Here’s what my mom relayed to me from Bob, who is with the Terrytown Volunteer Fire Department:
80% of Terrytown is damaged. He was unable to even get near Christ the King to see what it looks like.
The firemen have been bathing in a swimming pool full of soapy water.
Looting is out of control in Gretna and Terrytown. The Walgreens and A&P on Carol Sue and Terry Parkway are completely gutted. The fire department has been armed. Looters commandeered a mail truck and were driving it around firing at police and firemen. The firemen are not allowed to go anywhere without a police officer.
They are too far undermanned to stay. Word is that today they will be leaving the city.
Oschner is the only hospital in the city that is operational. Charity is completely shut down. Last night, looters surrounded the hospital waving guns and banging on the doors. A nurse inside called it the most terrifying experience she could imagine. They called in the National Guard and they are now surrounding the hospital.
From Susan’s nephew, a National Guardsman:
Looters have been firing on the evacuation helicopters at the Superdome. This has made the national news.
A ten-year-old girl was raped in the Superdome. More rapes have been reported.
Guardsmen stopped a man from trying to sodomize a boy in the Dome. They “beat the hell out of him.”
Bob has not heard from his son or daughter. He knows they evacuated, but he hasn’t heard if they made it to their destintation. My mom was saying he is exhausted. They are working non-stop. There is simply not enough firemen and police to be effective.
Reports on neighborhoods:
Mandeville: suffered some wind damage, but it is not very bad.
Metairie: mostly dry, but that’s all they know.
WestBank: mostly dry, lots of damage. Looting is out of control.
Its a bad bad situation there.