Blunt deploys National Guard to Louisiana in Gustav aftermath
As Gustav is downgraded to a tropical depression, Blunt deploys National Guard members to the area.
Published Sept. 4, 2008
As Hurricane Gustav threatened portions of Louisiana and northern Texas, city officials advised residents to evacuate the city or fend for themselves.
After a mass-evacuation was completed by New Orleans, close to two million citizens fled the Louisiana coast to avoid Gustav, now downgraded to a tropical depression. As the storm became weaker, the city was spared from Katrina-like damage.
To offer relief to affected cities, Gov. Matt Blunt deployed 1,300 Missouri National Guard members to Louisiana. The National Guard members were mobilized under an interstate mutual aid agreement.
"Missourians are compassionate people and we are continuing to support Louisiana's response to Hurricane Gustav," Blunt said in a news release Monday. "I have directed the Department of Public Safety to keep me updated of any future needs that our state may be able to meet in the response."
In addition to the National Guard, several Missouri churches and community shelters have provided assistance for citizens of Louisiana. Shelters located in six cities across the state were prepared Sunday to provide shelter for those who fled the storm. According to the American Red Cross, many evacuees began returning to Louisiana on Thursday.
Calvary Baptist Church, located at 606 Ridgeway Ave., welcomed several evacuees after the storm.
Dave Rose, a volunteer with Red Cross and board chairman at the church, helped to welcome displaced families.
"We provide evacuees with shelter and security," he said. "We want them to come and feel safe when they're away from their homes. The church provides the facility and shelter and the Red Cross helps in providing cots, towels, toiletries, food and water."
Catherine Rieder graduated from MU in the spring and moved to New Orleans nearly three months ago. Her parents live in Mandeville, La., a town across the bay from New Orleans, so Rieder stayed with them to wait out the storm.
"I went to visit my parents (before the storm) and they didn't want me to go back because the hurricane was coming," she said.
Because she was one of the first to leave the city, Rieder didn't have to fight much traffic. She said she believes the systems the city had to get people out of the city worked well. Although the highway system was shut down, police were still directing traffic and back roads were easily accessible.
From what she observed, Reider said New Orleans was fearful of what was to come.
"People were terrified because of what happened previously," she said. "I noticed that it was talked up a lot on the news to air on the side of caution and because of that everyone hyped it up for themselves."
Rieder described the panicked scene in New Orleans.
"Ice is like gold right now," she said. "Milk and bread are gone and all the essentials are off the shelves. Everyone is filling up with gas and people are outside boarding up windows; stores are shutting down. There's a mass run to the bank to get cash - it's pretty intense."
Most of what Rieder experienced from the storm was high winds and copious amounts of rain. She said many trees were overturned and branches were scattered around.
"During this storm we definitely had serious damage but it's not apocalyptic, biblical, or the next Katrina," she said. "This was an opportunity for New Orleans to show they had their stuff together."
Freshman Dana Schulman has to stay in Columbia while her parents deal with damages to a family business as well as their home.
Schulman's parents own three hotels in the New Orleans area. During the hurricane, the roof was torn off one of the buildings.
"My parents went back to New Orleans yesterday," she said. "A few of the rooms (in the hotel) are out of service because of water damage, but it's not too bad."
A tree collapsed on the family's home, causing severe damage. Schulman said the family business would be able to take care of costs for the hotels, but the family will have to foot the bill for the damage to their home.
"A big magnolia tree that was in the front yard went through our front window," Schulman said. "The room had water damage so my parents are replacing the flooring and the window has to be fixed."