District Sleepers: May 2006

After Katrina, the already inefficient 2-tiered health care system in New Orleans, needed rebuilding. Hospitals, health clinics and other medical facilites needed rebuilding. Doctors had left the region because of the devistation and impact the hurricane had on their business. Our department was tasked with working with the region to help rebuild the health care system. I was able to travel with Secretary Leavitt to New Orleans on several occasions. The first time was in February 2006. The devistation was unbelievable. Progress had been made, but not much. Windows were shattered everywhere, garbage piled on every corner, businesses with boards in the windows and not open for business. In the hardest hit areas, homes were literally lifted off their platforms and set down in their neighbors front yard, or on top of their neighbors home. Boats were in trees, cars on top of homes, the devistation was horrific. Here are some pictures from my travels down there in May 0f 2006. This is many months after the hurricane, you can tell the progress is slow.

Cars piled up under the freeway. There is a several mile stretch of abandoned cars that sits under highway 10. It is incredible to see so many cars that have been found with no one claiming them.

The Superdome

The levee that broke that protected the 9th Ward. The neighborhood to the right of the levee is the neighborhood that the following pictures come from.

There are markings on all of the homes. You see the date 9/15, the date the home was inspected by 4 k9 dogs, and reinspected on 10/08. You can't see the markings on this one, but they also do a marking indicating how many were found in the home, and how many of the found were dead. It is very sobering driving through the neighborhoods seeing the number of people and animals that were killed.

Yes, that is a boat on top of a destroyed home

This home was picked up and put down on this car

If you look closely, you will see the platform blocks for the home that was once here. You can also see the front path and steps. The home that was once here is the white home you see in the distant background. This property was on the first block by where the levee broke.

Looking accross the street from the previous picture of the home that had been moved. This is a picture of the new levees.

There are interesting signs all over including this one

Mark came out and visited and we had the opportunity of going over to the White House to see the President depart on Marine One. We walked right through the Rose Garden.

Mark standing at the White House Rose Garden

The Oval Office

The Oval Office is directly behind the Rose Garden, and the President was in the Oval Office as we walked by. It was neat to see this place where so many incredible Presidents have worked. We were escorted out to the White House lawn where Marine One (The President's chopper) comes in to pick up the President.

Mark, Lizzy and I infront of the White House awaiting the arrival of Marine One