Can't contact a loved one after Hurricane Katrina? Check here for link to SATURN

I haven’t heard from my father yet who lives a few miles east of Biloxi, MS. He’s no fool when it comes to hurricanes, though, so I know he wouldn’t have stayed but I don’t know how far he would’ve traveled. At 76 years old, I cannot imagine him driving very far. Like a lot of people, he has pets he dearly loves which is a problem during hurricanes since the shelters won’t allow them. Late last night I watched news footage of an elderly woman and her dog get rescued. She didn’t live far from the Superdome but chose to ride out the storm at home. I have to wonder whether her little doggy was the reason why.

Hurricane Katrina blew hard, even way over here on the Florida panhandle. Dryer than most storms, the wind felt more like a hot blast from an overheated city bus than a sea breeze thanks to the 90-degree Gulf. It’s hot down here and I cannot imagine the suffering felt by all the lost souls waiting for rescue. Should you think they’re waiting it out in decent weather, think again. It’s soupy and hot outside, the kind of weather that turns an inhale into a physical chore.

Looking for more news, I browsed http://wlox.com and found a link to the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATURN) Health and Welfare Information Request form. It takes a while to load due to high traffic, but it’s a comforting tool for finding a lost loved one.