screeningso I texted Spike Lee, who directed When the Levees Broke, the documentary I was in, and asked him to pull some strings, but he didnt have Dannys number. Michael Brown, FEMA director: Benelli says his team investigated two attempted rapes inside the Superdome, and two additional reports of rapes that happened in the city, one of which was the 25-year-old hairdresser. Gallery. A timeline of the warnings, some of the decisions leading up to the disaster, and what went wrong with the government's response. Power outages will last for weeks water shortages will make human suffering incredible by modern standards.". She was featured in Spike Lee's documentary When the Levees Broke and is author of Not Just the Levees Broke: My Story During and After Hurricane Katrina. and catcalls of 'What took you so long?,' a National Guard convoy packed with food, water and medicine rolled through axle-deep floodwaters Friday into what remained of New Orleans and descended into a maelstrom of fires and floating corpses. ", In Washington, President Bush publicly acknowledges the inadequacy of the federal government's response: "Many of our citizens simply are not getting the help they need, especially in New Orlenas. Thousands of troops poured into the city September. Thats why films like Trouble the Water are so important, and why its great that its making it to a wide audience via HBO. Five officers were ultimately indicted: one for the shooting, and four additional officers on charges related to burning Glovers body and obstructing a federal investigation. Pack as though you're going on a camping trip. It is 250 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. More than 1,800 people died in what was the costliest . Explore FRONTLINEs collected and ongoing reporting on Russia's war on Ukraine. Met in the little office at the Super Dome where the heliport is. We've all feared a catastrophic hurricane striking New Orleans. FEMA National Situation Update: Walter Maestri, Jefferson Parish emergency manager: Katrina first made landfall in South Florida. I gave the governor two options. City officials say 80 percent of New Orleans is flooded. special video+discussion+teacher's guide+readings & links I laid that out for him. At least one half of well constructed homes will have roof and wall failure. The film a raw and gripping investigation of the Katrina response, its tragic consequences and its political ramifications includes candid interviews with key Katrina decision-makers, including the first televised interview with former FEMA Director Michael Brown since his resignation two weeks after Katrina hit. Around this time 17 years ago, Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans, and permanently changed life for thousands of people across the country. Gov. "At that stage, we had mission-assigned the Department of Defense to start giving us everything they could in terms of air-lift capability. For my part, I am still going out into the streets every day to talk to people about their experiencesI call it getting phyllisophical. Other people call me the Dr. Phil of the streets. Thats whats going to help us rebuild the mosttalking about what happened and how we can move onand why documentaries like Trouble the Water are still so relevant. Trapped on Airline Drive in a traffic jam in his gas-depleted pickup truck, he didn't think he would reach his destination of Baton Rouge. Exploring the experiences of a black member of the New Orleans Police Department and assorted other New Orleans residents during their stay in the Louisiana Superdome during and after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005. If we arent talking about what we still need, how can we be sure people wont forget? Victims of Hurricane Katrina fight through the crowd as they line up for buses to evacuate the Superdome and New Orleans, Sept. 1, 2005. Blanco says, "Mr. President, thank you thank you, thank you. New Orleans, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, as seen in the new documentary Katrina Babies. These defenses held for Hurricane Ida, a category 4 storm, in August 2021. Their communications center was useless. ISIS' growing foothold in Afghanistan is captured on film. Floodwaters keep rising. The city floods further. ", Leo Bosner, FEMA watch officer: Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. Thats just one of the chain of catastrophes at the local, state and national level brought to vivid life in FRONTLINEs Emmy Award-winning 2005 documentaryThe Storm. And Mayor Nagin expressed his concerns. Exacerbated by the recent BP oil spill in the region, the storm and its aftermath remains an open wound for local residents and others affected . And Michael Brown tells Louisiana officials, "What I've seen here today is a team that is very tight knit, working closely together, being very professional and making the right calls.". Within five hours I start to get reports from my staff members, who are out doing assessments, the water's rising. Walter Maestri, Jefferson Parish emergency manager: Directed by New Orleans native Edward Buckles Jr., who was a teenager when Katrina