Katrina Coverage

This report contains this unconfirmed bit:
...Eastern Jefferson parish, the most highly populated area which sits next to New Orleans, consists mostly of reclaimed marsh and swamp. A series of drainage canals criss-cross the parish. These end at huge pumping stations (18 of them, costing tens of millions of dollars) that pump out rainwater from the canals into adjacent Lake Pontchartrain to keep the parish from flooding. This is necessary even during heavy rains and sporadic flooding is common in portions of eastern Jefferson parish ( I grew up there I know) during torrential thunderstorms.
Well, all of the people hired to operate Jefferson parish's pumps were evacuated a hundred miles north of New Orleans on the orders of Aaron Broussard. Cops and firemen, naturally stayed. Many sensible people consider these pump operators every bit as essential as cops and firemen during a major Hurricane. (And you can hear their furious sputterings on all the local radio talk shows, Mr Russert.)
The Pumping stations themselves are huge, sturdy blockhouse-type buildings. Those who paid out the wazoo for them assumed the ENTIRE RATIONALE for them was toi USE them during Hurricanes.None sustained any major damage from the winds. In fact, I received some reports that area policemen, during the height of the Hurricane, actually sought refuge inside a pumping station, recognizing it as the safest place around. Sure enough, they emerged completely unscathed, as was the expensive-- but completely idle-- pumping station.
Though no levees broke, damage in eastern Jefferson parish might reach $1 billion, mostly from flooding. If Tim Russert wants some genuine rage on his show, I know tens of thousands of people from Jefferson parish who might volunteer--and with true stories...