Buses being turned away??

[Eye10TX]

108 buses in the queue ....

60 per = 6,480 people

All will be allowed in the Astrodome.

[Eye10TX]

NEW INFO: They are opening Reliant Center with food and a place to rest. City of Houston person, Pat Trahan, says the problem arose when it became obvious that long-term care and comfort would not be possible inside the Astrodome. Capped out at 12,000, he said. Communications had broken down with City of NOLA and the SuperDome, so buses just kept coming. Reporter is asking, what happened with the 25,000 goal? Trahan said they were working all along to open other shelters that would alleviate the problems of comfort in the Astrodome. Now with the Reliant Center opening, a huge exhibit hall, there will be more space and plenty of food.

Reporter asked Trahan about the death we heard about: he said it was a woman between 60-70 who had cancer and succumbed to cardiac arrest, with doctors on hand.

Doctor now on asking for many, many more doctors to come help in Astrodome. He wants everyone to know that the reports of numerous medical personnel on-hand aren't correct. They are seeing many, many people with heart problems, asthma and kidney problems, especially. The rate at which so many people are flowing in is too many--plus the details of getting them the proper medical attention they need, at an emergency room or otherwise hospital admission. Several people have arrived in critical condition.

[TexasSam]

NEW INFO: They are opening Reliant Center with food and a place to rest. City of Houston person, Pat Trahan, says the problem arose when it became obvious that long-term care and comfort would not be possible inside the Astrodome. Capped out at 12,000, he said. Communications had broken down with City of NOLA and the SuperDome, so buses just kept coming. Reporter is asking, what happened with the 25,000 goal? Trahan said they were working all along to open other shelters that would alleviate the problems of comfort in the Astrodome. Now with the Reliant Center opening, a huge exhibit hall, there will be more space and plenty of food.

Reporter asked Trahan about the death we heard about: he said it was a woman between 60-70 who had cancer and succumbed to cardiac arrest, with doctors on hand.
Doctor now on asking for many, many more doctors to come help in Astrodome. He wants everyone to know that the reports of numerous medical personnel on-hand aren't correct. They are seeing many, many people with heart problems, asthma and kidney problems, especially. The rate at which so many people are flowing in is too many--plus the details of getting them the proper medical attention they need, at an emergency room or otherwise hospital admission. Several people have arrived in critical condition.

Great post, it's amazing how fast the powers that be got that going, and how fast we are getting people there *both Houston stadiums*

[NateFLA]

Doctor now on asking for many, many more doctors to come help in Astrodome. He wants everyone to know that the reports of numerous medical personnel on-hand aren't correct. They are seeing many, many people with heart problems, asthma and kidney problems, especially. The rate at which so many people are flowing in is too many--plus the details of getting them the proper medical attention they need, at an emergency room or otherwise hospital admission. Several people have arrived in critical condition.

I know my father was calling tonight to see if LA could utilize the hospitals in tampa for long term recovery/care of very ill children (he is pediatric intensive care) or if he and his partners could come help.

So far as best I can tell he is having alot of trouble finding someone "in the know" that can give him an answer or guidance, but he is chasing leads. Its all a start.

[Eye10TX]

I wanted to make sure to document this tonight, so that the people in Dallas and San Antonio will have a blueprint of some of the problems being encountered.

[jasons2k]

NEW INFO: They are opening Reliant Center with food and a place to rest. City of Houston person, Pat Trahan, says the problem arose when it became obvious that long-term care and comfort would not be possible inside the Astrodome. Capped out at 12,000, he said. Communications had broken down with City of NOLA and the SuperDome, so buses just kept coming. Reporter is asking, what happened with the 25,000 goal? Trahan said they were working all along to open other shelters that would alleviate the problems of comfort in the Astrodome. Now with the Reliant Center opening, a huge exhibit hall, there will be more space and plenty of food.

Reporter asked Trahan about the death we heard about: he said it was a woman between 60-70 who had cancer and succumbed to cardiac arrest, with doctors on hand.
Doctor now on asking for many, many more doctors to come help in Astrodome. He wants everyone to know that the reports of numerous medical personnel on-hand aren't correct. They are seeing many, many people with heart problems, asthma and kidney problems, especially. The rate at which so many people are flowing in is too many--plus the details of getting them the proper medical attention they need, at an emergency room or otherwise hospital admission. Several people have arrived in critical condition.

Great post, it's amazing how fast the powers that be got that going, and how fast we are getting people there *both Houston stadiums*

This makes me so proud of our city. The dome is right next to the Medical Center, I'm sure medical help will be there shortly.

