Katrina Survivors Watch Wildfires

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By Jessica Taloney Reporter

M50o93H7pQ09L8X1t49cHY01Z5j4TT91fGfr Katrina Survivors Watch Wildfires

Published: Wed, October 24, 2007 - 5:32 pm
Last Updated: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 - 5:53 pm

Jessica Taloney

Nearly 2,000 miles seperate Bayou La Batre and the wildfires burning in San Diego, California, but people on the Gulf Coast know all too well what it's like to leave their homes without knowing what will be there when they get back.
"It took forever down here to get help, forever," said Wanda Ladnier, who returned home from Katrina to find several feet of water in her house.
"They think all this help is coming, and they'll get such a surprise," said Denny Collier, who says FEMA failed on the Gulf Coast and they'll probably fail in California too.
But, federal officals say they're using lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina to make their response better this time. "I think what you're seeing here is a dramatic change from what you saw in Katrina," said FEMA Administrator David Paulison. Qualcomm Stadium, home of the San Diego Chargers, is set up to house thousands of evacuees, much like the New Orleans Superdome after Katrina. But, Paulison says this time they have plenty of food, plenty of water, and plenty of security.
"If they learned anything it's a lot more than they knew when they came here," said Collier, who hopes hopes the wildfires' victims get more help than he did.
"Unless they (FEMA) made a 100% turn around, then these people have a long road," he said.
At last count, the flames have forced more than 500,000 people to flee their homes. According to the Associated Press, more than 1,500 homes have been destroyed and 1,200 other damaged.

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