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CNN Newsnight Aaron Brown
The Aftermath of Katrina; Michael Brown Leaves Gulf States Amid Barrage of Criticism; Wary Watch On Storm Ophelia; New Orleans Police Chief Questioned On Cause of Convention Center Chaos, Lack of Buses, Lack of Manpower; Sole Doctor at Convention Center Recalls Horrific Experience
Aired September 10, 2005 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: You're watching "Hurricane Katrina: State of Emergency" with Aaron Brown and Anderson Cooper.
AARON BROWN, CNN HOST: Oil prices eased some today, but there are some ugly figures now about how the combined effect of the record gas prices and the hurricane --- turned out it'll cost the average American driver about $500 more dollars this coming year. Chump change, apparently, compared to the storm's effect on the 60 million Americans who heat their homes with natural gas.
"The Business Side" from CNN's Ali Velshi.
ALI VELSHI, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): If gas prices haven't got your attention, maybe this will. If you heat your home with natural gas, brace yourself for a 71 percent increase in your heating bill this winter.
Hurrican Katrina strangled crude oil and gasoline supplies. It also shut down 90 percent of off-shore natural gas operations, making prices soar.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're about 15 percent higher than we were on August 26th, which was the Friday before Katrina hit. Prices right now are close to five times as high as they were in January of 2002.
VELSHI: Like crude oil, natural gas is transported by pipeline, and a lot of it comes from the Gulf. More than half of all U.S. homes and more than two-thirds of all new homes use natural gas to heat and air condition. It's been called a cleaner alternative to home heating oil.
MARK STULTZ, NATURAL GAS SUPPLY ASSOC.: The fundamental reason prices are where they are is because increasing demand for natural gas, because of its clean burning characteristics.
VELSHI: And natural gas has been touted as a made in America solution to crude oil. But as it has gained in popularity supply has become tight. Add to that fears of a cold winter. That's why one department of energy model predicts a 71 percent increase.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you pay your heating bill, you tend to pay a bill that can reach $200 or $300 at a time. When you pay your gasoline bill the worst it is likely to be is $80 at a time. So this is going to come as a shock to a lot of people.
VELSHI: Even if you don't heat or cool with natural gas you'll still feel the pinch. It takes fuel to generate power and natural gas is fast becoming the energy of choice to create electricity. More then 60 million American homes use natural gas. Only about 8 million heat with oil, and they're mostly in the Northeast. If you're one of them, you're getting off easy. This winter your heating bill will only be up 30 percent -- Ali Velshi, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AARON BROWN, CNN ANCHOR, NEWSNIGHT: STATE OF EMERGENCY: I love when I get a bargain.
At the top of the hour, we welcome those of you just joining us. We have another hour in this special edition of NEWSNIGHT, STATE OF EMERGENCY. I'm Aaron Brown in New York, Anderson Cooper is in Baton Rouge -- Anderson.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR, NEWSNIGHT: STATE OF EMERGENCY: Aaron, good evening. Good evening everyone.
It is very dark here in the Red Cross shelter where I am, in Baton Rouge. Across the south and in other parts of the U.S. there are now 774 shelters for those left homeless after Katrina. The lights have gone down here in the last few minutes. It is 10 o'clock here. That is the time they turn the lights off and people slowly start to go to bed.
As I said, there are 4,500 people here right now, young and old. There are still some children running around wanting to play; they're parents are trying to get them to go to bed. A scene repeated of course in home across the country right now. But this is not a home, it is a shelter. A very unusual situation for these children to be in.
The people taking shelter would obviously like to be elsewhere. At least they have a roof over their heads. It is air conditioned. It is clean. They are now trying to start over. A difficult task for anyone, but even more so for someone who cannot even find their loved ones.
I want to introduce you to a man named Michael Thompson, who is staying at this shelter in Baton Rouge. He's from New Orleans and he is desperately searching for his five children, ages 12 to 18, as well as their mother and his 72-year-old mother. He was separated from them when he went to the Superdome.
Michael, thanks for being with us. You went to the Superdome, your kids and their mom and your mom thought they'd ride it out at home?
MICHAEL THOMPSON, SEARCHING FOR FAMILY: Yes, sir. My mother, who resides in Gentilly (ph) Woods, age 72 handicapped, decided that she would stay home. She didn't think that the storm would be quite as severe as it indeed was. My children and their mother decided also to ride the storm out in New Orleans East, between Crowder and Reed Boulevard.
COOPER: Have you had any word from them, so far?
THOMPSON: No, sir. I haven't spoken to them since the day before the storm struck.
COOPER: You went to the Superdome where, I mean, it has just been described as a nightmare. Is it as bad as everyone says.
THOMPSON: Actually, I would consider it to be worse than it was initially reported. I saw a few things there myself during my stay there that were quite horrific, to say the least.
COOPER: In a sense, I guess, you are glad that your kids weren't there with you at the Superdome considering all of the things that went on there.
THOMPSON: Yes, I certainly am, considering what I saw. I was really relieved to find that they had not been there, at least at that point.
COOPER: I just want to put their names on the screen so if there is anyone out there who maybe has seen them or knows their names. Your mother's name, Barbara Thompson, 72 years old. You're children's -- the children's mother is Bobbie Williams, 48. Your children: Michelle Thompson, 18; Shelley Thompson, 12 --
THOMPSON: Shelley is 17.
