FEMA Monetary Support: The federal government, via FEMA, has authorized $2000 each for displaced individuals “to spend on clothing and other immediate needs.” This morning, CNN TV reported that it is still unclear how these funds will be disbursed. Some suggest that the money will be restricted to $2000 per head of household. More as this develops.

At 9:20AM CDT, CNN Headline News reports that the FEMA debit cards will not be issued today due to “logistical problems.”

If you wish to apply for FEMA assistance or simply start the process, here is an online form.

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Pumps & Water: 15 out of 120 pumps are back in commission. Water is finally going down in St. Bernard Parish while it hasn’t begun to recede in the downtown medical district.

The EPA has found lead (not good for kids) and 10 times the normal level of E. coli in New Orleans floodwater. (No, really?) The CDC is investigating reports of Vibrio vulnificis in the drinking water – don’t worry, this bacterium does not cause cholera and does not spread from person to person.

New Orleans is also not a bowl of “toxic gumbo.” It’s what happens when floodwater, sewage, chemicals and debris mix together, not a soup from which the next generation of X-Men and evil mutants will appear.

If you’re still in New Orleans, don’t wade around in the floodwater, get out to get immunized and wait a bit before you go back in.

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Shell: Last evening’s meeting suggests that the company continues to help employees get their personal situations stabilized. Quite a few have school-age children or ailing parents whose needs have to be taken care of before a return to work.

The company is also working on temporary office space and associated logistics (IT, furniture, etc.) to last until the end of 2005 and beyond if necessary. Yesterday’s conference indicated three New Orleans re-entry time frames: 3-, 6- and 12-months. The 12-month scenario has to be the worst-case, which any large business that evacuated New Orleans should prepare for. It’s not easy to move workplaces around.

Each of our displaced employees from One Shell Square (EP/Pipeline) will go back to work as follows:

• ~300 at Robert Training Center – main location for RPD – phase in over the next three weeks
• ~110 at Baton Rouge – RPD support and Pipeline – space ready next week
• ~390 in the Houston Central Business District – EP Projects, Mars Recovery Team, RTD ventures & support functions – over the next several weeks as IT issues are worked out (This is where I’ll be camping out for the next few months.)
• ~370 at Woodcreek (workstations + double-ups, or people sharing offices) – EPX, RTD, EPT and support functions.

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Tulane: Tulane University professors (non-clinical) continue to be paid and are on call to return to New Orleans at the first possible moment. They will be given “special duties” to get the school up and running (the start of spring semester is the goal).

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What Next?: Now is the time to discover flexibility and patience as things take their course. However, we need not be laid-back about it. We must ensure that the progress of our city happens quickly and correctly, with the right resources applied in the right spots. Keep in touch with local leaders and remaining residents (by this, I don’t mean pester them) to find out what they are doing towards recovery and rebuilding. Please volunteer your help in your current location, look for temporary employment (as D is doing) and hope for the best. One day at a time.

Along with dwindling bottled water supplies in New Orleans, E. coli has been discovered in the available city drinking water. A friend left the Lower Garden District for the home of relatives in the Northshore with her aged grandmother. The local police have stepped up their efforts to force the exit of remaining residents (military officially not involved, but seen on TV) .

• CNN – Fires; contaminated water; forced evacuation
• Great article in the International Herald Tribune – Get out; no toxic brew; contaminated water; four pumps working

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Flood Claims Home: The Jefferson Parish home of friend Jay has been destroyed in the flood. “It is a total loss. I cannot even begin to say how crushed I am. There is nothing to salvage here. We had a little over 2.5 feet of water / wind damage – now it is taken over by mold.”

Jay and his wife have three little children who have lost their home and most of their personal possessions and memorabilia.

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First Water, Now Some Fire: A few fires have broken out around the city. Whether it is arson or accidental is unknown at this time. Yesterday’s Garden District fires appear to be on the lakeside portion of St. Charles Ave. Now, firefighters and the military attempt to curb ones in the 7th Ward, Uptown, Gentilly and Bywater. Like I said, you can just forget that Orleans Parish re-entry at least for the next couple of weeks.

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Levees: The water level goes down as levees are patched and water is pumped out. Now for the decontamination, disease control, water purification, corpses and recovery.

Time and endurance – the former we have lots of, the latter we need.

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Survival Of New Orleans Blog: It turns out that a few people I know who run an ISP and data center in the CBD are holed up in their offices. They blog about the condition of our city as they focus on survival and rebuilding New Orleans. Here are pictures shot from their downtown hideout. Good on you, guys. Stay safe!

As simple as it gets:

– You’ve got to be out of Jefferson Parish by 6PM on Thursday, September 8.

– Mayor Nagin has just issued an order for forced removal of civilians. Those of you who were planning a breach of the Orleans Parish perimeter this weekend are just going to have to wait.

Algiers residents are excused from following this order.

– The water may be going down in Orleans Parish, but not in St. Bernard Parish. Today, I met and talked with a St. Bernard Parish police officer’s wife who has evacuted with her family to Houston. The water level in her house, flooded to the roof, has not gone down. Plans are underway for full demolition of all such homes.

FoxNews TV reports that two of the pumping stations are up. Some areas will have running water in the next 24 hours, according to Mayor Nagin. Still trying to figure out the exact locations of the latest Garden District fires, that reportedly claimed a couple of houses. Latest prognoses include power back in 8 weeks and clean water in 3 weeks. Keep your fingers crossed. Nevertheless, New Orleans IS on its way back.

As the television shows footage of levee repair/sandbag drops, water pumping, fire dousing and water cleaning, people the nation over are still missing family and friends. Here are some online and telephone resources:

National Next of Kin Registry
Mail or fax your registration form.

Family Links Registry
Sponsored and recommended by the Red Cross

Yahoo! Missing Person and Survivor List
Comprehensive listing of people finders and missing person resources

Katrina I’m Ok Registry
Pinpoint search for another person and find information in three seconds. User puts in a phone number and immediately finds information about a person.

Katrina People Finder
Systematic collection and reconcilation of all the different Craigslist/newspaper type bulletins into a single, searchable database. Volunteer-based – they need help! If you can program or enter data, contact them.

For best results, put your missing person information into all of these online devices and call them. Keep the faith that you will find your loved ones safe and sound, as do all of us out here.