The True Survivors

Today is a sort of "Blog-Aid" day. Some of us have gotten together with TTLB for "Hurricane Katrina: Blog for Relief Day". I encourage all of my readers to donate to the Salvation Army. Send them anything: clothes, food, basic toiletries, first aid supplies. If you have any medical training at all, such as first responder certification, please consider joining your local Red Cross chapter's volunteer division. There is a list of charities and contact information posted on TTLB, as well.


Latest news in is that FEMA has suspended rescue operations, as it has become too dangerous even for the rescuers to get into some parts of New Orleans. We need to get the ball rolling here and support the relief efforts as much as possible. More lives are being lost.

There are children right now unable to sleep comfortably in their own beds, without basic food or water, none of their favorite toys to keep them company. People are losing their ability to connect with reality. When you hear on CNN about people being in "survival mode", it means that people have become almost feral. They're surviving on instinct alone.

There is no running water. No toilets. People are dying of the conditions they are being forced to live in because those helping are simply spread too thin. Even the reporters are becoming traumatized and doing their best to help.

We need to put the political connotations aside and focus on pure humanitarianism. This could very well be your mother, father, brother, sister, child. Not all of these people refused to evacuate. Some of them were simply unable. And many of the evacuees themselves are in the horrible conditions of the Superdome awaiting further evacuation.

Do whatever you can to help, anything at all. Even if your resources are limited, you do have options.