[StBernard] Key times and dates in the response to Hurricane Katrina, as laid out in "Disaster"

[Westley Annis]

TICK-TOCK

 
Key times and dates in the response to Hurricane Katrina, as laid out in
"Disaster"
Sunday, August 28, 2005

DHS departments send a 40-page report to its Operations Center (HSOC)
detailing the disastrous affects a Category 4 storm surge would have on the
area, including, "The potential for severe storm surge to overwhelm Lake
Ponchartrain levees is the greatest concern for New Orleans." Six hours
later, the Operations Center distributes the report, which arrives at the
White House at 2:00AM on Monday.
Monday, August 29, 2005

Hurricane Katrina roars ashore the Gulf Coast.
6:30 a.m.: The 17th Street Canal floodwall collapses.

7:30 a.m.: The Industrial Canal levee in the Lower Ninth Ward collapses.
Louisiana emergency operations center receives reports of levee and
floodwall trouble. HSOC in Washington receives the same reports. In a
conference call, Terry Ebbert, the Louisiana disaster chief, tells state
officials, FEMA, and other agencies that the storm surge breached the levee
system, causing major flooding.

8 a.m.: The Transportation Security Administration reports directly to HSOC
that the Industrial Canal levee is breached and houses are flooding. Michael
Brown receives reports of levee breaches.

8:10 a.m.: The Louisiana National Guard Compound loses its command center in
New Orleans as its barracks in the Lower Ninth Ward sinks under water
rushing down Claiborne Avenue. 

8:14 a.m.: The National Weather Service issues a report detailing the
Industrial Canal levee breach.

9:30 a.m.: The 17th Street Canal floodwall collapses "catastrophically." The
London Avenue canal collapses at roughly the same time. Reports of levee
breaches continue to come in to state and federal officials, including
Governor Blanco and Michael Brown.

11 a.m.: Daily videoconference between Governor Blanco, Michael Brown,
Michael Chertoff, Joe Hagin, Bush's deputy chief of staff, and other
regional and federal officials. Blanco says the "one report" of levee
breaching was not confirmed, and the federal government does not declare the
situation "catastrophic."

Tuesday, August 30, 2006

8:30 a.m.: Governor Blanco and Michael Brown hold a videoconference with
President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Michael Chertoff, and Chief of
Staff Andrew Card, among others. Brown tells them that "this was the 'Big
One.'"
Noon: Broderick gets a report from his man in New Orleans and confirms the
breaches to Chertoff.

4 p.m.: The White House has by this time received reports of the failure of
New Orleans' 911 system and the extensive flooding in the city.

8:22 p.m.: Over 30 hours after Katrina strikes, Michael Chertoff declares
from Washington 
that Hurricane Katrina is an "incident of national significance."