struck, the documentary, which premieres Thursday on HBO, reminds us of the storm's real-life ramifications. After Katrina, the spectacle of a Black refugee population in the Superdome, along with the short-lived plan from Mayor Nagin's committee to wipe out some Black neighborhoods, revived these . I aint about to leave, Gettridge said. "I realized how serious things were on Sunday. "What you had was a situation where you've got a tremendous number of vulnerable people, and then some predatory people who had all of the reasons to take their anger out on someone else," Benitez says. Already, these preliminary cases show a high number of gang rapes and rapes by strangers, both unusual characteristics. I am still going out into the streets every day to talk to people about their experiencesI call it getting phyllisophical. Because of the ensuing . With all due respect, Mr. President, if you and the governor don't get on the same page, this event is going to continue to spiral down, and it's going to be a black eye on everybody -- federal, state and local.' Kathleen Blanco, governor of Louisiana: Producer Martin Smith: Were they going back and forth with each other? ", At that time, I thought we had done a pretty good job because we had gotten about 80 percent of the people out. His goal: To make it possible for his wife of 65 years, Lydia who had gone to live with one of their nine children in Wisconsin after Katrina to return home. Michael Brown, FEMA director: And the impression given in those four days is basically indelible. Marty Bahamonde/FEMA. Police Chief Eddie Compass admitted even his own officers had taken food and water from stores. Half of telephone service is back. Kathleen Blanco: By the end of the day, it is upgraded to Tropical Storm Katrina, with 50 mph maximum sustained winds. Here's the things I think we need to focus on. I n the HBO documentary Katrina Babies, young teen Meisha Williams recollects her experience surviving the 2005 hurricane that displaced approximately 200,000 New Orleans residents. They lost power. HBO. He didn't even know what efforts had been made on his behalf because he had no lines of communications open to him. Ray Nagin, mayor of New Orleans: FEMA Situation Update: At the peak of the Katrina recovery effort, 51,039 National Guard soldiers from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and three territories worked in Louisiana and Mississippi, making Katrina by far . Airborne debris will be widespread and may include heavy items such as household appliances and even light vehicles. Hurricane Katrina made landfall off the coast of Louisiana on August 29, 2005. My sense now is there are victims out there whose stories haven't been heard.". ", "Coastal residents jammed freeways and gas stations as they rushed to get out A direct hit could wind up submerging New Orleans in several feet of water At least 100,000 people in the city lack transportation to get out Louisiana and Mississippi make all lanes northbound on interstate highways", Note: In the last hours before Katrina made landfall, dozens of copies of the, "To cries of 'Thank you, Jesus!' Law-enforcement authorities dismissed early reports of widespread rapes in New Orleans during the lawless days following Hurricane Katrina. They didn't have water. I gave people clues on how to pack. But Mayor Nagin goes on radio and castigates state and federal officials for their inaction and demands they "fix the biggest god-damn crisis in the history of this country." "A week after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans state officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say once the canal level is drawn down two feet, Pumping Station 6 can begin pumping water out of the bowl-shaped city. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. FEMA National Situation Update: Katrina caused more than $160 billion in damage. And I knew it wasn't true, because 8:00 or 10:00 that morning, I received a report from one of my staffers that either a levee had been topped or had actually broken. Anastasia is a petite, 25-year-old hairdresser who asked that her last name be omitted. The Coast Guard mobilizes to respond after the storm hits. A Louisiana State University computer model of a 115 mph storm strike shows the overtopping of levees protecting New Orleans and nearby areas. The account of her rape was verified by a trained forensic nurse at Earl K. Long Hospital in Baton Rouge, where Lewis sought treatment. When we didn't get any assistance from the state or from FEMA in the time period that we thought was appropriate, I got someone in an automobile and said, 'Go to Baton Rouge, go find out. to support FEMA disaster relief efforts, but it will be two days before the troops arrive in the city. They were finally able to leave the city on Saturday. Winds continue to damage or destroy buildings and blow out windows. One of the victims is Ms. Lewis, a 46-year-old home health-care worker from New Orleans East, who asked that her first name not be used. Katrina makes landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana as a Category 3 storm with winds near 127 