COOPER: I'm sorry Shelley is 17, Shelley Thompson, 17; Christopher Williams, 14; and then you have twins, uh, Random?
THOMPSON: Tashi and Randon, 12 years old. And there is a number that we're also putting on the screen, 225-936-9484. It's on the screen, 225-936-9484.
You have been going from shelter to shelter trying to find them?
THOMPSON: Yes, I've visited a number of shelters up to this point. I've traveled to Houston, San Antonio, certain parts of Baton Rouge. And as of yet, I've found nothing.
COOPER: How are you holding up?
THOMPSON: It hasn't been easy not knowing if they're well or not, or what kind of shape they're in or where they are at this point, or how they're faring. It's been difficult, but I have been trying to keep a positive outlook and hold myself together in hopes that I can find them soon.
COOPER: And have people been helpful to you?
THOMPSON: Yes, extremely helpful. In particular, Mr. Randy and Beth have been outstanding in their efforts to help me find my family. COOPER: Michael, I hope you find your family and I will keep in touch with you. I just want to put the number on the screen again. This is Michael's cell phone, there is also another number on the screen. It's 225-936-9484, Michael Thompson looking for his children, for their mom and his mother.
Michael, thanks. We'll stay in touch with you, all right.
THOMPSON: Thank you, sir.
COOPER: There are so many stories like this, Aaron. So many people like Michael. And it is heartbreaking. His cell phone is ringing now. I mean, let's hope it is somebody, who maybe has seen something. You never know, but we're going to continue to follow this story, Aaron.
BROWN: Thank you. You want to believe that in country with the kind of communications that we have and the power of this medium and the Internet and all the rest that eventually all these families will be reunited. But the anxiety of these days must be overwhelming. That's unbelievable.
COOPER: Absolutely. And also, you know, I always hesitate to put anyone's number on the screen. And he's getting a call right now and I -- I -- just hope people respect this is an extremely difficult time for these people and I just hope, you know, people out there respect this phone number and respect this man and other people like him are going through.
BROWN: Which is a nice way to say, no jokers tonight on this one. This is a man and his family. Thank you.
Eleven days after Katrina we're at a much different place in the story than we were a week ago, to be sure. The recovery is now underway. Not without snags, certainly and not fast enough for most anyone. Today the mayor of New Orleans urged his citizens again, in the strongest of terms, to stay out of the city because of health and safety concerns. Anyone who attempts to enter the area, he said, is risking illness or infection.
There was a bit of good news from city officials today. More than a bit, we think. They said they now believe the death toll from Katrina and the flooding that followed, in particular, may not be as catastrophic as feared. And they feared 10,000 may have been dead.
Today, FEMA said its discontinuing its program to distribute debit cards worth up to $2,000 to hurricane victims. From the outset there was considerable confusion about how to get the cards to those who were eligible for them, so today FEMA said it will stop.
One hundred members of the Louisiana National Guard returned home today from Iraq. Over the next two weeks, a total of 3,000 Louisiana Guardsmen and women will return home to help with the recovery and to get their own lives in order. As many as 5,000 of those soldiers lost homes or have family members displaced by the storm. An awful lot of people have got to be spending long, long hours with their heads in their hands these days, vainly wishing the last two weeks had never happened. And among them, we guess, Michael Brown, the FEMA director, who until this afternoon was the man in charge of the relief effort on the Gulf Coast.
Now, amid questions about his qualifications, his talents, his resume, scorching criticism of the job he's done, Mike Brown is headed back to Washington. More from CNN's Jeanne Meserve.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you all for -- Browny, you're doing a heck of a job. The FEMA director is working 24 --.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT (voice over): What a difference a week makes.
MICHAEL CHERTOFF, DIRECTOR, HOMELAND SECURITY: I have directed Mike Brown to return to administering FEMA nationally.
MESERVE: Michael brown, abruptly removed as overseer of the hurricane response, replaced by Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad Allen.
MICHAEL BROWN, DIRECTOR, FEMA: Let's say that right now, you're on your road to recovery.
MESERVE: Brown seemed slow to recognize the magnitude of the Katrina catastrophe, slow to marshal federal resources, and unaware of widely reported aspects of the tragedy around him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The federal government did not even know about the convention center people until today.
MESERVE: The criticism of FEMA and Brown was withering.
NANCY PELOSI (D), HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: And Michael Brown has no qualifications for the job. He proved that last week. He removed all doubt.
REP. JOHN DINGELL (D), MICHIGAN: Mr. Brown was regrettably an administrator or officer or the head of an Arabian Horse Association. Hardly qualifying him to address the kind of problems he's looking at now.
MESERVE: Compounding Brown's problems a "Time" magazine report that he inflated his credentials. A FEMA spokeswoman characterized that report as misleading. But critics said Brown should be ousted from FEMA altogether.
REP. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: The bottom line is that his removal from the scene is a good thing. But given the allegations that he padded his resume in a serious way, I don't think he should stay as head of FEMA.
MESERVE: When Brown was asked about his future and his past, there was a smack down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is this a first step in Mr. Brown's resignation? Can you answer that Mr. Brown, please? And also, how do you respond to reports that you embellished your resume? There was the report in "Time" magazine.
CHERTOFF: Here are the ground rules. I'm going to answer the questions. I've explained what we're doing. I thought I was about as clear as I possibly could be in English, as to what I'm doing and why I'm doing it.
