Drudge is on-the-money with this one.

Louisiana disaster plan, pg 13, para 5 , dated 01/00

‘The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating’…

The document from which he’s quoting is available officially here: EOP Supplement 1a – Southeast Louisiana Hurricane Evacuation & Sheltering Plan. I’m also putting a copy of this PDF file on my server here.

Looks like there’s plenty of interesting reading, and I’ve only just glanced. On page 12, under “Situations,” is all this (and read it all!):

1. The Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Area represents a difficult
evacuation problem due to the large population and it’s unique layout.
2. This area is located in a floodplain much of which lies below sea level
and is surrounded by an extensive marine estuarine system of lakes,
canals, bayous, the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River. Some
parish storm drainage systems discharge into area waterways. High
water levels would impede adequate pumping and prevent relief against
flooding from heavy rainfall.
3. Tidal surge, associated with the “worst case” Category 3, 4 or 5
Hurricane Scenario for the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Area, as
determined by the National Weather Service (NWS) Sea, Lake and
Overland Surge from Hurricanes (SLOSH) Model, could cause a
maximum inundation of 20 feet above sea level in some of the parishes
in the Region, not including tidal effects, wind waves and storm rainfall.
4. The Area is protected by an extensive levee system, but above-normal
water levels and hurricane surge could cause levee overtopping or
failures.
5. It will take a long time to evacuate large numbers of people from the
Region.
6. The road systems used for evacuations are limited, and many of the
roadways are near bodies of water and susceptible to flooding.
7. The combined population of the Region is approximately 1,694,805
(1990 Census, as amended July 1, 1999), of whom the majority are at
risk from a hurricane (Annex C).
8. Many of the Region’s emergency shelter facilities may be inundated by
floodwaters when threatened by a slow moving Category 3 or above
hurricane. Sheltering of evacuees outside of the Region becomes
necessary.

(emphases are mine)

Mayor Nagin was yammering on NBC this morning – being interviewed by Campbell Brown. In response to her question about the lack of a plan on his part to deal with the stranded citizens of New Orleans, he was reduced to saying how unusual it was for New Orleans to get hit by a Category 5 storm. Number 1: he’s lying – it was a Category 4 when it made landfall, as he would be well aware. And number 2 – as outlined above – it was well known at official levels that even a Category 3 storm could precipitate the very conditions that occurred.

Campbell Brown is not exactly “lead prosecutor” material. As the facts regarding plans, preparations, the lack thereof, and the failure to execute those that did exist continue to emerge, and heavy-duty questions by serious people begin to be asked, Mayor Ray Nagin will be without a prayer (which explains the noise he’s been making). And Governor Kathleen Blanco looks likely to be right there with him.

And for you pretty baby,
I know you’ve seen it all.
I know your story is too painful to share.
One day though you’ll be talking in your sleep
And when you do, I wanna be there.

...................
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