La Ronge Visitor To New Orleans Tells Story

La Ronge Visitor To New Orleans Tells Story

Thursday, September 08, 2005 at 13:02

A La Ronge woman recounted her horrific ordeal in New Orleans to reporters at a news conference in Saskatoon yesterday.

Jill Johnson said she and her friend, Larry Mitzel, had no place to go after being forced from their hotel in the days after Hurricane Katrina struck.

Johnson noted that the city was in a state of martial law, and law enforcement officers had been ordered to shoot to kill anyone on the streets after curfew.

Johnson said because they had no other option, they were out on the street after curfew.

Johnson was especially frustrated with a lack of a coordinated evacuation plan, noting the National Guard members they happened to see the first few days were not interested in helping them get out.

She and Mitzel described filthy conditions at a staging area they were eventually taken to.

Johnson indicated seeing the plight of tired, hungry and frightened children will probably be her worst memory from the experience.