MESERVE (on camera): Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad Allen, who replaces Brown as head of the Katrina recovery efforts is regarded by people inside and outside the administration as a no-nonsense individual who can get the job done, if anyone can. Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: I suppose, Anderson, in moments like this the head of FEMA, it's either a hero's job or a goat's job. And it didn't play out very well for Mike Brown.
COOPER: Yes, it certainly didn't and we'll see where else this goes. As so many questions still remain unanswered.
We've been hanging out with Michael Thompson, whose number we put on the screen. He's been getting a couple of calls, no luck yet. And a couple of people calling just to wish him well, which he certainly appreciates but what he really wants is information about his family.
And so if you don't have specific information about his family, you know, he's well aware of the web sites that are out there and he's checked them all and he's working very hard. So if you have specific information we have that number on the screen. If you don't, you know, let this man be in peace.
Rob Marciano is in the CNN Weather Center right now with the latest on Hurricane Ophelia -- Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Anderson, Hurricane Ophelia is just that, still a hurricane. The latest numbers out of the National Hurricane Center, as of 11 o'clock, and they give updates at this rate, every six hours. So the latest, it has picked up its forward speed, now moving northeasterly at 9 m.p.h. That's good, it's away from land, even though it has become a little bit more disorganized. They're holding it at hurricane strength, but it just barely that, at 75 m.p.h., sustained. Now centered 240 miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina.
As we mentioned in the last hour we do expect this thing to make a bit of a northwestward turn. What is different now is the forecast track and intensity. Right now the intensity at 75 m.p.h. with that northeasterly movement.
This is the history, by the way. And we do expect it to stop and make a left turn. There are things going on in the weather patterns that will make it do that, namely an area of high pressure, well to the north.
And what's going to happen as it gets closer to shore, it looks like it wants to strengthen. The official forecast now, out of the National Hurricane Center, brings it to Category 2 status when it makes landfall likely sometime Monday night or Tuesday morning.
Anywhere in this area; they're not even putting out a forecast cone of probability right now, because it is just a wide variance. But right now, it looks like Charleston, South Carolina, Myrtle Beach, maybe Hilton Head, and up towards Wilmington, North Carolina, could be under the gun with this system.
Right now, Category 1 storm, forecast to make a left turn over the weekend and become a Category 2 storm, changing by the hour and we'll keep you posted. Aaron, back over to you.
COOPER: Rob, thanks very much. New Orleans Police Chief Andy Compass, on exactly what went wrong at the now-infamous convention center. We're also going to take you inside that convention center with a doctor who was there and saw with his own eyes.
Also, Dr. Phil showed up today, of all people. He abandons the television couch to comfort the evacuees of New Orleans, "State of Emergency". We'll have an interview with him ahead. Plus, a little later, wait 'til you hear how Cher is helping some kids who are generously helping out Katrina. She was watching the program last night and called in. You're watching "State of Emergency". Be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: You know, on many, many occasions, those of us down here are in disbelief that what we have seen here, that what we continue to see here is actually happening in America. The scope of the flooding, the communities turned to wastelands, the scores of people who waited outside for days, just to get some food or some help. Those are not the images we typically associate with the United States. Neither are the horrific pictures we saw from the New Orleans convention center in the days following the storm.
I went back there with Doctor Greg Henderson, a pathologist, who saw it all first hand.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER (voice over): New Orleans convention center is now empty. The piles of trash outside the only evidence of the horror that happened here.
DR. GREG HENDERSON, PATHOLOGIST: Got in here, the smell is -- you can get a little bit of it right now?
COOPER (on camera): Yes.
HENDERSON: Multiply it by about 10.
COOPER (voice over): In the days after the hurricane the scene here was desperate, 15,000 to 20,000 evacuees, young and old, frail and infirmed, stuck. No medicine, no help no way to get out.
HENDERSON: That's where the real hell was. You know, that was, this is where hell opened its mouth.
COOPER: Dr. Greg Henderson, a pathologist, came to the convention center, two days after the storm. He'll never forget what he saw inside.
COOPER (on camera): They were sleeping everywhere in here?
HENDERSON: They were packed. Everywhere, there, and then all the way out into the street. All the way on the neutral ground right there. And you know, pretty much all on the other side of the street. It was just one big mass of humanity.
COOPER: People, I mean, no air conditioning, lots of people crying.
HENDERSON: Crying, crying and dying. Crying and dying.
COOPER (voice over): Doctor Henderson came to the convention center thinking he'd find other doctors who might need help. He discovered there weren't any other doctors, only a man with some IV bags.
HENDERSON: He had collected, like two or three IV bags, but he didn't have any needles or tubing to give them the IVs. So he was opening up the IVs and trying to make them drink the IV fluid.
COOPER (on camera): Are you kidding? He was --
HENDERSON: That's all he could do. That's all he could. He didn't have a needle.
COOPER: I just understand why they would tell people, I mean, the city officials, state officials, federal officials, whoever, why they would tell people to come here and that there was going to be help here and then not have anything here. I mean, IVs, we're not talking luxuries. We're not talking, you know?
HENDERSON: Man, you're preaching to the choir. It was just me walking through this crowd with a stethoscope. And that's why, I told you, I'm not sure if I was really being more of a doctor or a priest. You know? Because there is not a hell of a lot you can do, you know, for people this sick with just a stethoscope.
