SpaldoBusiness: Hurricane Katrina coverage, 8-30 through 9-8

Friday, September 2, 2005

Hurricane Katrina coverage, 8-30 through 9-8

An historic assignment – and a terrible one, too. Hurricane Katrina was the single largest natural phenomenon of the 21st century. It destroyed the entire southeastern region of the United States.

I had the opportunity to "join up" again with Indiana Task Force 1, which was dispatched to Biloxi, Miss., after a devastating blow by Katrina. I joined a traveling RV with Scott Swan and Scott Allen of WTHR-Channel 13 in Indianapolis, and wrote stories and took photos (with a point and shoot) until the Star wisely dispatched a real photog (Sam Riche).

8-30-05: Hoosier heroes. Task Force One, other groups to mount rescue effort on Mississippi coastline after Hurricane Katrina.
8-31-05: Travel day
9-1-05: Survivors welcome Hoosier rescuers. Indiana Task Force One continues its laborious door-to-door search in hard- hit Biloxi neighborhood.

9-2-05: Rescuers need rescue? Police provide escort and INTF-1 responders confront gun-toting looters -- stealing port-o-potties.
9-3-05: Rotten smell: The stench of devastation. (Also picked up by USA Today.)
9-4-05: Comparing tragedies: Some Indiana rescuers were at the World Trade Center for 9/11 and are here for Katrina. They compare the devastation.
9-4-05: Job done. Task Force finishes its assignment.
9-5-05: A Day In Biloxi: A day like no other includes a church service where a church once stood, as INTF-1 heads back to Indy.
9-5-05: Hanging on: Survivors in Biloxi are down but not out.
9-6-05: Together: Family with Indiana ties reunites after hurricane displacement
9-6-05: Other rescuers here: Indiana National Guard on duty, bringing aid in Mississippi.
9-7-05: In the dark? Disaster disrupts ability to stay on top of outside world.
9-7-05: Sticking together. Hoosiers help other Hoosiers to help the coast.
9-8-05: An unclear future for all. My recap of the week after Hurricane Katrina.

[By Biloxi's famous hard-hit Hard Rock Cafe casino->]