When Will Everyone Learn?

What part of "evacuate" and "get out of town" do people not understand?

Three years ago the residents of New Orleans were told to get out of town before Hurricane Katrina roared ashore causing the Great Army Corps of Engineers Flood of 2005. People stayed, deciding "to ride it out." Many died, many risked their lives to save the stubborn, and many were in miserable conditions ... all because residents would not -- or could not for a variety of reasons -- heed the warnings. Hurricane Katrina was the most expensive natural disaster in the history of the United States ... totaling $100-billion, according to about.com.

Over Labor Day weekend South Louisiana was threatened with what New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin termed the "mother of all storms." As a result, roughly 2-million people evacuated from the Crescent City and its surrounding parishes. Gustav was no friend to South Louisiana, but was not the evil twin of Katrina. Gustav's insured damage loss may reach $10-billion, according to California-based Risk Management Solutions Inc.

Fortunately, the fact that Gustav weakened before making landfall, coupled with the massive evacuation, kept the death toll to eight individuals.

This past weekend federal, state, and local leaders along the Gulf Cost of Texas issued warnings that all residents of Galveston leave. It was strongly suggested residents of Houston -- the fourth largest city in the United States -- also get out of the way of Hurricane Ike. However, with more than 5-million residents, getting everyone out of the way quickly is almost impossible.

Many Houstonians stayed home, rationalizing they were more than 50-miles from the coast when Ike was predicted to make landfall. By the same token, many Galveston residents elected to ignore the calls to leave, despite a prediction from the National Hurricane Center that Ike had taken aim on their city ... a city that was predicted to be submerged before Ike had completely passed.

Why is it that people stayed? Wasn't the site of bodies floating in the flooded streets of New Orleans enough incentive to leave? Was it not enough to see the fear of individuals having to be plucked by helicopters off of rooftops? Did the misery of people begging for water and food not leave haunting visions? Is protecting one's property more important than protecting one's life? Is any possession worth risking the lives of rescue personnel?

Just three days into the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, it is suggested the monetary cost of the storm may reach $22-million ... according to Jeff Masters of Weather Underground, a commercial forecasting service. While Texas and Louisiana officials continue with search and recovery missions, there are already eight deaths attributed to the storm.

While Houston did not endure flooding the magnitude of New Orleans after Katrina, residents are still facing the misery experienced by residents of South Louisiana and South Mississippi. There is no electricity, limited gasoline, limited water and ice, and many Texans are sleeping in emergency shelters.

With the expert forecasting of storms, computer models which show anticipated tracks, and early warnings, why is it that residents still feel the need to "ride out" a storm? Of course there are the monetary costs involved with evacuations. Some residents will take advantage of free transportation and shelter lodging. Those with transportation, alternative lodging, and the money to evacuate can look at spending almost $1,000 to be away for a few days.

There has to be a better system. Those who "have" can move, and those who "have not" can move. But those who "don't have much, or enough" have trouble evacuating. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will assist individuals with hotel/motel bills during mandatory evacuations, but not those who evacuated to stay with friends and family ... leaving hotel/motel lodging for others. Being away from home involves transportation, gasoline, rooms, and meals. It's like an unplanned vacation with the same price tag and none of the fun.

There is also the wait for the last minute so as to spend the least amount of time away, and the least amount of money. But that produces the gridlock of millions leaving at the same time, crowding thousands of cars on a few roads all at once ... sort of like kicking over an ant hill and watching the ants scurry.

History has shown us that big storms don't come every year, but even one big storm every couple of years is tough. And with Katrina, Rita, and Ike all coming within a three year period, emotions are raw and psyches are bruised.

However, memories can be short-lived. When Gustav turned out to be more tame than expected, many South Louisiana residents believed their elected leaders "cried wolf," and cried too fast. That prompted many residents to claim they will defy the next evacuation order. But then what? Will history repeat itself? Will there again be bodies floating in the streets, and major rescue scenes, and human misery?

Some will stay and some will leave. Some will live and some will die. Some will praise, and some will condemn.

" ... or so this news junkie thinks!"