The best you can do, for the ones who are not that bad, or are going to make it, you can put the stethoscope on their heart and hold their hand and say, you're going to be OK. Just hang on. And just hang on, I promise something is coming.
COOPER: And was that always true. I mean, when you said that, did you believe it?
HENDERSON: I believed it somewhere in my heart. I just didn't know when, when it was going to happen. I mean, I knew they weren't going to leave us forever.
COOPER (on camera): It's not known how many died at the convention center. The doctor believes he saw about 50 bodies. CNN has just obtained these photographs taken sometime last week. Some of the bodies appear to have been mutilated.
HENDERSON: And I heard, you know, some pretty harrowing stories of how they would go and get young women and come back here and rape them. And I think a lot of those stories got a lot of press and maybe contributed to not this area getting the help. Because I think maybe there was a collective attitude of everybody is just murdering each other down there, just stay away from that area or you're going die.
COOPER: So there wasn't a law enforcement presence inside this building?
HENDERSON: Absolutely not.
COOPER (voice over): Wandering through this empty hall of horrors, Doctor Henderson can still hear the cries of those in need.
HENDERSON: And have thousands of voices saying, is there any help coming? Doctor, I need you. Doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor, over here, over here.
COOPER: He can still see the faces of those he couldn't help.
HENDERSON: This is somebody's shoe there. I can see it. I hope he got somewhere good. Just breaks my heart. It's symbols like that, little kid's shoes. I remember how many of them were here. God, there were kids everywhere. You know, it's weird. Like I said, some of them are laughing and playing. It's just, hey, school's out. Some of them, are laying on the floor seizing.
COOPER: Late last Friday more than four days after Katrina hit, help finally came. A military convoy with medical aid. The convention center has now been evacuated. Only two abandoned dogs remain inside. Doctor Henderson doesn't want anyone to forget what happened here. He doesn't want anyone to forget how, he says, bureaucratic failure and officials mistakes left so many stranded for so long together, alone.
HENDERSON: No where in this country should that ever have to happen again, no where. Now, learn from this. Whoever is listening to this. Whoever has the power, whoever wants to do something learn from this, because if you don't learn from this it is going to be very ugly because it's going to happen again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, we want to learn from this. We want to learn why it happened, how it was allowed to happen, why it was allowed to go on for so long with no one helping effectively. Part of this process, earlier today I talked to New Orleans City's Police Chief Superintendent Eddie Compass.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUPT. EDDIE COMPASS, NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPT. Well, we can learn to have people adhere to the mayor's mandate to evacuate. You know, we couldn't stop that. We had the Dome, we're trying to secure. We're searching people for weapons at the Dome.
And the convention center was something that happened before our very eyes. You know, people started drifting towards there because they ran out of room at the Dome. We had almost 30,000 people there. And then the hotels starting letting their staff go. And all the visitors started going to the convention center. You had people who were being rescued were being dropped off at the convention center. And the next thing you know we had a population.
COOPER: But I mean, there were local officials telling people to go to the convention center. It not just people came up with that out of the clear blue sky.
COMPASS: No, you absolutely --
(CROSS TALK)
COOPER: Why would officials tell people to go there if there wasn't police protection for them?
COMPASS: Well, they had no where else to go. People waiting till the last minute. You had thousands and thousands of people that literally had no where to go. We never thought that the Superdome wouldn't be big enough, you know, from a police standpoint, that our forces were depleted. I mean, we were fighting at the Superdome and we were fighting a battle throughout the city.
And then when the convention center started to evolve, I sent 100 officers there immediately. You know? We were only able to secure the perimeters. Because when you look at what was going on inside the Superdome, they had been searched. In the convention center people were walking in there indiscriminately with weapons.
COOPER: You said that, you know, it sort of people's fault because they didn't evacuate until the last minute or they chose not to evacuate, but I mean, didn't you guys know? Didn't your local city government that there were 100,000 people without access to cars in New Orleans? I mean, didn't you -- where were the buses that could have been provided for them?
COMPASS: Well, the mayor gave all the buses that we had. I mean, we're a city. We're not the federal government. We don't have unlimited resources. When you look at what we did with the mandatory evacuation, we did everything humanly possible. When you -- just how long it took to evacuate with all the resources.
(CROSS TALK) COOPER: But when you know there's flooding coming, which you knew there was going to likely be with this category storm, as studies have shown. I mean, why not order more buses. Did the mayor order more buses? Did you ask him to get more buses?
COMPASS: We begged for buses. Ask for buses? We begged for buses. It is not a question of us not being prepared, it was a question that the resources weren't there. We used all the buses we had. You don't understand.
(CROSS TALK)
COOPER: And who were you begging for buses? To the governor?
COMPASS: To the government. We had -- our city was underwater. So out buses that we had staged, were in high areas where we couldn't get them. So when the water started to recede, the areas where the buses were parked, didn't recede. So, were caught. I mean, is was something --
(CROSS TALK)
COOPER: So -- but I'm just -- so the next time I interview the governor I want to be able to ask the right questions to try to get these answers.
COMPASS: Well, I -- I --
COOPER: So, you are saying you asked the governor for buses?
COMPASS: I didn't personally ask for anything. The mayor asked for the buses. I don't know exactly who he talked to, whether it was the governor or whether it was the federal government. I wasn't privy to that. I was too busy fighting a battle on the street. I don't know who the buses were asked of, I don't know. I had my hands full. We were fighting for our lives. So, I just wanted the buses to come.
