Some want to hang behind to catch up with family, but some do not belive the ships are for them?!!!

Evacuees reluctant to bunk on ships

By TERESA BORDEN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 09/07/05

Galveston, Texas — To many Hurricane Katrina evacuees who endured the storm's horror and its aftermath in the New Orleans Superdome and days of crowded uncertainty in Houston's Astrodome, it seemed way too good to be true: The federal government was offering them refuge aboard three luxury cruise ships?

The plan to move as many as 7,000 storm survivors to Carnival Cruise Line's ships Sensation, Holiday and Ecstasy ran temporarily aground Tuesday after many of the intended guests balked.

Members of Georgia's Disaster Medical Assistance Team build a screening clinic at the terminal for Carnival Cruises in Galveston, Texas. Cruise ships have been floated as storm victim shelters.

Some didn't believe it. Others said they were terrified to consider living on the water. Still others said they wanted to stay at the Astrodome to find lost loved ones.

"I can't live over water. I can't swim," said Donna Smith, 24. "I wouldn't want to see no more water. I saw enough already."

"They all thought it was a joke," said Cari Spradlin, deputy commander of Georgia's Disaster Medical Assistance Team, which has made a rambling, 1,500-mile odyssey in its quest to help the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"They had been kept in a hot and crowded Astrodome for so long that they couldn't believe the government would give them a cruise ship."

But Spradlin, who is from Henry County, and her 30 cohorts, who have wandered all over the Southeast looking for victims to treat — from Anniston, Ala., to Biloxi, Miss., to Dallas and finally Galveston — began unpacking their medical equipment Tuesday in hopes of seeing patients before they board the "Fun Ships" Sensation and the Ecstasy. As they did, a FEMA video crew went aboard the ships to film the amenities and preparations to convince the reluctant evacuees back at the Astrodome: three swimming pools, a 115-foot cascading water slide, casino, dining rooms and spa facilities.

FEMA spokesman Ed Conley said the evacuees need time to think through their options. The agency said priority for the cruise ships would go to the elderly and others with special needs.

Coast Guard Lt. Joseph Leonard, directing the emergency response in Houston, said workers would try to persuade some of the evacuees to try out the ship.

"The bed on a cruise ship is a little bit better than a cot out here," he said. "It is not a perfect solution. It is a better solution than we have right now."

Meanwhile, Jon Abrams called the Georgia medical team's search for Hurricane Katrina victims "surreal." Amid the federal confusion, he compared his team's lot to that of the Katrina refugees.

"They've been running them around and running us around and somehow we can't seem to connect," said the Rural-Metro Ambulance paramedic from Atlanta.

The team of volunteer nurses, paramedics and doctors has bunked in Army barracks, curled up on a parking lot, stretched out in Dallas' landmark Hyatt Hotel, and doubled up aboard the Sensation. All without ever seeing a patient.

"It makes you feel guilty enough to be sitting in Biloxi," Abrams said. "Multiply that by 10 times when they keep sending us to a nicer and nicer place."

Team member Greg Stevens, a physician's assistant from Chattanooga, is dubious the group will even be able to treat folks aboard ship.

"With every change in location I've become more and more skeptical," said Stevens. "My prediction is that we're loading all this stuff on the trucks in 24 hours."

Late Monday, it looked as if the team's mission was clear: they would treat about 4,000 Astrodome refugees to be housed as long as six months aboard the Ecstasy and the Sensation. A third ship, the Holiday, was being chartered by FEMA to dock in Mobile, Ala., and plans were made for a fourth ship.

The Georgia team — with four trucks full of medicines, food, water and supplies — arrived on the docks at Galveston about 2 a.m. Tuesday. Led by Commander Judy Edwards of Atlanta, the team settled into the ships' state rooms, passing first through the silent Sensation's disco-decorated atrium covered in glass, chrome, brass, blue neon and tiny white lights.

Early Tuesday morning, after three hours' sleep, the team awoke to another change: The delay caused by the evacuees' reluctance and disbelief.

As the FEMA video crew worked, the Georgia medical team began unloading tents, tongue depressors and otoscopes to set up pre-screening clinics inside the cruise line terminals.

It wasn't long before they were told to ramp up for much more serious medical needs: cardiac arrests, respiratory problems and other life-threatening emergencies.

The team's information had changed again, as it had at every step of the mission. The passengers they now expect, at a clip of 350 per hour starting today, may not have been screened by the Red Cross, as the team first believed.

"Mission creep," explained team member Mark Spradlin.

As the medical workers finished setting up they were surprised by the arrival of evacuees who had heard about the cruise ship option. One, Stella Willis, said she had been sent by the local Red Cross shelter to get a ship voucher, and that as many as 20 other shelter dwellers like her were on their way.

