2008 Woodie Awards
SHU Responds to Tragedy, Disaster
Chris Faber & Danielle Holton
Issue date: 9/15/05 Section: News
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Four. August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina made land contact at a hurricane level four. With winds of 145mph, President George W. Bush declared Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama a major disaster.
Three. August 30, 2005 three levees breached, leaving 80 percent of New Orleans under water. The levees were only built to withstand category three hurricanes.
337. As of September 11, 2005 there were 337 confirmed fatalities due to Hurricane Katrina.
As with many unexpected natural disasters, there is chaos and looting due to the decline in authority.
"A family friend took his boat to check on my house and was attacked by five men with machetes," said Dr. Michael Adinolfi, resident of New Orleans.
As in that case, looters started to form gangs where neighborhoods used to be. About 40,000 Army National Guardsmen were sent to Louisiana to help with the aftermath and to protect volunteers from these dangers; that's about the same number of Army personnel in Iraq right now.
"If you ask me there should be more people in Louisiana and less in Iraq, this is our home, our people are in trouble," said sophomore Dan Petisce.
In regards to the violence, New Orleans resident and SHU sophomore, Matt Graham said, "It's probably worse than the media lets on."
It comes as no surprise to learn that shortly after hearing the news of the devastating effect of Hurricane Katrina, Sacred Heart University has opened its doors and its hearts to the many victims.
As one would expect, both the students and faculty at Sacred Heart University are eager to help those in need. Perhaps the most unprecedented action being taken by Sacred Heart, as well as many other Universities across the country, is the enrollment of students who have been affected by the hurricane.