Writing about Katrina

The staff of the Times Picayune, started a blog to reach the people of New Orleans, even though they could not distribute a hard paper.

These pieces are all very different in format and style. The first articles read like normal news stories. They get out the hard facts, they serve the public by giving out warnings and advice, and the do so with out bullshit! They are straight and to the point. Everything is written in a tone that shows the immediacy of the situation. They don't sugar-coat anything. They don't have time to write it, the reader doesn't have time to read it. Facts are what's important.

"The weather service cautioned motorists not to drive on roads covered by water because it's difficult to judge the depth. People in vehicles caught in rising water should abandon them immediately and seek higher ground. Winds of 100 mph have been reported on Grand Isle, and gusts of 70 have accompanied rain squalls in the New Orleans area that have dropped as much as 2 inches of rain an hour. Rain totals of 15 inches are possible in some areas today, as Katrina moves over the area."

Only pertinent news.

In the aftermath of the crisis the articles that really stick out are the editorials. Articles titled, "An open letter to the President" and "It's time for a nation to return the favor" do more than just stir dissidence and rage. They are well worded pleas that give moral to a city (reminding it of its greatness), critique a government's failures, and tell those reading from a safe distance how they can help. These editorials go far past rants, but truly serve their readership.

However, the most impressive article that I read from the Picayune's blog was posted on September 19, "'Help me, please don't let me die'". This article is about the 911 operators in New Orleans. It was grim. It was depressing. It showed exactly what it was like to be in that room. It showed the helplessness of the operators. It showed the devastation and despair of the callers. It showed the entire tragedy in one article.

What really moves this piece is the dialogue. They give you every kind of story, the kind that work out:

"'I'm calling to report a fire, at 6131 Bundy Road.'
'What type?'
'There's a whole apartment complex on fire ... ' '
Do you know how long ... ,' the operator interrupts. '
No, ma'am.'
' Do you know if anybody's inside the house?'
'I know there's people over there, that's what I'm trying to say ... '
'... OK, we'll get somebody out there.'
'Ok. Thanks.'"

and the ones that don't:

"'Seek higher ground' - that was all that Allen could tell them, in the calmest voice she could muster. 'I'm already on my roof,' so many of them would respond. "

The article is filled with great quotes, and what really amazed me is that the reporter went through so many 911 tapes. He, Brian Thevenot, writes that the police tapes have been released to the public, and to get the right ones he must have gone crawling through tape after tape.
The most amazing thing about this article is that Thevenot ends in on a (relatively) high note.

"But she said she plans to keep her $9-an-hour job, and to stay in New Orleans. 'I'm not leaving New Orleans,' she said. 'If I have to rebuild, I'll rebuild.'

This last quote leaves the reader with a optimistic idea about such a grim article.