Whose responsibility was it?

Via K-Lo at The Corner---

Over at American Daughter is a very thorough, very interesting, very well done timeline of Hurricane Katrina and the preparedness of New Orleans.

I highly recommend looking over the entire thing. The timeline includes links to topographical maps, university research, City of New Orleans Emergency Preparedness Plan - ANNEX I: HURRICANES, other research by scientific magazines, weather updates from the days before Katrina hit, news reports, and so much more.

Basically, "American Daughter" says:

[Virginia Doctor] has compiled a wealth of source material on the Katrina hurricane disaster, showing clearly that the blame for the terrible aftermath lies squarely at the doorsteps of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin (Democrat) and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco (Democrat). We have itemized the important events along Katrina's timeline.

First,

United States Geological Survey - Topographical Maps, Louisiana (1995)

The federal government fulfills its responsibility to provide the State of Louisiana with the technical information needed for intelligent land use development. The large areas below sea level are clearly marked with blue icons.

Secondly,

Louisiana State University Research (2001)

Researchers at Louisiana State University model the effects of a hurricane for the US Army Corps of Engineers.

You must go look at the computer models. As far as I can tell, they show exactly what would eventually happen with Katrina.

Third,

City of New Orleans Emergency Preparedness Plan - ANNEX I: HURRICANES

The City of New Orleans develops an emergency preparedness plan.

,,,The Hurricane Emergency Evacuation Standard Operating Procedure is designed to deal with all case scenarios of an evacuation in response to the approach of a major hurricane towards New Orleans. It is designed to deal with the anticipation of a direct hit from a major hurricane. This includes identifying the city’s present population, its projected population, identification of at-risk populations (those living outside levee protection or in storm-surge areas, floodplains, mobile homes, etc.)...

Conduct of an actual evacuation will be the responsibility of the Mayor of New Orleans...

The authority to order the evacuation of residents threatened by an approaching hurricane is conferred to the Governor by Louisiana Statute. The Governor is granted the power to direct and compel the evacuation of all or part of the population from a stricken or threatened area within the State, if he deems this action necessary for the preservation of life or other disaster mitigation, response or recovery. The same power to order an evacuation conferred upon the Governor is also delegated to each political subdivision of the State by Executive Order. This authority empowers the chief elected official of New Orleans, the Mayor of New Orleans, to order the evacuation of the parish residents threatened by an approaching hurricane.

The person responsible for recognition of hurricane related preparation needs and for the issuance of an evacuation order is the Mayor of the City of New Orleans.

You can even read the City of New Orleans Emergency Plan ANNEX I: HURRICANES for yourself.

Quite a thorough undertaking and pretty well shows the fault to lie with Nagin, Mayor of the City of New Orleans, and Blanco, Governor of the State of Louisiana.