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Atlantic Hurricane Season 2005

Hurricane Categories

Category 1 74 – 95 mph Category 2 96 – 110 mph Category 3 111- 130 mph Category 4 131 – 155 mph Category 5 156 + mph

Hurricane Dennis By the end of the first week in July 2005; moving north-

westerly across Cuba, Hurricane Dennis became the first full fledged hurricane for the U.S. Atlantic Hurricane Season of 2005.

FEMA national headquarters in Washington DC, had put me on standby for deployment (much to Chief Martin’s surprise at CFD, since he had not been contacted at this point.) However, since I was on standby in 2004 for Hurricane Charley, Frances, Gene, and Ivan – to no avail – I adopted a rather apathetic attitude towards a deployment assignment for Hurricane Dennis.

But nonetheless, I heeded Martin’s advice: “Do what you have to do, if you can do it. Good Luck.”

(hmmm….thanks Chief.)

Hurricane Dennis Battering winds of over 135 mph,

Hurricane Dennis imposed an evacuation for the lower Keys of Florida. Staying on the original projected path as predicted, Hurricane Dennis hit landfall near Pensacola on July 11th - where only 10 months earlier, Hurricane Ivan made impact on the Florida panhandle.

Because the panhandle was still

recovering from Hurricane Ivan in 2004, recovery operation for Hurricane Dennis seemed nothing more, at best, than just a continuous recovery operation from the previous year.

Then came Hurricane Emily…determined to set her own

records.

Hurricane Emily On the 16th of July, Emily became the strongest

hurricane ever to form before the end of July. At one point, her winds reached up to 155 mph as she

barreled her way across the Caribbean Sea towards the Yucatan Peninsula. But with varying Atlantic water temperatures and atmospheric pressures, her Category status would erratically change within hours.

Upon landfall in Mexico (about 3-4 hrs. from southern TX), she was a Category 3. …two Category 3’s in one month.

Between Hurricane Dennis and Emily, there was a reported 46 direct fatalities.

on the average of every 3 weeks, a new hurricane was being developed.

But by the 16th of August, Hurricane Irene had briefly encountered the Category 2 phase. She posed as a threat to the U.S. East coast, but she dissipated back into the Atlantic without ever making landfall.

Hurricane Katrina

What might be considered as Mother Nature’s finest revenge, or at least the epitome of her

costliest destruction upon the United States,

Mother Nature showed us her very besthaunting performance …

to date.

August 2005…

This satellite photo from NASA shows the average temperature (82F) of the Atlantic over a 3 day period. The warm Gulf water temperatures merely kept Katrina fueled & directed her to aim for only one area. . .

The Mississippi Delta Region

…Hurricane Katrina had reached Category 5, with a relentless warpath

towards the Gulf of Mexico.

She skimmed through southern Florida, and ruthlessly aimed towards

Biloxi, Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana.

The eye of the storm passed about 12 miles from New Orleans on the 29th of August. Adding insult to injury,

the levees in the city broke and in some areas,

the water rose up to 25 feet deep.

Katrina’s vengeance was not just in

New Orleans and Mississippi

substantial wind damage was evident in Kentucky as well…

Hurricane Katrina spawned tornadoes

...this one in Georgia.

Rescue efforts begin in New Orleans

Over 200,000 ‘Katrina Survivors’ escaped to Texas.Below – the Astrodome in Houston, served as one of 4 major shelters that could accommodate thousands of

survivors under one roof.

Search, Rescue, Recovery and Relief operations begin to take place. Due to the overwhelming demands of organizing an unprecedented national disaster operation at this magnitude, it was imperative that the Incident Command System [ ICS ] was fully reinforced.

Actual Path into Louisiana

Is there a possibility, that there can be a hurricane

that is greater than aCategory 5 ?

…hell, why not ?

… after all, Hurricane Rita had maximized sustained winds of 175 mph.

(…well, obviously no one from the National Hurricane Center has asked me whether or not we can have Categories greater than 5)

Fortunately, Rita was reduced to a Fortunately, Rita was reduced to a Category 3 when she struck Texas and Category 3 when she struck Texas and Louisiana on September 24th. Louisiana on September 24th.

but the city of Houston, itself, (4but the city of Houston, itself, (4thth largest city with 4 million residents) largest city with 4 million residents) was spared by Rita’s havoc.was spared by Rita’s havoc.

but she left NO MERCY

for the already,obliterated state of Louisiana.

