"Confirming the existence and viability of the city-assisted evacuation plan is of particular importance. False public perception that such a plan is functionally in place could draw tens of thousands of New Orleanians to one evacuation location - the Smoothie King Center, adjacent to the Superdome which was hard-hit and semi-submerged following Katrina," writes Bethany Gabriel, a disaster-science researcher who did relief work in St. Bernard Parish after Hurricane Katrina. (Photo is of one of Douglas Kornfield's Evacuteer sculptures, which mark evacuation stops across the city, from the Public Art Archive, publicartwork.org)

National media coverage of the Jan. 1 attack in New Orleans drew attention to a topic common and critical to our city.

Losses and harm – casualties and injuries, could have been prevented if the city had functional protective measures in place. Instead, “bollards” or barricades meant to be raised around revelers and residents on Bourbon Street remained faulty and unfinished, thus unused, providing no protection when it mattered most. 

News of New Orleans’ inadequate infrastructure may have been surprising, even shocking, for onlookers watching the story unfold from outside the city. But for locals, it’s sadly become customary to shake our heads in helpless disappointment while watching the city’s repeated preparedness, repair and response failures.

Familiar feelings of dismay and danger were felt during “Snowmageddon 2025,” when 10 inches of snowfall was met with a “wait-for-melt” municipal response — a “response” that left residents marooned for days, schools and service providers closed, and added further hurdles for emergency workers navigating unfinished roads to reach those in need. 

Failed response and cleanup is nothing new for the City of New Orleans. Most of us recall four years ago when, rather than snow lining our streets, garbage and debris sat for weeks in the summer heat after Hurricane Ida. 

In the wake of the New Year’s Day attack, “Snowmageddon,” and as the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, it’s time to closely scrutinize the status and viability of New Orleans’ protective measures and plans.

Such investigative scrutiny should include the following systems, procedures, and public entities responsible for design and maintenance:

  • Drainage: [Department of Public Works, Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO)] – catch basins, pipes, canals
  • Pumping:  [SWBNO, Entergy New Orleans] – pumps, and powering them
     
  • Shelters of Last Resort [New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP)] – whether, where, and how they exist
  • Disaster Mitigation & Response [NOHSEP] – at minimum, flood, wildfire, terrorism (and, snow)
  • Levees [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers] – integrity and capacity

Special attention should also be paid to these potentially life-saving and risk-reduction preparedness plans: 

  • The 2020 Hazard Mitigation Plan (NOHSEP)
    Plans must be submitted to FEMA every five years, with hazard-reduction suggestions based on current data. Like past submissions, establishing the soundness and completeness of the upcoming, updated 2025 plan is essential to protect our flood-prone, hurricane-vulnerable city.
  • City-Assisted Evacuation Plan (NOHSEP / “NOLA Ready”)
    Confirming the existence and viability of this plan is of particular importance. False public perception that such a plan is functionally in place could draw tens of thousands of New Orleanians to one evacuation location – the Smoothie King Center, adjacent to the Superdome which was hard-hit and semi-submerged following Katrina.

    A nonexistent or failed City-Assisted Evacuation Plan could leave whole families — including children, pets, and residents with physical challenges or medical needs — without a method of escape or place of safe refuge, creating a life-threatening catastrophe. Sound familiar?

Broken bollards, breached levees, busted pipes, frozen roads, hot garbage – like many of us, my lengthy “desperate love” affair with New Orleans has left me shaking my head more than once in despair before, during, and after times of crisis. As a researcher who has closely observed, personally experienced local struggles, it’s with a heavy heart that I say – investigations into the state of our city’s protective plans and systems will likely garner the following conclusion: New Orleans isn’t ready for much of anything. 

Researchers, reporters, and activists alike cannot “wait for melt” regarding this issue. 

New Orleans‘ hazard-reduction strategies and structures are overdue for thorough scrutiny. It is time to verify the status of protective systems and to share those findings publicly.

New Orleans residents deserve to know their true level of risk. 

Empowering New Orleanians with the truth about their exposure to harm will enable us to act accordingly: by remaining tuned-in to vital information; by holding officials accountable for potential and repeat failures, and by investing time, attention and resources toward personal preparedness.

The Jan. 1 attack on our city was tragic. With last month’s snow-blow behind us and six months left until this year’s Katrina-versary, let’s work together to prevent future tragedy.

And, let’s begin by shedding light on difficult truths about our safety and security.

Bethany Garfield is a local researcher who worked as a relief coordinator following Hurricane Katrina. Her experiences serving residents of St. Bernard Parish and the Lower 9th Ward inspired her return to graduate school to study disaster science & management. Since completing her Ph.D., Bethany has pursued projects that help improve preparedness and protections of people and places. She can be reached at bbgphd1@gmail.com