COOPER: Yes, we've seen that a lot of your officers working around the clock, day after day, after day without any MO, without any radios. I mean, they did a heroic job.
Can you tell me what the policy is right now, though? Are you going to start shooting stray animals? There are a lot of rumors floating around about that. And also, are people being asked to evacuate, are they allowed to take their animals with them?
COMPASS: The evacuation is being coordinated by Ms. Sherrie Lander (ph), the city attorney, so I'm not allowed to comment on what the plan is. I'm strictly law enforcement and security of the city right now. The mayor has given everyone different tasks so they won't be any mixed messages. I'm strictly law enforcement. The evacuation is taking place and she is involved with the coordination, Sherrie Lander (ph), city attorney.
COOPER: Hey, Chief, appreciate you joining us. I know these are just incredibly busy times for you and you're working around the clock and sleeping in your office, of all places. Chief, again, thanks for being on the program tonight.
COMPASS: Thank you for having me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: We continue to try to get answers from anyone who will come on the program, local, state, federal. We don't really care, we just want some answers and we're going to continue to do that all next week from New Orleans.
Again, also earlier in the program we introduced you to Michael Thompson. He is looking for members of his family. We're putting their names on the screen. His mother Barbara Thompson, 72-years-old, his children's mom, Bobbie Williams, his daughters, Michelle Thompson, Shelley Thompson, Christopher Williams, and twins, Tashi and Randon, both 12 years old. The number is 225-936-9484.
He's gotten a lot of calls from viewers and he appreciates those calls and the calls of sympathy and compassion, but he's looking for facts and information. So if you have facts and information about his family, please feel free to call. If you do not, please do not tie up the line. We appreciate that.
Just ahead, living among the dead. See how a burial site has become a refuge for those left homeless after Katrina. Plus, a dramatic look back at what actually happened. The storm, the collapse of the levees, the sinking of a city. You're watching HURRICANE KATRINA: STATE OF EMERGENCY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Well, we told you about the diehards, the stubborn, and the stragglers, those who won't leave New Orleans. They're determined to stay put, come hell and high water, in this case. You've seen them on their porches, hanging from their windows, refusing to leave their homes. But what, you might wonder, would compel someone to hold his high ground in a cemetery. Here is CNN's Susan Candiotti.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In a city were historic, above-ground cemeteries draw tourists, one burial site has become a refuge for the living.
(On camera): Hi, I'm Susan Candiotti from CNN. How are you? Julie!
(Voice over): Julie Blanchard and friends are living among the dead, camping out at a two-story-high mausoleum adjacent to a cemetery.
Of all the places you could have sought shelter ...
JULIE BLANCHARD, NEW ORLEANS SURVIVOR: Yes, that's right.
CANDIOTTI: ... a mausoleum? BLANCHARD: Death preys on my mind so much sometimes, that who would have thunk it -- not thought it -- who have thunk it, that I would be in a mausoleum, with (ph) here, living with the dead. You know, living large in the graveyard.
CANDIOTTI: She was separated from the rest of her family, who all fled the hurricane, now in Atlanta.
Police have repeatedly asked Julie and her friends to leave, but they won't because of their dogs.
BLANCHARD: I really believe in my heart that I'm supposed to be here, not just for me and my family, but for the animals. I'm here, because I can't leave my dogs.
CANDIOTTI: The group can't get out on its own. Within blocks, foul, contaminated water envelopes the neighborhood.
The mausoleum group has rules. No garbage lying around. Everything is organized.
This is their living room area and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ...
BLANCHARD: This is my bed. This is ...
CANDIOTTI: ... the -- yes?
BLANCHARD: This is where you have your foodstuffs.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just put them on (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
BLANCHARD: But now we have our own hotplate. We have a microwave.
CANDIOTTI: They foraged for food from the neighborhood discount store, snagged TV sets powered by generators -- and gas siphoned from flooded cars.
A friend is cooking dinner -- red beans. He's Glen Cross (ph). His home in four feet of water, he looks out from his graveyard perch and sees a new lease on life.
GLEN CROSS (ph), NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: I see the neighborhood revive. This is a nice -- this is a nice neighborhood. It's (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ...
CANDIOTTI: You see opportunity.
CROSS: Opportunity, yes. A great opportunity. I'm (ph) not (ph) -- a lot's (ph) going to come back.
CANDIOTTI: For Julie Blanchard, a recovering cocaine addict, surviving Katrina is one more challenge.
She's keeping a notebook, writing about her feelings.
BLANCHARD: I survived this beast called Katrina.
CANDIOTTI: Do you have hope?
BLANCHARD: I have plenty hope! Oh, I have humongous hope. I have so much hope, because I know it's going to get better.
CANDIOTTI: Susan Candiotti, CNN, New Orleans.
(END VIDEO)
BROWN: Anderson, the crazy thing is that, every day that goes by they pump more water out, the drier it gets, the harder it's going to be to get people to leave, because life will be a little easier each day.
COOPER: That's absolutely true. And, I mean, when you think, there are -- you know, some 40 percent of the city is not under water.
And there are people who look around in their neighborhoods and say, look, why should we leave. And they certainly don't trust the government after all that has gone on in the local government there.
