<p>I have been thinking about the students at Tulane. I have a friend who's D was beginning freshman year, and what a start! I read that the dorms were evacuated and students are being transported to Jackson State (not familiar with it). I hope that they will be able to reopen as planned midweek.</p>
<p>We are in the thick of it right now. Not sure how much I'll have time to post. Kids are in Jackson at Mississippi State. Sleeping on gym floor. Rumors are - based on S' quickie cell phone call this morning - that kids may be there for longer than midweek. So they are creating new options - S says a new friends' parents are going to pick them up and start driving toward home (Maine!?!). </p>
<p>We had planned to stay in NOLA at our hotel, but mandatory evacuation emptied the hotel. We've moved on to Baton Rouge where we scrounged for a hotel. Had we not left last night, we wouldn't ever have found a room here and would have had to go further. May have to go further anyway.</p>
<p>Right now weather is beautiful; you would never know what's expected. </p>
<p>I will say, move-in itself went fine. Got S' room all set up. Met roomate and family. President Cowan had an informal and upbeat Town Meeting at 1pm yesterday to welcome and talk re Katrina plans. Prevailing mood was upbeat, although all Orientation activities are being rescheduled. Still, there are nervous moments, nervous Moms needing reassurance...</p>
<p>SiL family drove from Ohio to Tulane. Moved their S into dorm. Stayed for address, did a quicky tour and left. </p>
<p>Left with S for Ohio, which was plan C, since they were going to let S stay with nearby uncle, but uncle evacuated also. </p>
<p>I however would have left S with a back of crackers and left. Tuition, room, and food has already been paid-why should I take the kid back and buy food again? </p>
<p>Air ticket back to NL is going to be gold.</p>
<p>itstoomuch-</p>
<p>Are you serious? You would have left your S in New Orleans with crackers? Surely you aren't serious.</p>
<p>Jmmom - prayers to you and your family. Please post when you can.</p>
<p>My son has a lifelong friend (went to school with him pre-k through 12th - even stayed with him when changing schools for HS after 8th grade) who is starting at Xavier this year. She's is in the airport right now trying to get home. She has been at school for two weeks. I spoke with her mom earlier today - VERY worried mom, of course. Prayers to all of these kids.</p>
<p>jmmom, concerneddad, and others directly affected are posting in a parallel forum on the Parents Cafe:</p>
<p>Jmmom and the other Tulane parents, I am glad to hear your update - I've been thinking of your kids and wondering how they are doing. While this may not be an ideal start to freshman year, I bet it will be a memorable one. :) Keep us posted when you can.</p>
<p>Leave son in New Orleans! As someone who lived through Hurricane Camille, which destroyed parts of Mississippi some 20-odd years ago, I can say that would be insane. People who tried to right it out died -- lots of them. Plus, New Orleans is below sea level and they're talking a 20-foot storm surge. This is a monster storm, and staying behind could be deadly.</p>
<p>momsdream:</p>
<p>Crackers builds character. Some of the best meals I've had was made with crackers. A Meal Most Memorable. </p>
<p>Have you seen the crackers in the Quarter? They're French!!</p>
<p>You're right. Crackers too good. He can find his own cardboard and charcoal to make a sign that says "Jackson, Miss or Bust"</p>
<p>carolyn, mootmom and all! Thanks for the thoughts and wishes. H and I Hunkered down here in Baton Rouge, awaiting what we expect to be a heavy rainstorm; but we don't expect the <em>real</em> hurricane here. More info on the link mootmom posted, as well as on Tulane Forum (for those into gory detail).</p>
<p>Tulane has announced classes will now not start before Wednesday, 9/7. Not a fun start to the year, but will make a memory. S had made what I thought was a <em>crazy</em> plan to join a Maine family driving back home. Now it doesn't sound quite so crazy. We will go with the flow (no pun intended) and handle whatever comes our way. Imagine he'll be flying back down when the right day comes. Now I find myself just hoping that the buildings and belongings are standing and they can resume classes after some clean-up.</p>
<p>Praying for your kids' well-being and safety. Hope the hurricane misses NO and classes begin normally.</p>
<p>jmmom. Thinking of you and yours.</p>
<p>jmmom, my prayers are with you and your family.</p>
<p>Based on what I'm reading online right now, it may be months before Tulane is operating again. My heart goes out to all those students, their families, and all the other residents of New Orleans.</p>
<p>If you want an idea of what they are in for, go to the story on Part 2 ("the big one") in this link. <a href="http://www.nola.com/hurricane/?/washingaway/%5B/url%5D">http://www.nola.com/hurricane/?/washingaway/</a></p>
<p>It is truly frightening. I believe the site is for the Times-Picayune, BTW.</p>
<p>Anyone have any info as to when residents will be allowed to return to New Orleans? DW and DD are holed up in Alabama waiting for word. Also, any word on condition of Tulane campus?</p>
<p>
[quote]
August 29, 1 p.m.</p>
<pre><code>The worst of Hurricane Katrina has now passed through New Orleans and we will shortly begin the process of assessing the condition of our campuses.
