During Katrina, the Astrodome was used as an emergency shelter for Louisiana victims. I was the first volunteer surgeon to enter the Astrodome to treat the injured. l was barraged with bottles, cans and other objects while being escorted by 2 deputy sheriffs. Knives and other weapons were routinely confiscated. The stadium was littered with prophylactics and syringes and needles. Although I continued to return each day, many doctors refused to expose themselves to the dangers.
This NFL play is a formula for overwhelming problems not to even mention what it will do to a stadium's normal functions. Planning ahead is unlikely to improve things.
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NFL partners with FEMA to prepare stadiums for use as emergency shelters
By Michael David Smith
Published September 25, 2024 10:46 AM
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is partnering with the NFL to prepare stadiums to be used as emergency shelters that could house people displaced by disasters.
The NFL approached FEMA with the idea, which is reminiscent of how the Superdome was used after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. But while a lack of advance planning left the Superdome short on food, water and supplies, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is hoping that preparing NFL stadiums in advance will allow them to serve as safe havens in emergencies.
“The biggest difference between this and Hurricane Katrina is
we’re doing this in advance,” Criswell told the
Washington Post.
“We will know what the capabilities of each specific stadium are, and we will work with them on the threats in the cities that they’re in.”
Criswell said stadiums functioned as temporary hospitals and vaccination sites during the worst of the covid pandemic, and they could become a valuable part of communities’ responses to future emergencies.
“It just made perfect sense,” said Criswell. “We have all of these existing venues. How do we better coordinate during these blue sky days to better understand what they bring to the table and what we can use them for in the future?”
New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium, Seattle’s Lumen Field and Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium have already been identified as stadiums that FEMA will be ready to turn to in case of emergency, and FEMA expects to have other stadiums on board soon.