(Galveston Island, TX)(Galveston Island, TX)

from south eastern Texas and stretching over

to 6 more states,well over 2 million

people…

have no electricity

no running water

It’s a continuum of a living nightmare.

Family members still unaccounted for. Where is FEMA ?No home to return to.Decomposing bodies in attics.Make-shift hospitals in airport terminals.Sex offenders preying.Missing children. Separated children.

Cold bloody murdering.Toxic water. Toxic air to breathe.Accumulated mold 2-4” thick.Severely limited accessibility for EMS.Diseased carcasses infestations.Dead bodies found high up in trees as the water receded.

Blaming FEMA.Rescuers being shot at deliberately.

SEE NO EVIL?

HEAR NO EVIL?

SPEAK NO EVIL?

what more can happen?

3rd week of October, Hurricane Wilma rips through southern Florida – as the strongest inland hurricane.

Hurricane Wilma was the 5th (and FINAL) hurricane to hit landfall

for the 2005 season.

Gas station canopy blown over

DISASTER. It strikes anytime, anywhere. It DISASTER. It strikes anytime, anywhere. It takes many forms -- a hurricane, an takes many forms -- a hurricane, an earthquake, a tornado, a flood, a fire or a earthquake, a tornado, a flood, a fire or a hazardous spill, an act of nature or an act of hazardous spill, an act of nature or an act of terrorism. It builds over days or weeks, or terrorism. It builds over days or weeks, or hits suddenly, without warning. Every year, hits suddenly, without warning. Every year, millions of Americans face disaster, and its millions of Americans face disaster, and its terrifying consequences.terrifying consequences.

On March 1, 2003, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Thousands of survivors line up for Federal assistance outside

the Houston Disaster Recovery Ctr.

Empty cots – soon to be occupied by ‘Katrina Survivors’ (Houston, TX)

This 1.2 million square foot, downtown This 1.2 million square foot, downtown Houston Convention Ctr. was turned into a Houston Convention Ctr. was turned into a shelter.shelter.

Planning & developmentPlanning & development

(photo speaks for itself)(photo speaks for itself)

Message board - trying to find lost loved ones at a TX. shelter

FEMA–owned travel trailers

being staged for temporary housing.

(Mississippi)

Where do you go from here Where do you go from here ?

Cargo aircrafts from all over the U.S. bring supplies into the National Guard airfield.

(Gulfport, Mississippi)

The Missouri gang – down in West Palm Beach, FLRepresentatives from:

Boone County Fire / Columbia Fire / St. Robert

…dubbed as the “FEMA baby” …

she was the youngest Hurricane Wilma survivor at the last shelter for Palm Beach County, FL.

“Solidarity is learned through contactnot concepts…

when the heart is touchedby direct experience

the mind is challenged to change.”

Peter Hans Klovenbach, SJ

Permission is NOT granted for any or all of this presentation to be duplicated [copied] or have it be forwarded over the Internet.

- fa’ tima cp - fa’ tima cp millermiller

““After the Sunrise” – Yanni [Snowfall]After the Sunrise” – Yanni [Snowfall]““In the Morning Light” – Yanni [Snowfall]In the Morning Light” – Yanni [Snowfall]Chariots of Fire Soundtrack composed, Arranged, Produced, Chariots of Fire Soundtrack composed, Arranged, Produced, And Performed by VANGELISAnd Performed by VANGELIS“”“”Abraham’s Theme’ Abraham’s Theme’ ““chariots of Fire”chariots of Fire”

Back Draft soundtrack Score composed by Hans Zimmer:Back Draft soundtrack Score composed by Hans Zimmer:- The Arsonist’s Waltz” - - The Arsonist’s Waltz” - ““Burn It All” - Burn It All” -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Dennishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Dennis

http:www.eros.usgs.gov/katrina/datasets.htmlhttp:www.eros.usgs.gov/katrina/datasets.html

http://water.oregonstate.edu/news/NSF-LSU_Katina_Presentation.pdfhttp://water.oregonstate.edu/news/NSF-LSU_Katina_Presentation.pdf

http://www.cnnsi.com/www.cnn/2005/writers/don_banks/09/01/saints/inhttp://www.cnnsi.com/www.cnn/2005/writers/don_banks/09/01/saints/in

