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Jo Fish at Democratic Veteran took time out from the bacchanal in celebration of his Half Century to wonder if people have realized what a potential there is for disease in the ever worsening mess that New Orleans is becoming.

I haven’t heard a single Emergency Management official mention it to the local media down here on the Gulf Coast.

All of the diseases that mosquitoes carry are present in the “Big Easy” and, with holes in the roof, they certainly have entry to the Super Dome. The sewage system is out and you have to assume that it is backing up and mixing with the floodwaters. Contaminants from the industrial area and the oil leaking from a damaged tanker are also in that water.

Snakes and fire ants will go for higher ground, even if it is a building to avoid the water.

With high temperatures, high humidity, no functioning sanitary facilities, hospitals shut down, scarce drinking water, and the other problems – it is a potential epidemic.

Jillian mentioned Direct Relief as an organization that specializes in medical assistance to disaster areas.

Realistically, as a result of this storm we are going to have tens or hundreds of thousands of refugees for months. Forget Mardi Gras 2006.

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JEB! tells us that 70% of the gas stations on Interstate 10 have gas, but fails to mention that the 30% that don’t have gas are all on the western end.

Lt. Governor Toni Jennings, who was the spokesweasel that told us there was plenty of gasoline before the storm, has said that people shouldn’t worry about the gas situation and continue with their Labor Day plans.

Gee Toni, I don’t think that going to see the concrete slab that formerly held a casino in Biloxi is much of a plan, especially since all of the roads are ripped up. Has any one told this woman that we are in the middle of a damn disaster and many of us are not concerned with how much money The Mouse makes in Orlando.

Why not start telling people to stay home and not using gasoline unless they have to so it will be available to use in the generators that are powering breathing machines and other medically necessary devices for the disabled?

Why not ask private pilots to stand down so there will aviation fuel for the aircraft needed for search and rescue operations?

Why can’t they ask people who have a home and a job to consume less to help those who have neither?

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In addition to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, Jillian at skippy mentions Noah’s Wish, an animal rescue organization that responds to disasters.

Update: I’ve put the links on the sidebar, because this is going to be a long hard slog.

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