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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9156612/

Convoy greeted with applause and anger
As supplies arrive in New Orleans, mayor warns thousands could die

NBC, MSNBC and news services
Updated: 3:33 p.m. ET Sept. 2, 2005

NEW ORLEANS - Four days after Hurricane Katrina struck, the National Guard arrived in force Friday with food, water and weapons — rolling through floodwaters in a vast truck convoy with orders to retake the streets and bring relief to the suffering.

But Mayor Ray Nagin issued an urgent statement indicating that a single convoy would not save the city. He warned that thousands of residents could die if remaining water supplies are cut off or contaminated, and that 50,000 residents were still on rooftops or shelters awaiting rescue.

The city is “holding on by a thread,” he said. “Time has run out.”

The trucks began arriving at the New Orleans Convention Center, where 15,000 to 20,000 hungry and desperate refugees were stranded even though the site is accessible by vehicles.

For a day or more, corpses have lain abandoned outside the building, and many storm refugees have complained bitterly that they had been forsaken by the government.

The open-topped trucks carried huge boxes of relief supplies. Soldiers sat in the backs of some of the trucks, their rifles pointing skyward.

Some of the thousands awaiting their deliverance applauded, threw their hands heavenward and screamed, “Thank you, Jesus!” as the camouflage-green trucks and hundreds of soldiers arrived. But there was also anger and profane catcalls.

“Hell no, I’m not glad to see them. They should have been here days ago. I ain’t glad to see ’em, I’ll be glad when 100 buses show up,” said Michael Levy, whose words were echoed by those around him yelling, “Hell, yeah! Hell, yeah!”

“We’ve been sleeping on the ... ground like rats,” Levy said. “I say burn this whole ... city down.”

Bush wants better results
President Bush, before leaving for a trip to the region, cited the problems at the convention center and said 600 military police would be sent to help distribute food and water in an orderly fashion.

The president, who was to visit the New Orleans airport later Friday, also said that overall the relief “results are not acceptable” — a blunt criticism of federal efforts so far.

The military said its first priority was delivering food and water, after which it would begin evacuating people — something that could take days.

“As fast as we can, we’ll move them out,” said Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore. “Worse things have happened to America,” he added. “We’re going to overcome this, too. It’s not our fault. The storm came and flooded the city.”

With a cigar-chomping general in the vanguard, the trucks rolled through muddy water up to their axles to reach the convention center.

Moments later, New Orleans Police Superintendent Eddie Compass rode down the street on the running board of a box truck and announced through a bullhorn: “We got 30,000 people out of the Superdome and we’re going to take care of you.” He was met with thunderous applause.

“We’ve got food and water on the way. We’ve got medical attention on the way. We’re going to get you out of here safely. We’re going to get all of you,” he said.

As he came down the road, elderly people gave thanks and some nearly fainted with joy. Compass also warned that if anyone did anything disruptive, the troops would have to stop distributing the food and water and get out.

National Guardsmen carrying rifles and wearing camouflage gear also arrived outside the Louisiana Superdome, walking in a long line past a vast crowd of bedraggled people fanning themselves miserably in the heat, waited to rescued from the heat, the filth and the gagging stench inside the stadium.

City officials have seethed with anger about what they called a slow federal response.

“They don't have a clue what's going on down there,” Mayor Nagin told WWL-AM Thursday night. "Excuse my French, everybody in America, but I am pissed.”

As Bush arrived in Alabama to start his tour, the convoy of two dozen trucks and some 100 buses protected by National Guardsmen made its way into New Orleans on Interstate 90. NBC's Carl Quintanilla reported from aboard one bus that the buses were heading to the Superdome to pick up evacuees there.

Lt. Gen. Steven Blum of the National Guard said 7,000 more National Guardsmen arriving in Louisiana on Friday would help restore order in New Orleans, where armed robberies, rapes and assaults have been reported.

“They have M-16s and they’re locked and loaded,” Gov. Kathleen Blanco said earlier. “These troops know how to shoot and kill, and they are more than willing to do so, and I expect they will.”

But Blum also underscored that the guardsmen's primary mission was to "save Louisiana citizens." The only thing we are attacking is the effects of this hurricane,” he said. Blum said that a huge airlift of supplies was landing Friday and that it signaled “the cavalry is and will continue to arrive.”

At some of New Orleans’ most troubled hospitals, where desperate doctors were being forced to make tough choices about which patients got dwindling supplies of food, water and medicines, evacuations resumed Friday.

Rescuers finally made it into Charity Hospital, the largest public hospital and trauma center in the city, where gunshots prevented efforts on Thursday to evacuate more than 250 patients.

“We moved all of the babies out of Charity this morning,” said Keith Simon, spokesman for Acadian Ambulance Service Inc.


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