Gustav’s Wallop

He and other city officials gathered at the Lafayette emergency operations center downtown to coordinate the storm response. Once winds subsided Monday evening, they began to dispatch first responders to search for people in distress. And they positioned emergency medical units throughout the city to offer residents help starting at noon Tuesday. "The preparation has been phenomenal," says Lt. Craig Stansbury, an Emergency Operations spokesman. "Everything so far has gone extremely well."

That was a sentiment echoed by officials throughout the day. The memory of the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita three years ago apparently prodded government leaders to take no chances this time around. U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, a Republican from Lafayette, cited a number of improvements over the government's performance last time: better evacuation plans, upgraded communications equipment, an earlier and more active role for the Department of Defense and greater availability of National Guard troops. Beyond that, "individuals and families realized this has to be taken seriously," says Boustany. "Prior to Katrina and Rita, people had a cavalier attitude."

As the hurricane powered ahead, the tension began to dissipate in New Orleans. Damage didn't appear severe or widespread. There were felled trees, peeled-back awnings and blowing detritus, but so far, nothing like what Katrina left behind. National Guard troops working out of a Holiday Inn near City Hall reported that they'd helped rescue 11 people and four dogs—holdouts from the Lower Ninth Ward who began to panic after hearing reports of overtopped levees. One city government worker who requested anonymity since he wasn't an authorized spokesman went so far as to call Gustav "one lame hurricane" and "a whole bunch of nothing."

"I've seen worse flooding and damage in a summer thunderstorm," he said. "There has only been one arrest in 36 hours. That should tell you how quiet it is." Hopefully the cities and towns closer to Gustav's path will emerge just as intact.

With Jessica Ramirez and Andrew Ehrenkranz

© 2008