She rode out Katrina inside the Superdome's special-needs shelter while her own house and her parents' house were destroyed, and her dogs — barred from the Dome — died. She built the Amtrak evacuation plan for New Orleanians without cars, and stood up a post-storm clinic in the Audubon Zoo. She has lived with PTSD ever since, and teaches this material at the University of Baltimore.
In their own words
Every quote below plays the exact moment from the broadcast — just tap it.
S1·E2 — Katrina's Lessons + the September Preparedness Challenge
Rob helped me empty my house out because it was destroyed. My parents' house was destroyed. And all of that happened while I was in the Superdome taking care of patients in the special needs shelter.
New Orleans Department of Health
If you've got money, you can leave. You can get on a plane, you can get on a train, you can leave. That's if you have money and you also have the inclination and the instinct to follow the evacuation order.
New Orleans Department of Health
I couldn't bring my dogs into the Superdome, so I lost them. They passed away.
New Orleans Department of Health
What I can say as an observation is that we were not prepared, but we learned a lot, and we had a significant group of talented individuals who could think on their feet.
New Orleans Department of Health
So my phone is my daily jewelry.
New Orleans Department of Health