Photos show hurricanes' devastation
By Christian Richardson Journal staff writer | Posted: Wednesday, October 19, 2005
An American Red Cross worker sits beside a hurricane survivor at the Baton Rouge River Center. The Louisiana arena is being used to house men, women and children who have no where else to go. (Photo by Ed Porter)
Through a photographer's eye the story of destruction and survival in Louisiana is seen.
The pictures shot by Sioux City resident and American Red Cross worker Ed Porter show compassion, protection and devastation.
In one photo an American Red Cross volunteer has placed her arm around an evacuee. They're sitting on the edge of a bed edge in a Baton Rouge, La., arena, now home to a sea of donated blankets and pillows.
They're just two people who likely never knew each before the wrath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita brought them together.
In another snapshot an armed soldier guards a Red Cross service center. The young man is fulfilling his duty to protect and serve.
Through Porter's eye we also see the aftermath -- a lakeside town flattened by wind and water. Little more than splintered timber and damaged homes remain in his view of Slidell, La.
Porter, a member of the Siouxland Chapter of the American Red Cross, shot the images while in Louisiana helping hurricane survivors.
The former Journal photographer was one of dozens who have left this area to aid the people of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas.
Through the Red Cross approximately 60 volunteers have traveled south for three-week stays, Porter said during an interview late last week. He returned to his Sioux City home on Oct. 11. About 20 Siouxland residents are there now and a total of six more are expected to leave this week, he said.
While it's been weeks since hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck several Gulf coast towns, volunteers are still needed to help survivors, Porter said. There's no deadline for the Red Cross to leave the area.
Porter arrived in Baton Rouge on Sept. 14 at a time when volunteers were needed to help evacuees with financial aid. Porter worked from a service center. Those who could prove they lived in certain Zip codes received donated funds, he said.
"We had people who hadn't had anything to eat for three or four days," he said. "We had lines miles long when we started doing that. It was just a depressing situation."
The survivors were left with more questions than answers.
"They lost everything they had," Porter said. "They didn't know if they had a home. They didn't know if their relatives were dead or alive."
Many of them were poor to begin with and now they had no place to get a meal and a no place to sleep, he said. Through the Red Cross those immediate needs were filled, he said.
While Porter saw humanity at work, he also saw the destruction of Hurricane Katrina.
In early October, he traveled to New Orleans where he saw urban search and rescue workers looking for dead bodies. The workers found 11 corpses the day Porter was there.
He then traveled to Chalmette, La. He said he saw mass destruction in the town which once held about 32,000 people.
"It no longer exists," he said. "Big parts of it, the water just came up and covered it."
Homes showed water lines up to their roofs, he said.
Upon arriving in Slidell he said he found a scene comparable to that left by a Midwest tornado. Everything looked splintered.
Anyone who wants to help survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita can call 1-800-HELP-NOW. People interested in volunteering can call the Siouxland Chapter of the American Red Cross at 252-4081.
Christian Richardson can be reached at (712) 293-4219 or christianrichardson@siouxcityjournal.com.
The pictures shot by Sioux City resident and American Red Cross worker Ed Porter show compassion, protection and devastation.
In one photo an American Red Cross volunteer has placed her arm around an evacuee. They're sitting on the edge of a bed edge in a Baton Rouge, La., arena, now home to a sea of donated blankets and pillows.
They're just two people who likely never knew each before the wrath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita brought them together.
In another snapshot an armed soldier guards a Red Cross service center. The young man is fulfilling his duty to protect and serve.
Through Porter's eye we also see the aftermath -- a lakeside town flattened by wind and water. Little more than splintered timber and damaged homes remain in his view of Slidell, La.
Porter, a member of the Siouxland Chapter of the American Red Cross, shot the images while in Louisiana helping hurricane survivors.
The former Journal photographer was one of dozens who have left this area to aid the people of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas.
Through the Red Cross approximately 60 volunteers have traveled south for three-week stays, Porter said during an interview late last week. He returned to his Sioux City home on Oct. 11. About 20 Siouxland residents are there now and a total of six more are expected to leave this week, he said.
While it's been weeks since hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck several Gulf coast towns, volunteers are still needed to help survivors, Porter said. There's no deadline for the Red Cross to leave the area.
Porter arrived in Baton Rouge on Sept. 14 at a time when volunteers were needed to help evacuees with financial aid. Porter worked from a service center. Those who could prove they lived in certain Zip codes received donated funds, he said.
"We had people who hadn't had anything to eat for three or four days," he said. "We had lines miles long when we started doing that. It was just a depressing situation."
The survivors were left with more questions than answers.
"They lost everything they had," Porter said. "They didn't know if they had a home. They didn't know if their relatives were dead or alive."
Many of them were poor to begin with and now they had no place to get a meal and a no place to sleep, he said. Through the Red Cross those immediate needs were filled, he said.
While Porter saw humanity at work, he also saw the destruction of Hurricane Katrina.
In early October, he traveled to New Orleans where he saw urban search and rescue workers looking for dead bodies. The workers found 11 corpses the day Porter was there.
He then traveled to Chalmette, La. He said he saw mass destruction in the town which once held about 32,000 people.
"It no longer exists," he said. "Big parts of it, the water just came up and covered it."
Homes showed water lines up to their roofs, he said.
Upon arriving in Slidell he said he found a scene comparable to that left by a Midwest tornado. Everything looked splintered.
Anyone who wants to help survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita can call 1-800-HELP-NOW. People interested in volunteering can call the Siouxland Chapter of the American Red Cross at 252-4081.
Christian Richardson can be reached at (712) 293-4219 or christianrichardson@siouxcityjournal.com.
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