mph. Michael Ainsworth/The Dallas Morning News/epa/Corbis. August 28, 2015, 2:21 PM. 49 But it was the subsequent flooding of New Orleans that imposed catastrophic public health conditions on the people of southern . It is 250 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. A final, official tally of those killed in the disaster is still not in. And there seems to be this dance about who has ultimate authority. They were making suggestions about we need to do this and that. Kathleen Blanco: I've heard some terrible stories since that the stuff wasn't getting there. We do our video conference calls before and during disasters. With a death toll of more than 1,800, Katrina was the third-deadliest hurricane in US history after Galveston in 1900 (which killed 8,000 to . 11.1.2005. Troops poured in to restore order after almost a week of near-anarchy. Rapid Transit Authority buses pick up citizens and bring them to the Superdome, where the Louisiana National Guard has stocked enough MREs to feed 15,000 people for three days. The Army Corps of Engineers attempts to plug breaches in the 17th Street Canal and Industrial Canal levees. Exploring the experiences of a black member of the New Orleans Police Department and assorted other New Orleans residents during their stay in the Louisiana Superdome during and after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005. National Hurricane Center director Max Mayfield tells the Times-Picayune newspaper, "This is scary this is the real thing." FRONTLINEs documentary The Old Man and the Storm followed Gettridge for 18 months as he worked to rebuild his home, which took on 10 feet of water when the levees breached. But while the Superdome has been reclaimed, those stories of trauma remain, and some roil pretty close to . Watch it: For a powerful story of resilience and determination in the face of tragedy. "We're all looking at each other like, 'Why aren't we getting orders to move on this? The Most Risky Job Ever. Reporting on ISIS in Afghanistan. ", President Bush arrives in Louisiana. Twenty-five thousand miserable people - many of whom lost their homes to Hurricane Katrina - hunkered down with little food and little water, overflowing toilets, stifling heat and the . Under the best of circumstances, rape is one of the hardest crimes to solve. "The police was stressed out themselves," Lewis says. More women are coming forward with stories of sexual assault in the lawless days after the storm. She insists other women were raped in the same apartment building over the next four nights, but her claim could not be checked out. Here in New Orleans East, we desperately need a hospital. Refuge of last resort: Five days inside the Superdome for Hurricane Katrina. During Hurricane Katrina, then known as the Louisiana Superdome, the arena was used as . Web Site Copyright 1995-2023 WGBH Educational Foundation. I don't know why. Photo. by JOHN DORN. And that rap song she sings at the end of the film about growing up so poor, with her mother on drugs and being forced to stealit just shows that she is a strong woman, and so honest, real, determined, courageous, and intelligent. Phyllis Montana-Leblanc is a Hurricane Katrina survivor. Commander Dave Lipin says they saw two women who said they'd been raped -- different women than those the police attended to. There was all kinds of crime taking place on a much higher level than usual. Sept. 27, 2005, 12:58 PM PDT / Source: The Associated Press. "A week after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans state officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say once the canal level is drawn down two feet, Pumping Station 6 can begin pumping water out of the bowl-shaped city. The eye of Hurricane Katrina made landfall near Buras in Plaquemines Parish at approximately 6:00 a.m. on August 29 as a Category 3 hurricane. And the bosses say, 'Oh, okay. Ultimately, more than 300 soldiers would be trapped inside their own headquarters. Military planners are considering setting up a permanent rapid reaction unit designed to respond to domestic disasters. Looting breaks out in parts of the city. That's where Katrina Babies comes in. 11:09. Michael Brown, FEMA director: Several thousand National Guard troops start reaching the thousands of evacuees at the Convention Center and elsewhere. The Times-Picayune reports the Convention Center evacuees are still being loaded onto buses and evacuated and search-and-rescue operations continue. And the mayor began to tell us some of the things that he needed. Interstate 10 is shut down with damage to 40 percent of its Twin Span Bridge over Lake Ponchartrain. August 27, 2015, 2:18 PM. And he basically asked me, 'Mr. " After Katrina passed, we thought we're pretty much out of the woods. In September 2006, the New Orleans Saints marched into the Superdome for their first game since Hurricane Katrina, providing the spark for a revival. What I hope people will realize when they see Trouble the Water is that we still have so much to do here, and that Katrina really changed so many lives, but we are a really resilient people and we want our city to come back.