Russell Honore
Today marks the 19th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, a catastrophic event that devastated New Orleans in 2005. Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré, who led military rescue efforts during the disaster, reflects on the storm’s impact and the changes it brought to the city.
“Katrina reminded all of us that on any given day mother nature can break anything built by man, and it did that day when the levees broke.”
Hurricane Katrina left thousands of people homeless and 80-percent of the city of New Orleans was flooded. He remembers the chaos and the difficulties in coordinating relief efforts amid widespread destruction but also seeing the city come together.
“So it was a worst case scenario one might say, but that being said, neighbors were helping neighbors and a lot of lives were saved before we got there.”
Honoré says Katrina was a turning point for New Orleans, as the federal government invested 14 billion dollars in stronger levees. There are also more robust emergency response plans for Louisiana. As the anniversary passes, Honoré urges ongoing awareness and preparation for future disasters.
“Use this time to prepare, use this time to reflect. Thank our first responders. Thank our neighbors because neighbors saved more lives than the uniforms and all of first responders together. Neighbors save neighbors lives.”
Listen to the entire interview below:
Audio Player
Comments