Council to assess readiness in light of Katrina

A special workshop will review evacuation, power restoration and other contingency plans.

ST. PETERSBURG - Haunted by "what-ifs," the City Council will hold a special workshop soon to look at hurricane contingency plans, particularly those dealing with evacuation.

The review is not panic-driven.

But a certain unease has nagged residents and officials since Hurricane Katrina and the New Orleans nightmare. The last big hurricane to hit here directly was in October 1921, when the city had about 15,000 residents.

Said City Council Chairman Richard Kriseman: "We have to ask the questions. Are we ready?"

Meanwhile, District 6 council candidate Chimurenga Waller is raising questions about evacuation plans that he says do not pay enough attention to poor people.

"There are all kinds of things wrong with this plan. It has to be more than tweaked," Waller said.

"Somebody has to look at this and say there has to be a plan for everyone who wants to go. This plan does not do that," said Waller.

On Wednesday, flanked by council members James Bennett and Virginia Littrell on the City Hall steps, Kriseman announced the council also will review power restoration, shelter adequacy and emergency public transportation.

Officials want to get a better handle on how many city residents would have to evacuate under various conditions.

And as sobering as the thought may be, the possible necessity of rebuilding after a catastrophic storm will be a topic, Kriseman said.

A workshop date has not been set, but will be scheduled soon, Kriseman said.

"We obviously need their help, but it's a mistake to rely on state and federal authorities . . . it's important to be as proactive as we can be," Kriseman said.

Standing water such as that bedeviling New Orleans isn't a huge concern here, Kriseman suggested.

"The fear is getting people out," he said.

Littrell said it is important that emergency plans be all-encompassing.

"We need shelters for animals. We need shelters for people with medical needs. We need them for the homeless and for the elderly," she said.

Another paramount question: Are current shelters storm-resistant and otherwise suitable?

"We certainly hope so. We've been pretty vigilant in looking at that," Littrell said.

But Tropicana Field, Kriseman said, probably couldn't provide a refuge for people fleeing a major storm like Katrina.

"My suspicion is that facility is not adequate," he said.

Last weekend, about 50 people attended a meeting to organize the African Hurricane Relief Fund, Waller said.

Our Brother's Keeper, the Nation of Islam and the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement are working to get supplies to evacuees and to help those who have temporarily relocated in Tarpon Springs.

"We believe this is different than Red Cross or any other charity agency," Waller said.

"This was not a national disaster. This was a man-made disaster. We believe with days of advance notice, the government did not step in to save the most economically depressed and downtrodden population, the African population. They were left there to die," he said.

Waller asks that those who would like to contribute money or supplies to the relief fund call 821-6620.

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