HURRICANE KATRINA

[CSY Man]

Thanks again CSY!

Aye, ya are welcome Mr. Brian.

And thanks for the case of premium beer that appeared on my door-step a few days later...Keep it up...

[GordMay]

HURRICANE RECOVERY UPDATES

Here are links to some useful updates on Hurricane Katrina/Rita response, cleanup and recovery efforts and the current stats of ports, waterways, and the offshore industry:

USCG Hurricane Rita Incident Management Site http://www.uscgstormwatch.com/extern...x.cfm?cid=1022

USCG Hurricane Katrina Incident Management Site http://www.uscgstormwatch.com

Status of Waterways http://www.waterways.org

Gulf Port Updates http://www.aapa-ports.org

[GordMay]

Marina damage could hit $100M, NMMA says

The National Marine Manufacturers Association is calling on the White House to include marinas and boat access areas as part of any redevelopment of the Gulf Coast region devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

NMMA says marina infrastructure damage alone could total $100 million, and that if boating access is not fully restored, thousands could face permanent loss of their jobs.

NMMA also estimates that boaters who don’t use marinas, particularly those with trailerable boats, rely on public access sites for launching. It estimates $2 billion annually is spent on boating-related expenses in the region — including maintenance, fuel and insurance — and says hundreds of public access sites probably have been damaged.

The information was collected by NMMA and the Recreational Maine Research Center at Michigan State University from several national surveys. NMMA says the research points up the importance of boating to local economies, lifestyles and overall appeal of the affected communities.

“We know the recreational boating industry contributes substantially to the Gulf Coast region’s economy and are working to ensure the Bush administration realizes how vital it is for there to be a full restoration of the boating infrastructure,” said NMMA president Thom Dammrich, in a statement. “Without the inclusion of marinas, boat ramps and other water access points in redevelopment efforts, there is a real potential for serious economic damage to Gulf Coast communities.”

Citing Florida’s experience over the past year, NMMA says there is a strong possibility of Gulf Coast boating sites being converted to alternative uses. If that happens, boating businesses, the tourism economy and the overall attractiveness of these areas all will suffer, NMMA warns.

Many marinas and dealerships in the region are small, family-owned businesses without the capital to rebuild, NMMA points out. Coupled with rising coastal property values, that makes conversion to non-boating use even more likely, the trade organization says.

“While damages from Hurricane Katrina are still being assessed, it’s fair to estimate that it will likely take months and years to rebuild the recreational boating industry in that part of the country,” said Dammrich. “Regardless of any damage, boaters will want to come back to the water once their lives can return to some sense of normalcy, so it’s critical that we rebuild water access and services.” That, he said, would restore, and possibly strengthen, the Gulf Coast economy.

In 2003 there were nearly 771,000 registered boats in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama combined. In addition, these hurricane-affected states accounted for more than $725 million in new powerboat, engine and accessory sales in 2004.

The estimates of marina damage does not include lost boat sales, which NMMA says could have an even greater economic impact if boating businesses are not restored.

[Drewbert]

For those curious, here are a few pictures I took down there. Check out the waterlines and abandoned cars:

(Very large image warning, I hope your browser scales automatically. If not you could try saving to desktop.)

http://img435.imageshack.us/img435/1485/img22012or.jpg

http://img435.imageshack.us/img435/4582/img21987np.jpg

http://img435.imageshack.us/img435/6966/img22032zs.jpg

http://img400.imageshack.us/img400/2462/img21964kz.jpg

[GordMay]

Free Hurricane Katrina Articles in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)
http://content.nejm.org/

In this series of essays, physicians write about the unprecedented scale and impact of the disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina. The authors discuss the immediate challenges they faced and address the public health concerns in the aftermath.

Logistics First ~ by Hilarie H. Cranmer
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/15/1541

Finding Supplies ~ by G.S. Henderson
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/15/1542

Assessing Needs ~ by P.G. Greenough and T.D. Kirsch
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/15/1544

Aftershocks ~ E.D. Frohlich
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/15/1545

Lessons from Foreign Refugee Crises ~ by P. Nieburg and Others
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/15/1547

Lethal Levels ~ by A.J. Cohen
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/15/1549

Unexpected Necessities — Inside Charity Hospital ~ by R. Berggren
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/15/1550

Triaging Tragedy ~ G.S. Henderson
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/15/1551