[StBernard] A nurse's view of our evacuees

[Westley Annis]

I don't know how many thousands they brought up here to Birmingham, but they
filled the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center  (BJCC) arena.  

The tv stations interviewed a number of the evacuees and one was complaining
about where he was staying.  He was asked whether he had a place to sleep
and getting food.  Oh yes, he said, but to paraphrase him "I needs me some
money."

Here's a link to BJCC and you can see the arena:

http://www.bjcc.org/attending_an_event.php?page=floorplans

I was told by a friend of mine who works downtown for Jefferson County that
they entirely blocked off 8th Avenue which is a main artery in the downtown
area.  Now, the streets in downtown are laid out as one way streets so with
8th being blocked  off, you had to make the "box" to go around and get where
you needed to go.

Also, I heard from someone who has a friend that works for BJCC, that the
evacuees were doing their damnedest, using paper towels and  towels, to clog
up the plumbing so that there would be an excuse to move them to a hotel.  I
guess they wanted to be in the Sheraton which is part of the BJCC complex.

Pathetic.

J. L.