Creative Writing: Life After Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina was a devastating disaster that has affected many people in New Orleans. The communication broke down hours after Katrina because of the unexpected fast winds and floods that broke down “3 million phone lines and 1,000 cellular towers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.”( Joch ). Because of the millions of phone lines that were broken down, contacting the government for help was difficult hours after hurricane Katrina. Not only that, the people of New Orleans underestimated the power of Hurricane Katrina causing many to be “ stranded with no food or water” (Narrator, “The Storm”,PBS).

That night Christopher just got off a double shift at the police station. Before he went back to his apartment, he went by a dinner to get him some coffee and something to eat. When he went back to his police car, he heard the message for the kidnapping of the the kids. He responded and said that he was be looking out for the RV.

The early morning air was crisp and the smell of rain still lingered. It was still dark out and the street lamps illuminated the rundown neighborhood as Roy stepped out of his small town home. He stared out at the bare street for a few minutes contemplating what to do next. After a while, the redhead pulled out his phone. Dialing a number, he waited for the other person on the end to pick up.

Kate bursts into tears. She tells Flannery that she was going to give her mother her Christmas present on the guitar as she wipes the tear away from her eyes. Flannery just stands, dumbfounded. Finally she shrugs, telling Kate that Ellis can just use the guitar she will be getting from her father. Kate thanks Flannery and asks her to join her while she strings popcorn. To her surprise Flannery accepts and the two walk to the kitchen to where the popcorn and strip was set up. Just as Kate sits down she hears the doorbell. It's the UPS man. Kate opens the door to see a uniformed man with two big boxes. One from Uncle Simon and Aunt Kim and another from the Guitar Center. Quikly the guitar box is snatched from Kates and hands by her mother and taken away. Kate gives an excited thank you to the UPS man, just waiting for him to stop in front of Flannery’s house. The truck never stops. Kate walks back to the kitchen but decides not to mention anything about the UPS truck. She is surprised when she sees that Flannery has already strung to feet of popcorn.

(Sellnow & Segger 2013, 10). Over the years, communications developed and broader concepts were created, many from lessons learned over the years. Hurricane Katrina brought to light the deficiencies of emergency communication systems. In the Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned put out by the Bush administration in 2006, noted that the Department of Homeland Security reports described the emergency communications infrastructure as ‘non-existent’ and that Katrina devastated other communication infrastructures across the Gulf Coast, “incapacitating telephone and cell service, police and fire dispatch centers, and emergency radio systems”. (White House 2006).

    “Wake up Mommy,” said Taylor through her tears as she hugged my mom’s twitching body.

More than a few hours had gone by, and David was nowhere to be found. Jen and her husband called him many times but there was no answer. They began to get worried, and called the parents of the boys hoping to get an answer. The parents of the other boys were trying to get a hold of their sons as well, but there was no answer. After a few more hours went by, the couple began to worry even more. They tried to get a hold of anyone they knew asking for their son, with no luck.

Instead of being in the library or at school, I was out on the road with the underground passing out food and water to the homeless. It was my idea to bring out food for those who couldn’t get to us. There were a lot of people who were disabled and barely able to move who needed help.

Disasters by their nature kill and injure people, drastically alter people’s life by physical destruction and creating mental trauma. One cannot avoid a disaster from occurring but can definitely take measures to overcome it. Government agencies like FEMA can provide information early warnings to the people in disaster prone areas prior to its occurrence. This research paper discusses about the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, reasons for failure to communicate information during Hurricane Katrina, the category of people who were more vulnerable to this disaster, and how could they be overcome for future disasters.

A buzz left the elevator as it traveled up the levels, moving slowly, almost as if it didn't want to enter the floor she was headed towards. Elizabeth stood in the middle of the box, wiping off the deep red color off of her lips, trying to get rid of the bitter and unpleasant taste that lingered from earlier. The small white handkerchief she held was now getting dirty and looked like a small child took a red crayon to it.

“Mrs. Mitchell is in critical condition.” Lydia’s face crumpled and she was about to give up hope when the doctor spoke again. “Her legs are both broken and, due to the lengthy time spent without access to blood, almost completely dead. She has two broken ribs, a broken arm, and a minor concussion. Luckily, there was no damage to the brain. I know this must be so hard for you both, but chin up! Although she will never walk again, we are almost positive that we will be able to heal her broken bones and her other minor injuries.” At Lydia’s concerned look, he clarified. “By minor injuries, I simply mean cuts, gashes, bruises and the like. In conclusion, we will be able to help Mrs. Mitchell, but she will have to stay overnight, perhaps for a week or two. Do the two of you need a place to stay?” After the pair mutely shook their heads, Mr. Hal walked up to the front desk, paid the bill, and drove Lydia to his house in silence. “You can stay here until we get your house fixed up,” he told her as they hopped out of the wagon

· Josie meets a handsome lad named John Barton at the second debate and John explains a little about his family and the demands of his father. He points out that he and Ivy are friends because of their families.

When they arrived at the towers, they walked up 64 steps to get to the 50th floor. John was amazed by how high they were in the air. They were other people from different country's selling different stuff. Everyone was happy but that changed quickly. Suddenly a loud

“Come along children, we can’t be late for work today,” Margaret says as she rushes to get not only herself, but her son and daughter ready. “Sweetheart, I’ve got to get to the mines now, love you,” Frank leans over to give his wife a kiss on the cheek and then hurries out the door. A few minutes later Margaret and her two children are out of the door, trying to navigate their way downstairs through the hectic tenements.

Every emergency or disaster, from a small house fire to a hurricane that devastates entire communities, have a distinct cycle. This is