By: Lisa Helderop
KGW Special Projects Producer
One year after Hurricane Katrina dealt her deadly blow to New Orleans and beyond, my heart still aches when I watch and read the news stories. I cannot imagine what it must be like to have lived there-- or what it is like for the people trying to rebuild their lives now.
I was among a team of 8 news people KGW sent to New Orleans in the days after Katrina struck. My first assignment: field producing at the New Orleans airport. But it was no longer an airport. It had been 6 days since Hurricane Katrina ripped through the city. The airport was now a triage center and a morgue.
Inside the airport, medical volunteers worked 'round the clock treating the sick and wounded-- and saying goodbye to those they could keep alive. Outside-- the runways were hectic, noisy landing pads for rescue helicopters. It was like a war zone-with choppers landing every few seconds.
Within hours, I and my photographer talked our way down onto a tarmac. Evacuees ran from the choppers-clinging to their only belongings as the helicopter blades blasted them with a fierce wind. There was relief on their faces-- but tears in many eyes as they told me stories about how they didn't want to leave their homes or their pets-so they decided to wait out the storm.
But the flood waters rose much faster and higher than anyone expected--and many people spent days living on their roofs. They were filthy, exhausted, dehydrated, and in some cases-delirious. I was horrified to say the least. A disaster the magnitude of something you see in a third world country--- right here in the United States.
Our trips into the city revealed wind-damaged, flooded neighborhoods. It was eerie how quiet it was. By the time we arrived-the looters had destroyed windows and ransacked most businesses. The only people in the muddy, filthy streets were military crews-called in to restore peace. It was amazing that the city we were seeing was once known around the world for its festive parties.
One year later, I am sure some of the evacuees I talked with are among the sad statistics. Only half of New Orleans residents have returned to the city. Neighborhoods are still filled with trash and abandoned homes. Less than half the city's homes have electricity. 6 of the area's 9 hospitals remain closed. And less than half of the city's schools have reopened.
The TV station KGW went to help has changed, too. I'm told dozens of employees-who worked tirelessly in the weeks and months following the hurricane-have left the station. I can't imagine working the hectic and demanding schedules TV requires-and then dealing with a flooded or damaged house. Some also had families depending on them. Some-lost loved ones.
In the days following our arrival in New Orleans, I remember sitting in the make shift TV station we were working out of-in Baton Rouge-and going to Google News to see what the rest of the nation was saying about New Orleans-- and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I remember how shocked and disappointed I was-that this disaster was no longer in the headlines. 10 or so days after the storm-- and the world was already moving on. I thought-- they don't know how big this is. I don't think anyone can really understand the devastation-without a trip to the city.
After a week in New Orleans-- we all returned to Portland exhausted: physically and emotionally. I remember being overly sad and emotional--temporarily shaken by what I'd seen and heard--exhausted from long days that turned into nights. But also-feeling guilty because I knew I still had my life-a family, pets and a home.
It took several weeks for the nightmares following my trip to stop-but not a day goes by without thinking of the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives were turned upside down. The emotional and financial turmoil of losing everything. How will those people I met-many with very little before the storm-rebuild their lives? And did we, as a country, learn lessons about preparedness and response? Only time-and another big hurricane-- will tell.
One year later, I've learned to appreciate all that I am blessed with. Beyond being thankful-- I realize the importance of reaching out to those who need help. They are everywhere-- whether you are living in New Orleans-or Portland.
