Evacuating a Metropolis? My Heart Goes Out

Watching the TV during Katrina, and the aftermath, I am in shock from afar. If I was told to leave my home in advance of a storm, would I do it? Or would I consider it the media's usual crying wolf? Forget would I, could I? Do I have a car, a place to go, enough gas and money? My colleagues and I have been discussing the impossibility of evacuating a metropolis. What if we had to evacuate New York? We are naturally reminded of the blackout, 9/11, recent events which felt like an evacuation but weren't, not really. Some of my workmates just hung out in the office all night during the blackout, eating crackers and telling stories. There was no water rising, only lack of light and transport, and plenty of clean water to drink. Seems like a party by comparison.

And after 9/11, folks down near the site had to relocate, but it wasn't the whole city. I don't want to trivialize that time, it was one of the hardest, most surreal times of my life, and certainly those who lost people are still feeling the effects. But it was so sudden, and then the rest was recovery/cleanup/reaction, it wasn't a slo-mo deluge like they have down in New Orleans. I did not feel trapped in the city. I chose to stay, even fell in love with it here a little.

My prayers go out to folks on foot in the snake-infested water, people waiting on roofs, and the masses getting bused to Houston. And like any animal lover, I worry about the pets too. Leaving in a hurry often means leaving them behind.

Here, on CNN, are some emails they've collected, and there will be more. I find it most interesting to hear about it from the people themselves. Of course those in the middle of it now have no access to internet, but I'll be watching their survival stories as they emerge.