[Eye10TX]

I know my father was calling tonight to see if LA could utilize the hospitals in tampa for long term recovery/care of very ill children (he is pediatric intensive care) or if he and his partners could come help.

So far as best I can tell he is having alot of trouble finding someone "in the know" that can give him an answer or guidance, but he is chasing leads. Its all a start.

Gosh, I saw a long report today sometime on this very subject, besides what Houston is doing. I know we have over 1,000 of the NOLA hospital patients in the TX Medical Center now, but no idea how that all came about, other than continuous LifeFlights and Natl Guard helicopters.

What I saw was something about Memphis taking a number of pediatric patients and more to come.

Did you see the story about the couple with the newborn?

I swear, things are happening so fast, no one knows what's going on--but this was spooky.

The Houston news at 10PM had a woman and her husband from NOLA on, who were beside themselves about not knowing where their newborn baby was. The mother gave birth Wednesday in NOLA at Methodist Hospital, but the baby had "near-miss SIDS" and had to stay in the hospital a while longer.

Then came Katrina and the couple had to evacuate. (Not sure where they lived in NOLA area.) Their doctor said they couldn't take the baby out AMA, but they should go ahead and do what they had to do. So, they came here to Houston, feeling that the baby was in the very best and safest place it could be, and that they would probably only have to be here a couple of days.

You know what happened next .... once they were here in Houston, the NOLA hospital became endangered and had to evacuate all the patients. Well, the couple called and called and couldn't get through, natch. Then they started calling hospitals all over everywhere. No Baby Breaux to be found. They had to go buy local cell phones, then a laptop, thinking it would help to have the Internet for their search.

I'm sitting here listening to all this tonight and going "Your baby is in Fort Worth."

I figure the story is going to end with them finding their baby in Fort Worth, ya know? After all, if *I* know their baby is in Fort Worth, how come *they* don't?

Then I'm thinking, this must not be the same baby I saw a post about earlier today--a different 8-day-old newborn with lost parents, who is in Fort Worth in the hospital, from NOLA.

Then, just as the newscast was signing off, lol, the anchor came back and said they had some great news! The Breaux's had found their baby!

It is in Fort Worth!

Ah, the Internet. Or am I psychic? Sheesh, what if they never found out and I was the only one who knew where the baby was? ~~chills~~

[photoguy]

Thanks for the info, Eye10TX and thanks Houston!

And Eye10TX - do you have any word if people actually are "adopting" families? If so, please let me know - we could accomodate a small family here in Tampa and I think I could arrange the necessary time to get to Houston (or another staging area). It's the least we could do.

[MBismyPlayground]

wow.....all I can say is wow about all of this....

[Houstonia]

Thanks for the info, Eye10TX and thanks Houston!

And Eye10TX - do you have any word if people actually are "adopting" families? If so, please let me know - we could accomodate a small family here in Tampa and I think I could arrange the necessary time to get to Houston (or another staging area). It's the least we could do.

Are you talking about Tampa, Fl? or is there a Tampa in Texas?? I bet you could contact area churches (by area, I mean any area between Houston, San Antonio and Dallas!!). I bet they are sponsoring "adoptions".

[Shoshana]

I'm thinkin they mean Tampa FL... I'm not at all familiar with a Tampa TX.

[NC George]

I know my father was calling tonight to see if LA could utilize the hospitals in tampa for long term recovery/care of very ill children (he is pediatric intensive care) or if he and his partners could come help.

So far as best I can tell he is having alot of trouble finding someone "in the know" that can give him an answer or guidance, but he is chasing leads. Its all a start.

My mom is the nurse manager of the heart center at Univertity Medical Center here in Greenville, NC. We are the Level 1 Trauma center for the eastern 1/3 of NC (My role is small, the threat of me picking up her workers in the event of an emergency is usually enough to get them in. I have a large 4x4 truck and a heavily modified Jeep, both with vehicle recovery equipment, in case you are wondering why it's me.) Anyway, we have 50 beds available and set aside for victims of the NOLA tragedy, they are expected to be flown into RDU and distributed amongst the top hospitals in the state (UMC, Duke, Chapel Hill, Wake Med, Baptist in Winston-Salem)

[Eye10TX]

Thanks for the info, Eye10TX and thanks Houston!

And Eye10TX - do you have any word if people actually are "adopting" families? If so, please let me know - we could accomodate a small family here in Tampa and I think I could arrange the necessary time to get to Houston (or another staging area). It's the least we could do.

Sorry, I was actually taking a little rest and reading other stuff. Ummm, I know there *is* something like that happening, but right now, I couldn't go straight to it. Let me look through my notes.

