From folks I talked to about a couple of hours ago:
The troops are in New Orleans. Helicopters are all over the sky and there is a marked troop presence. Apparently, the president just landed in New Orleans. (A part of me wonders if all of the helicopter coverage is solely to cover the C-in-C.) Military trucks have been sighted in the Lower Garden District and “normal people” are wandering the streets after days of them being empty.
St. Charles Ave. has been a bit scary, but they are hoping that these people will be incarcerated, allowing people to leave their homes to start the cleanup and rebuilding effort.
The French Quarter, Lower Garden District and Uptown folks have some food and water, but are hoping rations enter the city soon for troops, relief workers and residents.
After ample warnings not to let herself turn into the Florence Nightingale / Hanoi Jane of this mission, I let Mac and her friends go. What do you do when she stands her ground with, “If it makes you feel any better, I can pretend I’m leaving, but I’m not.”
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Shell: Human Resources would like anyone who knows of employees who are okay to feed their names back to HR; this is part of EP accounting of how many are still missing and reporting that number to authorities. Please contact HR at (866)745-5489.
Shell Sympathy & Support: I wouldn’t expect otherwise from my employers, but the genuine hurt and concern that radiates from their emails and voices provide much-required comfort. They are there for us. Frank Glaviano, lifelong resident of New Orleans and our American Vice-President of Production, writes:
There is not a doubt in my mind that we will work our way out of this mess and be stronger for it. We will help our employees get back on their feet, we will rebuild our affected assets, we will help the communities that are impacted and we will reopen our office in New Orleans, a place where great people deliver great results.
We are Shell, one company, one family in crisis. We are more than iron and data. We are people with great resolve and tremendous determination. We are people with beating hearts who have and will continue to reach out and help others.
This evening, nothing but relief and tears came as I talked with my manager, Cathy McRae, who gave me the concern of a mother, which she is: “Don’t report to work, get all the help you need, stay with family, be safe, and take care of your head and heart.” Her husband, children and cats are safe in Houston, but what of her Lakeview home?
Your Responsibility As A Shell Employee: Shell has 4500 employees in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, 1100 of whom are Exploration & Production employees. Our first priority is to locate all of our employees, to get our offshore operations assessed and repaired, and to restart production.
Therefore, unless you are critical staff involved with any of the above work, please phone in to let them know you’re well and give them phone #s, but don’t report to work just yet. Our physical and emotional wellbeing, damaged facilities and resumed production take top priority.
On Tuesday, I plan to look into volunteer efforts in Houston coordinated by Shell. Be prepared to start helping out. If you’re a Shell evacuee in Houston or would like to help out, please email me. Volunteering our time and effort is something we can and should do.
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Neighborhood Updates:
- Bruno J. of Gentilly, now in Baton Rouge, writes: “Thanks for being safe, guys. Jeanne and I are in Baton Rouge, safe and sound … the house has drowned we think, but we have insurance, our memories, and … a tear or two about the art work and all the perishables …”
- David Y. of the Garden District (riverside of St. Charles and Louisiana) writes: “I escaped N.O. yesterday, by joining a convoy to Baton Rouge then getting a flight out. I am at my parents house in Denton, TX – in shock and upset but surviving.”
- “I lived in the Garden District and we weren’t flooded. We rode out the storm and I was originally going to stay but then the water went out and it became apparent that help might not come until at least a week from now and I decided that was not good. A lot of the bad things you are seeing aren’t happening in my part of town (yet). The grocery store was looted but that’s inevitable. My hope is that the National Guard (which is finally arriving in force) will be out in the streets before the looters go from businesses to homes.”
- Dave, ByTheBayou‘s friend on Port St. in the Bywater, has left the city. His house was still ok when he left.
- Rue de la Course coffee shop, on the corner of Magazine & Race, has been trashed. The bigger Rue on Magazine seems to be fine, except for a trail of melted icecream.
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Mail Forwarding / Change Of Address: (from the WWL-TV blog): Once you land somewhere where you will stay for a bit, file a change of address with the post office. You can do this at the USPS site or by calling this number: (800) ASK-USPS.
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Help from Texas Dept. of Health & Human Services: Unfortunately, folks, this is an urban legend. I am disappointed at whomever wishes to propagate such a cruel hoax at this desperate time.
THIS IS FALSE. PLEASE DO NOT PASS IT ON!
Do you know anyone in Texas as an evacuee from any of the three states Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama? If so, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services will give them 2 months of Food Stamps with no questions asked. All they need to show is a drivers license. This agency will also give you information and locations where they can receive FREE GAS. Also, if you are housing anyone from one of these states you can call FEMA at (800)621-3362, file a claim and receive assistance for your help. This is valid information directly from TDHHS (site).
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A comprehensive, yet disheartening, article on conflicting press coverage.