And they don't want to leave their pets behind. I mean, that is an issue which has not yet been addressed, and which there are all these conflicting stories about.
So, yes, it is just going to get harder and harder as things get better and better, to get people to leave.
Aaron, we'll join you again shortly.
As first responders face a tough job day in and day out, there is the kindness of strangers, some ordinary citizens who bypass the red tape to help.
Those of you who were with us last night around this time may recall my interview with one woman, who along with others are helping feed the crews in New Orleans with food from a very unlikely source.
We went back today to see how they're doing.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
PAIGE BENSON, VOLUNTEER: Corn and beans on both. Been watching CNN the whole week, but we really wanted to do something.
When we got here we realized we were the only people that were here. And we served 6,000 meals yesterday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What I saw when I got here was 800 police officers with nothing to eat, and hadn't eaten since before the storm.
BENSON: When this initially started, they came out with a supply of meat, and they were running out, and the guys were so desperate for the food at that point, that the Elberta Little League team had all of this sausage that they were going to use for a fundraiser to buy their uniforms and whatnot.
And instead of doing that, they ended up donating it to us. And so, they sent it down here so that all the soldiers could have their sausage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And because of that, we've decided to name this thing the Elberta Little League -- and friends.
BENSON: You want beans on both of those?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very nice. Appreciate the Little League for putting that together for us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a hot meal. Better than what we've had. So -- MREs.
BENSON: The people that we're taking care of are federal and state and city employees. You know, this is people that they should be looking after more than anyone. I mean, really, they should be taking care of these people. They're out here trying to save lives, and take care of this city and put it back to where it was. And no one's looking after them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I probably cooked 500 or 600. This guy's cooking. We've got a guy over here cooking. We've all cooked at least that many. I don't know how many we've served today, but it's quite a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the command center for the police department and for the military. They put us in the center of it to cook for them. Now it's become the eating place.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: MREs are all right. But, I mean, you get a hot meal, it means you're closer to home. It makes you feel closer to home.
BENSON: Everyone seems to be in, if you can say, good spirits for what's going on. I mean, it's much better.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because it's hot and -- neighborly (ph) love (ph) right there.
(END VIDEO)
COOPER: There are so many people who are watching CNN right now, or other broadcasts, who want to do something, want to help, like Paige. It turns out a famous person saw the interview with Paige Benson last night and gave her a call today. Let's listen in.
(START VIDEO CLIP)
BENSON: Well, thank you so much, Cher. Because you can't imagine how much they appreciate it. It's overwhelming, their gratitude, really.
(END VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: Joining me on the phone now from Los Angeles, Academy Award--winning and award -- winning singer, Cher.
Cher, thank you very much for being with us.
What was it about Paige's story that moved you?
CHER, SINGER: Well, there are so many things that I had been seeing, I mean, things I never thought -- scenes that I never thought I would be seeing in my country.
And I remember, one of the things that stuck out to me was that group of -- a group of the policemen. And one policeman was on camera saying goodbye to his wife. It was the group that were calling themselves Fort Apache.
COOPER: Right.
CHER: And he was saying goodbye to his wife and he was in a vest and crying hysterically.
And then when I heard -- when Paige was on and you were talking, these just brave heroes weren't getting any hot food, it just never -- I don't know -- it never occurred to me that they weren't getting hot meals.
And so I thought, you know, when I saw her I thought, what a wonderful thing she was doing. So I called her and I said, I want to help pay for the food.
COOPER: Is there -- I mean, there a lot of viewers like you, Cher, probably, who are listening in and feel frustrated. I mean, what is it like seeing these images on TV and feeling as if you can't do anything about it.
CHER: It's -- I mean, it's terrible. I have -- I plan to do more things. I've been talking to Habitat for Humanity, which I belong to them. And they've got some wonderful ideas about how to build some special houses for the reconstruction. And so, I'm going to be a part of that.
I also -- I want to come down, but -- in a couple of weeks -- but just watching it, I've been glued to it. And I, you know, I was a very, very -- my mother and my sister and I -- we were very, very poor. So, you know, I know that we would have been the people that didn't have enough gas to get out of New Orleans.
And I just -- I just don't understand how, you know, it's always the poor and defenseless and people who need to be taken care of that don't get taken care of in our country. And I just wonder when, you know -- is this the thing that's going to make people look outside themselves? Is something good going to come of this? Is this going to change our attitudes about ...
COOPER: You know, well, the thing that has -- I'm sorry. Go ahead. CHER: No, I mean, is it -- is it more important to have the news telephone that takes the best picture, or the biggest iPod, or the grandest whatever? Or -- and I think it comes from the -- this government, as well.
They've got to start to think about everyone, you know. They've got to start to think about everyone, you know.
Not -- you know, I certainly didn't need a tax break. You know, there are just things that I think are wrong that are just not right. It's just -- and I -- and seeing it and just watching it and watching it and seeing the convention center, and then seeing that man drown, saying that he didn't -- he wasn't aware of it.
And I thought, this is just -- I was crying and angry at the same time, and just could not believe my eyes. And it was the one time lately that I was thinking how great it is to have you guys out there, because you could never tell this in a story. You have to be able to see people begging.
I mean, if the poor doctors and nurses from Charity Hospital got on one more time, I was thinking of literally coming down there, not even knowing what I could do. But I just could not bear it.
So, this is the first thing that I thought. I can do something. I can buy the food.
