It was an eye opener to see just what occurs when the modern trappings of what we know as civilization break down. When services you are accustom to suddenly cease to exist, you are on your own and it seems everyone is out for themselves till communications return wtih the outside world. Thankfully, I don’t live in New Orleans were even law enforcement failed. The events surrounding the politicians in that area made for some strange headlines as all scrambled to claim those failings in planning and in their own preformances were to be laid at someone elses feet rather than where it belonged, in the area’s own leadership.

I can tell you that what is painted above isn’t true for all areas. Thankfully I can say that in our area no such looting took place. As soon as communications were available our local politicians were holding meetings to reach out to and deal with the problems this storm made for the community. Instead of slinging blame, they were co-ordinating help for individuals such as a lady that was running out of oxygen, of seeing that handicapped people had help that they needed, that retirement homes got power, water, ice, and other necessities that would not have come so fast without that co-ordination. Folks outside our area were calling because there was the sound of hope, of doing, and of taking care of our fellow man. Simply, they didn’t have elsewhere to turn in their own areas that could provide any sort of hope. While I am not big on politicians, it seems I had to re-evaluate my local politicains and their sterling preformances during this past disaster. It turned what could have been (such as was displayed in the New Orleans area) into something that showed people would look out for their neighbors and take interest in their well being for strickly humanitarian reasons and not for commercial gain. Our local mayor was on the radio, each and every day after those meetings telling the listenership what was going on, what was being planned, how those plans were proceeding, and what to expect next. Dragged from that meeting and following him usually were the power representive on where they were in restoring power, FEMA representive telling where ice or water would be setup, where help could be reached for a variety of common problems, explaining terms of curfew (which considering all that was going on was very leinent) and giving the community much needed information to plan with. That informaion included where gas stations were open which had gas, what area stores had ice, where generator shipments were expected, where to obtain food, shelter, or other necessities. Much of this information coming in was from the listeners themselves reporting to the radio station so that the station could give accurate information to the community.

To be honest, I am proud of the way our community responded to this disaster. Instead of falling apart, they pulled together to make it happen.

“Our online product is going to lead in breaking our journalism.”

Already down, the next plant is in San Antonio. Houston Cronicle will not distribute til Monday is what I heard from some individual contractors that work for them.