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/us/0509/gallery.katrina.fri/frameset.exclude.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/interactive/us/0509/gallery.katrina.fri/frameset.exclude.html

www.cnnis/multimedia/photo_gallery/2005/09/04/gallery.katrina.content.10.htmlwww.cnnis/multimedia/photo_gallery/2005/09/04/gallery.katrina.content.10.html

http://aswn.com/i/88/f8543645e4c73.jpghttp://aswn.com/i/88/f8543645e4c73.jpg

http://www.redcrossblood.om/index/Katrina%20pics%20presentation_web.pdfhttp://www.redcrossblood.om/index/Katrina%20pics%20presentation_web.pdf

www.bpfrommer.com/Fury~Of~Rita.htmwww.bpfrommer.com/Fury~Of~Rita.htm

http://www.cbsnews/elements/2005/09/13/in_depth_nature/photoessay839908.shtmlhttp://www.cbsnews/elements/2005/09/13/in_depth_nature/photoessay839908.shtml

www.cnn.com/interactive/weather/0508/gellery.katirina.tues.pm/frameset.exclude.htmlwww.cnn.com/interactive/weather/0508/gellery.katirina.tues.pm/frameset.exclude.html

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http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2005/09/01/in_depth_nature/photoessay811986.shtmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2005/09/01/in_depth_nature/photoessay811986.shtmlhttp://aolsearch.aol.com/aol/imageDetails?invocationType=imageDetails&query=fire+hurricane+rita&img=http%3A%2F%2Fmsnbcmedia.msn.comhttp://aolsearch.aol.com/aol/imageDetails?invocationType=imageDetails&query=fire+hurricane+rita&img=http%3A%2F%2Fmsnbcmedia.msn.com

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http://onthescene.msnbc.com/hurricanes/2005/09/refuge_from_the.htmlhttp://onthescene.msnbc.com/hurricanes/2005/09/refuge_from_the.html

http://aolsearch.aol.com/aol/imageDetails?invocationType=imageDetails&query=hurricane+rita&img=http%3A%2F%2Fserc.carleton.edu%2Fimageshttp://aolsearch.aol.com/aol/imageDetails?invocationType=imageDetails&query=hurricane+rita&img=http%3A%2F%2Fserc.carleton.edu%2Fimages%2FNAGTWorkshops%2Fvisualization%2Fcollections%2FNOAA-Rita.gif&site=serc.carleton.edu&host=http%3A%2F%2Fserc.carleton.edu%2FNAGTWorkshops%2Fvisualization%2Fcollections%2FNOAA-Rita.gif&site=serc.carleton.edu&host=http%3A%2F%2Fserc.carleton.edu%2FNAGTWorkshops%2Fvisualization%2Fcollections%2Fhurricanes.html&b=image%3Fquery%3Dhurricane%2Brita%26page%2FNAGTWorkshops%2Fvisualization%2Fcollections%2Fhurricanes.html&b=image%3Fquery%3Dhurricane%2Brita%26page%3D3%26invocationType%3DxImage%3D3%26invocationType%3DxImage

http://www.chron.com/content/news/photos/05/09/24/day5/etexas/photo1.htmlhttp://www.chron.com/content/news/photos/05/09/24/day5/etexas/photo1.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wilma_2005_track.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wilma_2005_track.png

http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Wilmaen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Wilma

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/weather/0510/gallery.wilma.prep.tabs/frameset.exclude.htmhttp://www.cnn.com/interactive/weather/0510/gallery.wilma.prep.tabs/frameset.exclude.htmll

http://http://people.tribe.net/catherinethegreat/blog&topicIdpeople.tribe.net/catherinethegreat/blog&topicId=b85d4ca1-5c60-45a6-b1ed-76aa600fea32=b85d4ca1-5c60-45a6-b1ed-76aa600fea32

http://http://www.fema.govwww.fema.gov/about/about

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http://www.photolibrary.fema.gov/photolibrary/photo_search.do?SCategoryComboId=1-http://www.photolibrary.fema.gov/photolibrary/photo_search.do?SCategoryComboId=1-12&SId=&SLocation=48&SKeywords=&pageStart=169&pageSize=24&SStartDate=08%2F25%2F2005&SDisasterNumber=&SPhotographe12&SId=&SLocation=48&SKeywords=&pageStart=169&pageSize=24&SStartDate=08%2F25%2F2005&SDisasterNumber=&SPhotographer=&SEndDate=10%2F01%2F2005r=&SEndDate=10%2F01%2F2005

Select FEMA photos off of Select FEMA photos off of www.FEMA.gov/photolibrarywww.FEMA.gov/photolibrary - -

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- photographers: Andrea Booher, Ed Edahl, Mark Wolfe,, Nicholas Britto- photographers: Andrea Booher, Ed Edahl, Mark Wolfe,, Nicholas Britto