COOPER: And, you know, it's amazing that -- first of all, so many people down there appreciate what you did, that call you made today, and that you're going to help support these people.
Because it is remarkable when you think, this is a woman, Paige Benson, who was sitting in her home. Her husband's a CPA. She's a juvenile probation officer.
And they were watching TV and they just finally -- for them it was a story about animals. And they finally said, you know what? Enough's enough. We're taking vacation. We're going down. We're just going to do what we can.
And they're serving this food. And they are serving -- they started serving like 600 people. They're now serving 6,000 first responders -- soldiers who were only eating MREs, meals ready to eat -- police officers from all around the country, first responders.
And they're serving sausages that were given to them by a Little League team in Alabama, which is just incredible. Instead of -- they were going to use these sausages to get new uniforms. These Little Leaguers decided, you know what? We're just going to give the sausages and see if that feeds enough people.
Cher, we appreciate what you did, appreciate you calling in. And there are a lot of people out there who would like to help, and there are so many ways to help.
We're just putting up on the screen some information about the people who are serving food.
This is how they're existing. They're existing from donations. They're not part of the federal government. They're not part of the state government. So it's on the screen for you now.
Coming up, a status alert. The latest on the Katrina aftermath. Plus, my interview with Dr. Phil. Hear why he is concerned about the first responders. And he was down in New Orleans there himself.
You're watching NEWSNIGHT: State of Emergency.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: And welcome back. We're in a Red Cross shelter in Baton Rouge. They have turned down the lights. That's why it's so dark here. There are about 4,500 people behind me who are slowly going off to sleep. There's still a couple of kids running around, but I'm sure their parents are watching them carefully and want them to get in bed, like parents do all around the country, probably, right around this time.
Here's something now we're going to be doing for the duration of this story -- regular updates on the situation in New Orleans and other areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, because this situation is moving fast and changing every minute.
We call this the status desk. CNN's Deborah Feyerick has the duty at this hour -- Deborah.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT, HURRICANE KATRINA STATUS ALERT DESK: Well, Anderson. Status alert sniper fire. ICE agents cleared out three buildings in New Orleans after soldiers reported they had been fired at. No gunmen were found.
Status alert on body recovery. Thailand appears to have done a better job collecting its dead after the tsunami than the United States following Hurricane Katrina. An expert close to both recovery efforts tells CNN that in Thailand it took days. In the United States, it has taken close to two weeks, and the recovery effort is still in disarray.
FEMA has yet to sign a contract with a private company FEMA itself called on to gather the dead. That company, Kenyon International, has been helping Louisiana parishes. But recovery efforts have been limited.
FEMA insists the process is underway, but won't say how many teams are actually on the ground. Louisiana's governor frustrated by the slow pace.
So far, 118 bodies have been received by the morgue. About half of those have been identified and released to families.
That's the status alert. And if you have any information on a parish or town, you can e--mail us at STATUSALERT@CNN.COM, and be sure to include a phone number where we can reach you -- Anderson. COOPER: Deb, thanks very much for that.
It is astounding how many first responders are in the area hit by Katrina. The Department of Homeland Security says there are 8,100 FEMA responders, 4,000 Coast Guard personnel, 20,000 active duty military troops, and more than 46,000 National Guard personnel.
A lot of people are helping the victims of the storm. But in some ways, they may become victims themselves.
Earlier, I discussed the psychological impact of the rescue with Phil McGraw, also known simply as Dr. Phil.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
COOPER: How concerned are you about the health of these first responders? I mean, these guys are out there not only without gloves on, without masks, but I mean, just mentally, seeing bodies in the streets of America day after day, it's a tough thing.
PHIL MCGRAW, HOST, "DR. PHIL,": Well, what I'm told is, the e. Coli and coliform bacteria is just off the charts. I mean, they can't even measure it. It's off the charts, it's so high.
And I worry that these people are going to get infected, those first responders. And they're seeing things that people just shouldn't have to see, hour after hour after hour. I mean, the decomposed bodies, the babies, the broken hearts.
Are any of us geared up to do that? And that's one of the reasons that I'm here today is, we're meeting later with a lot of these frontline rescuers that are saying, this is getting away from me. I mean, what do I say to myself? What do I say to my children?
And 80 percent of them have lost their homes.
COOPER: I find all of us who are working the story, and first responders as well -- I mean, I've been talking to a lot of them -- doctors, even, find themselves just crying at weird times. I mean, little things will set you off.
And more so than on any other story I've ever been on.
MCGRAW: I think it's the magnitude of it. It's like everywhere you turn.
And, you know, it's hot, it's sticky. The odors are horrible for them down there.
And I think it just wears you down. You know, adrenalin carries you a while, but then the enormity of it. And then they start missing their families, and they need a break but can't take one.
COOPER: We're hearing a lot of anger from first responders, or frustration, about, you know, that -- a lot of local guys from small fire departments around the state -- and God bless them -- they've come here. But they don't have latex gloves. They don't have a breathing apparatus.
And, you know, you think -- it's frustrating to see them going through this, and they're still out there on the water without this stuff. You get it in your mouth, you get it in your eyes.
MCGRAW: I think the problem is much greater than anybody realizes. And I think this -- I've had boots on, I've had gloves on, I've had a mask on. I've done everything that they've told me to do. And even then, you know, you can't keep it from getting in contact with your skin.