There was a man on local TV tonight who is setting up a database for that. He has a small business which renovates properties and he has offered a free condo for six months, plus free utilities, some furniture, and a job for a displaced family from NOLA.

He was challenging other small businesses to do the same thing, but meanwhile, was setting up a database of those needing "sponsors" like that.

It was especially heart-warming tonight to see that one young man from NOLA had come in as an evacuee a couple of days ago ... and now, you know what? He used his experience there in one of the fab restaurants to land a job here .. at our poshest dining establishment, Tony's! He was on the job as a waiter tonight!

(And that's a place that's sort of like oh, Galliatoire's or Commander's Palace or Antoine's, where the average length of service of any of the waiters is something like 40 years! Someone has to die or retire before anyone can get those choice jobs!)

Heh heh, I was also thinking about another displaced person I saw on TV tonight. My heart goes out to the people in Mississippi because of all the NOLA coverage that's happening. I don't want them to get lost in the shuffle, especially with all the bad news that's coming out of Biloxi, Gulfport, Pass Christian, Bay St. Louis, Waveland and all around there.

Anyway, this somewhat young guy was in a motel somewhere, now I forget, it was an EconoLodge, $44 a night. He had lost his $1 million home in Long Beach and was just musing about all the places he and his family might move. Seattle, Tampa, whatever. (I just really didn't know what to say about this one!)

Anyway, let me see what I've collected about adopting a family and get back here to post. Don't wait up for me--I get easily distracted onto all the human nature stories about the Katrina aftermath, both good and bad--but I *will* be back to help you with your offer!

[Eye10TX]

I'm thinkin they mean Tampa FL... I'm not at all familiar with a Tampa TX.

Hee hee, there's a Pampa, in the TX Panhandle. No similarities!

[MBismyPlayground]

Eye, if you come across any info can you let me know as well????I have made phone calls around here but no one here knows a thing.They just take my name and number.

Of course, I sorta worry about being along the beach area,and moving someone out here, but I am a little further in land, so a bit safer. But I have found that people that have chosen to live close to the water, no matter what, will still choose to live by the water.

I think I was vaguely listening to Jessie Jackson, not sure, but he did make a point that I agree with. If every church in the US adopted 10 families, there would really not be a housing problem for these evacuees.
( I hate the word refugees, makes it sound like they are from a foreign country)

[Eye10TX]

Eye, if you come across any info can you let me know as well????I have made phone calls around here but no one here knows a thing.They just take my name and number.

Of course, I sorta worry about being along the beach area,and moving someone out here, but I am a little further in land, so a bit safer. But I have found that people that have chosen to live close to the water, no matter what, will still choose to live by the water.

I think I was vaguely listening to Jessie Jackson, not sure, but he did make a point that I agree with. If every church in the US adopted 10 families, there would really not be a housing problem for these evacuees.
( I hate the word refugees, makes it sound like they are from a foreign country)

Will do. I'm just chillin' for a bit right now. This was my first non-sobbing day and I'm just trying to get a 2nd wind.

FWIW, "refugee" is the preferred term, we've been told. They are people seeking "refuge." There may even be some legalities later on as far as "evacuees." I believe that if someone voluntarily evacuated themselves out of harm's way, they are the actual "evacuees," rather than those who were forcibly evacuated, either from dangerous shelters or demolished homes.

I know I didn't explain that quite right, but people have been trying to make a distinction between the terms on all the newscasts this week.

[Eye10TX]

BREAKING (again):

We have 12,000 now in the Astrodome. Another 2000 are being put into Reliant Arena, while cots are being put up and food is being brought in. Another 1000 are being re-routed somewhere else (I missed that, but I think it's Huntsville). By the end of today, we expect that 15,000 will be here in Houston from NOLA, with this wave of refugees.

Many many sicker people came in this bunch. MORE DOCTORS NEEDED BADLY.

Doctors and volunteers need to come to the McNee entrance to the Astrodome.

You can now bring in canned goods and diapers and they can be dropped off right there on I-610 feeder road in front of the Dome, no need to even get out of the car.

[Eye10TX]

I'm so proud of Houston ....

500 volunteers have shown up since midnight, when this story broke! They still need more, and really need doctors, but WOW--all these loving people who came in the middle of the night!

Also, Abbott Laboratories has brought in a mobile lab that tests for infections, dehydration and more. There will also be the same labs supplied in LA, MS and AL. They DO need some medical personnel to work in them.

20 more buses are on their way from Orange, TX. (IIRC, I believe there was a shelter there that had to close down.)

Maybe today will be a little better all the way around.

[Eye10TX]

photoguy and MBismyPlayground --

Check your PMs for what I sent you about possible listing places for offering housing. Hope y'all can work something out.