Edwards was forced to call the shelter several times to urge officials not to send more evacuees yet. FEMA, in a press release, had said that no one should "self-report" to any of the ships but work instead through local emergency officials.

"I have a feeling we're going to see a lot of people like that," Edwards said.

Willis said she and her fiancé, Darryl Cole, were in a three-car caravan to Galveston from New Orleans, bringing with them several neighbors and family members.

After the storm, she said, her family had lived in knee-deep water in her house near the Harvey Canal until last Friday, when they decided to go west. They ended up in Galveston on Monday morning, sleeping in their cars because she was afraid of waking others in the shelter with her cough.

"I was too embarrassed to keep people awake," she said with tears in her eyes. She said she suffers from bronchitis, asthma, and diabetes. Cole has had a cold for several days.

Willis said when she first heard that FEMA had reserved the ships, she was incredulous.

"I didn't believe it," she said. "I said, 'A ship? Why a ship? I thought it might be apartments or hotel rooms. I didn't think it was true, but I think it's neat."

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

I think the ships show some creative thinking but for this disaster they aren't going to work.  It seems the people are reluctant to be housed ON the water.

It's a Trap!

Duh, imagine the Superdome...

IN the water.

Beatings,stabbings, rapes, etc all with 5 midnight MRE buffets

My dead body would have to be put on one of those boats, 'cause there is now way I would willingly walk onto one

Has been my experiance, that a lot of black people I know did not know how to swim. That may also have something to do with it. I also agree people that just went through a hurricane may not want to get on a boat..

Aviator

I dont care about the evacuees anymore.  

I dont blame them. I would not trust the .gov to pour piss out of a boot with the instructions written on the bottom of the heel.

Quoted: I dont care about the evacuees anymore.

I'm really getting there. More and more every day.

Man, my wife keeps pestering me to take her on a cruise.  If we lived in New Orleans, she could have gotten her wish for free!  

Quoted: I dont blame them. I would not trust the .gov to pour piss out of a boot with the instructions written on the bottom of the heel.

Try the local/state gov.

Quoted: I think the ships show some creative thinking but for this disaster they aren't going to work.  It seems the people are reluctant to be housed ON the water. It's a Trap!

Why of course it's a trap.  Everyone with half a brain knows it's just another Bush-Halliburton plot to kill black people.

Carnival must want those ships destroyed so the government will have buy them new ones. I like the part about the video tape to show all the luxurious surroundings. Not going to be much luxury without a crew to wait on their every need plus the boats would be torn to hell in a couple of days.

I had a long reply in mind but fuck it.

This is NOT like an earthquake without warning.  YOU HAD DAYS TO GET THE FUCK OUT and yet for whatever reasons, you stayed.  Guess what?  You don't get a vote any more on what happens.  As long as you are not being mis-treated/abused then STFU up say "Thank you" to the people that are busting their asses to try and take care of you.

I've had it MORE than "up to here" with this horseshit.  I never imagined in my wildest nightmares that America could spawn such a concentrated group of incapable, whiny and ungrateful fucktards!

I swear to God if I *EVER* found myself acting even 10% like these asscrickets I'd suck start my Mossberg.

i saw some toothless cracked out piece of shit woman on Nightline a few days ago bitching about "inhumane, cold army food" BITCH, better men and women then you are living off of those for months at a time. im really starting not to care about the displaced hood rats.

So lets see if I understand this correctly.........your uncomfortable living on a ship ON the water, but you are fine with living in a house in a city that is BELOW sea level?

Tell them there are shops to loot.

If I was a Carnival exec, I wouldn't let evacuees on my luxury cruise line! I don't think it's worth the clean-up afterwards. They're going to steal the fixtures, and the smell, ugh... Winter is coming up and so is cruise season. I'm going to need all the ships ready to go for PAYING passengers.

I'm losing my ability to empathize with them anymore.  Take whats offered or buy a tent.  

D]

i may have to take  few weeks off, go down there, and pretend im a refugee. i'll gladly take the paradise suite.  you guys can come down to visit and well shoot skeet of the fantail all day.  

George W Bush hates black people.

They don't know about the ovens in the hold of the ship.

Heh.  It's the Carnevil Cruise Line of DEATH!!!

BUWAHAHAHA!!!!!!


Think about it... once the disease breaks out, no city is gonna let them dock into port... it's a one way ticket baby!!!

Guess I can understand some of the rationale for not wanting to board the ship.

Remember all of the cruise ships that had outbreaks of E. coli, diarreha, and other nasty stuff?

And those outbreaks occurred with the ship being fully "stapphed" (get it, LOL), and they could not contain the outbreak.

Imagine what it will be like with minimal staff on one of these buckets?

'Cause you know the cruise line will try to cut costs on the whole deal.

Superdome, Part III......  

Quoted: George W Bush hates black people. They don't know about the ovens in the hold of the ship.