But I am so proud of the medical community that's responded to take care of these guys. You know, the hepatitis A injections, the tetanus, the typhoid -- all of that that we've all had to have.
But, you know, we just -- we've got to watch them and get through it and be there when they, if they get sick.
COOPER: Does the level of response surprise you? Because what we're seeing -- I mean, and we're standing in this place where -- these are local volunteers. There's a woman who was watching this stuff on CNN, came out here. She's cooking for these guys.
That is not -- I mean, it's not the government in many respects, who are helping these people. It's local people who -- a local Little League team donated sausages to feed these first responders.
MCGRAW: Yes. They said they fed 6,000 people yesterday right here where we're standing. And it's all volunteer. Everything donated, all volunteer.
Does that surprise me? No. But I'm from the South.
COOPER: And what do you tell people who are listening at home and who feel frustrated that they can't do anything? I mean, they're watching this night after night.
And that, you know, that has an effect on them.
MCGRAW: Anderson, that's a good question. And I think that what people need to understand is, the thing that makes us the most frustrated is when we feel helpless.
It's like, I see it. I can't -- I wish I could do something. I wish I could hustle, or I wish I could work hard and do something.
But what you can do is give money to the Red Cross, because I'm telling you, those people are heroes, and they're on the front lines, and they need money. They don't really need supplies right now. There's a stockpile of that down here, they're telling me. And also at the shelters, they've got that stuff stockpiled.
What they need is money -- money for transition, money for housing, money for medicine. They need cash, that's what they need.
So, what we can do is give money. If it's $1, or $5 or $10. And if your children are watching this, don't let them see it all the time.
They need to see it, they need to understand it, and then get them involved in the process. They need to give money. They need to empty their own piggybanks, so they feel like they did something for the children here.
The best medicine is to give. And for adults and kids, that will help a lot.
I mean, you feel better when you know you did something.
(END VIDEO)
COOPER: That was Dr. Phil. He was actually hanging out at Paige Benson's place where she was serving up hotdogs and sausages and hamburgers.
So, Aaron, just when you think that things can't get any more surreal, they do.
BROWN: They often do.
One thing people can do is, a month from now, still remember that this is going on. There's a tendency to assume these things are over when we stop covering them 24 hours a day.
This is going to go on for a long, long time, a year, more.
We'll check morning papers, other pieces of business. Take a break first.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: OK. Time to check morning papers from around the country and around the world.
As you probably imagine, Michael Brown who, believe me, is not relation, makes the front page of most papers today.
FEMA director recalled to D.C. Admiral assumes helm of Katrina relief effort. That's the lead in the "Washington Post."
The "Rocky Mountain News" puts it on the front page, but he just gets a little corner there. He doesn't really -- Brown bumped. Admiral in charge. No relation.
Their big story -- Full Churchill -- that's Ward (ph) Churchill. Remember the kind of wacky college professor, seven allegations that the professor's research misconduct. More thorough investigation. Faculty panel at Colorado says.
The "Washington Times," Katrina death toll estimate cut. Initial fears of 10,000 diminishing, thankfully.
But this story, down at the bottom -- and they just put this out on the front page just for the fun of it, OK. I mean -- I don't mean it's not a real story, but just for the fun of it.
Battleship backers eye gay museum onboard. Effort intended to win favor in San Francisco. That's the battleship USS Ohio.
OK. The weather tomorrow in Chicago, according to "Chicago Sun Times," start me up. Beats me. I don't know.
I'll take a break. When we come back, we'll update you on Michael Thompson's situation, the young man looking for his family, but we'll take a break first.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) singing, the LSU Gospel Choir singing here just about an hour ago, right before were going to bed here at a shelter, a Red Cross shelter, in Baton Rouge.
A little bit earlier in the program, we introduced you to Michael Thompson who's standing by me. He's on the phone now.
We had put the names of his family members who he is searching for.
He was in the Superdome in New Orleans. He got separated from his family. They were going to try to ride it out at home. But he has not been able to find them since. He has not gotten any word of them since.
He's been traveling from shelter to shelter trying to find -- and I want to put their names on the screen. Barbara Thompson is his mother, 72 years old. Bobbie Williams is the mother of his children. Michelle Thompson, 18. Shelley Thompson, Christopher Williams, Random, and Tashi Williams. Is that right?
MICHAEL THOMPSON, HURRICANE SURVIVOR: Randon.
COOPER: Randon, I'm sorry.
And your telephone number, 225--936--9484. He's been getting a lot of calls of sympathy and compassion, and he appreciates those, but he wants his facts and information.
It's a difficult thing putting your number out. What do you want people to know?
Let me talk (ph) first of all, where was your family living? Where did you last see them? The general address?
THOMPSON: OK. My mother resides at 5100 Metropolitan Drive. That's in Gentilly, in New Orleans.
COOPER: OK. And your kids and their mom?
THOMPSON: My kids, they reside at Albert (ph) Street, 2321 or 2123 Alabar (ph) Street. COOPER: So, if anybody has any information about those locations, as well as to the present location of his family, please call that number.
Aaron, let's go back -- we'll have a lot more for Aaron Brown just in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Thanks for watching this special edition, State of Emergency. That's it for me from Baton Rouge tonight -- Aaron.
BROWN: See you next week. Good to have you with us tonight. Katherine Callaway continues our coverage from Atlanta.
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