The emergency team located on the uptown campus has been in frequent contact with the university's team at Jackson State University. The approximately 400 students who are located there and are accompanied by university officials, are doing well and are safe. Anyone seeking information about these students may call (601) 979-1964.
In the next 24 hours we expect to finalize our plans regarding the resumption of university operations.
As previously announced, classes will begin no earlier than Wednesday, Sept. 7.
Employees, students and parents should continue to regularly monitor this website and the Alert Line 1-877-862-8080 or 1-504-862-8080.
As of this date the university's main website and the university's email system are not in operation and are not expected to be functional for another 24-48 hours.
</code></pre>
<p>
[/quote]
</p>
<p>From: <a href="http://emergency.tulane.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://emergency.tulane.edu/</a></p>
<p>That site is the only one operational for Tulane -- it is hosted on a server outside the storm area.</p>
<p>More bad news, re flooding at Tulane hospital:
[quote]
Karen Troyer Caraway, vice president of Tulane University Hospital, told CNN earlier that Louisiana State Police had confirmed the breach to her.</p>
<p>Water at Tulane's hospital had been rising at the rate of a foot an hour, Caraway said, and had already reached the top of the first floor.</p>
<p>"It's dumping all the lake water in Orleans Parish," she said. "It's essentially running down Canal Street. We have whitecaps on Canal Street.</p>
<p>"We now are completely surrounded by 6 feet of water and are about to get on the phone with Federal Emergency Management Agency to start talking about evacuation plans," Caraway said.</p>
<p>"The water is rising so fast, I can't even begin to describe how fast it is rising."</p>
<p>She did not know whether any pumps had been turned on to pump the water but said, "They're not going to be able to compete with Lake Pontchartrain."</p>
<p>A system of levees and pumping stations usually protects the city, most of which sits below sea level.</p>
<p>Tulane hospital already had moved its emergency room to the second floor, she said. It has been on emergency generator power for the last 24 hours, but she said if water continued rising rapidly, it would swamp the power source and electricity would be lost.</p>
<p>"We have patients on respirators," she said. There are more than 1,000 people in the hospital, and most of the patients are critically ill, meaning they would have to be evacuated by air, she said.</p>
<p>Tulane hospital's command center later reported the rate of rising water had slowed to about an inch an hour, and an official there said evacuations at the hospital had been postponed.
[/quote]
<p>Based on what I've read and seen now, we have to go back and get our son and his roommate out of Jackson and bring them here to NC for the duration, but we can't get any information or any contact with anyone! Has anyone here had any contact with anyone in Jackson?</p>
<p>My mom is in Hattiesburg, 1.5 hours south of Jackson, and I haven't been able to reach her since yesterday afternoon. ("circuits are busy") Hattiesburg lost power yesterday about 8:30 a.m.</p>
<p>This has got to be scarey and nerve racking for a lot of families....when it is over there will be some interesting stories to tell. Best of luck, our prayers are with you.</p>
<p>ctymomteacher:</p>
<p>Concerneddad's S is in Jackson as an EMT from Tulane. Concerneddad posts regular updates on the cafe.</p>