Quoted: Guess I can understand some of the rationale for not wanting to board the ship. Remember all of the cruise ships that had outbreaks of E. coli, diarreha, and other nasty stuff? And those outbreaks occurred with the ship being fully "stapphed" (get it, LOL), and they could not contain the outbreak. Imagine what it will be like with minimal staff on one of these buckets? 'Cause you know the cruise line will try to cut costs on the whole deal. Superdome, Part III......

And fires lately.

Knowing how the flu spreads on those ships, this would be an excellent way to increase casualties from disease......  

This isn't really all that smart.

People used to say "Beggars can't be choosers."

They should make transportation to the ships available for 48 hours, and at the end of that time cut off the power and abandon the shelters. Neighboring communities should establish "Okies in California" welcoming committees on the roads leading into town.

If the arrogant ingrates are unwilling to go to the ships because they find them for any reason less than ideal, the operative aphorism is "Root, hog, or die."

Quoted: I think the ships show some creative thinking but for this disaster they aren't going to work.  It seems the people are reluctant to be housed ON the water. It's a Trap!

No kidding.  If I just lived through a catagory 5 hurricane I would want to move to 4 Corner's area of Utah/Colorado etc.  Far away from the Ocean!

Patty

Quoted: I had a long reply in mind but fuck it. This is NOT like an earthquake without warning.  YOU HAD DAYS TO GET THE FUCK OUT and yet for whatever reasons, you stayed.  Guess what?  You don't get a vote any more on what happens.  As long as you are not being mis-treated/abused then STFU up say "Thank you" to the people that are busting their asses to try and take care of you. I've had it MORE than "up to here" with this horseshit.  I never imagined in my wildest nightmares that America could spawn such a concentrated group of incapable, whiny and ungrateful fucktards! I swear to God if I *EVER* found myself acting even 10% like these asscrickets I'd suck start my Mossberg.

I like you.

I REALLY like the red part.

There were about 5 bases up here in New England that were all prepared to receive evacuees.  People had donated tons of stuff, delivering it to the bases themselves, Fall in New England, heck, I live here, and I'd take it.

They don't want to come.  "It's too far".  "FEMA will forget about us if we leave the hurricane area"
"We'll miss out on our well deserved government funding"  "We want to stay with our rubble".

Well WAAAAH.  Fine.  Let the south keep 'em.  Ungrateful wretches.

Quoted: I suspect .gov either agrees to pay for repairs or is paying enough to make up for the cost of repairs, I suspect the Carnival Execs are sharp enough to have that angle worked out.

I hope so. I've been on a Carnival cruise. It was a nice trip. I'd hate to go on a vacation on a ship with painted-over damage from looters.

Quoted: Quoted: I think the ships show some creative thinking but for this disaster they aren't going to work.  It seems the people are reluctant to be housed ON the water. It's a Trap! Why of course it's a trap.  Everyone with half a brain knows it's just another Bush-Halliburton plot to kill black people.

Maybe they are worried they will end up on a Africa Cruise?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I think the ships show some creative thinking but for this disaster they aren't going to work.  It seems the people are reluctant to be housed ON the water. It's a Trap! Why of course it's a trap.  Everyone with half a brain knows it's just another Bush-Halliburton plot to kill black people. Maybe they are worried they will end up on a Africa Cruise?

Thank you sir you made my day....

Quoted: I had a long reply in mind but fuck it. This is NOT like an earthquake without warning.  YOU HAD DAYS TO GET THE FUCK OUT and yet for whatever reasons, you stayed.  Guess what?  You don't get a vote any more on what happens.  As long as you are not being mis-treated/abused then STFU up say "Thank you" to the people that are busting their asses to try and take care of you. I've had it MORE than "up to here" with this horseshit.  I never imagined in my wildest nightmares that America could spawn such a concentrated group of incapable, whiny and ungrateful fucktards! I swear to God if I *EVER* found myself acting even 10% like these asscrickets I'd suck start my Mossberg.

+1

I'm getting to where Wolfpack is about running out of "Give a shit"

The problem with outbreaks of contagious diseases on a ship is that you basically are living with a whole hell of a lot of people.  Everyone in close proximity.  But you've got the same problems or worse in the Astrodome or the shelters.  Hell, I've got that problem at work and there's only a little over 100 of us here.  Plus, the ships have better accomodations.  Just think about not having to share your toilet with 10,000 other people.  I have a hard time believing they would kick the staff off.  Maybe the casino and entertainment people, but not the cooks, stewards etc.  Especially engineering.  Someone has to keep the lights on even if they go on shore power.  I can see not wanting to see water for a while, but damn, just don't look out the window.  The waiting for family part I don't buy either.  No one else is being sent to the dome.  If you ain't found them there already, they're somewhere else by now.  

It would be a bitch if we had a storm head for Galveston though.  But then again, you can move the ship.