Hurricane Katrina: The 20th Anniversary

August 31st, 2005, Hurricane Katrina makes landfall and devastates New Orleans and the surrounding regions iof Louisiana. I didn't know what to expect. I didn't even have any real hard news experience at the time, only some "soft" magazine stuff during my stint at Irving Community Television Network. I got this assignment on a fluke. I just bought a used BetacamSP camera from Joe Cantu over at Texas World Television, he got the call, gave me the job, and he was even kind enough to give me an older camera and tripod while he used mine in a cleaner environment so that I wasn't risking my own gear.

I was on assignment for GMTV, which is the British equivalent of Good Morning America. My reporter was Sue Jameson. I picked her up at DFW airport and started driving East. We thought that ground zero was going to be Gulfport, Mississippi, so we were heading East on I-20 and were going to start heading South once we hit Jackson. That was not the case. By the time we hit Monroe, there were huge cloud bands above our heads and up to 1-inch thick tree branches falling down on my Ford Escape. We called the news desk and they told us that the radar showed the storm heading straight towards New Orleans. We pulled over to gather our thoughts and maybe some b-roll. The wind was so strong even that far inland that as soon as I opened the door, it almost ripped my arm off trying to keep it from getting pried off it's hinges. I started to get some rain gear on, but there were some signs rattling and flying around and it was too dangerous.

Time for plan-B.

We bought some gas cans and found some gas after trying a couple of stations, because power was already getting knocked out everywhere. We started heading South to meet up with a Satellite truck in Baton Rouge.

Sue did her live shot and we had to sleep on the floor in the lobby that night, as all the rooms were booked up with evacuees. The next day we headed to La Place, and found a lot of people stranded at a gas station, with locals bringing food to help them out. It was heart-warming to see how kind people are when they come together to help others. Sue also gave some people gas to help people get on their way. Solid.

There were a lot of evacuees in Baton Rouge trying to find their lost relatives so we did a lot of reporting on what was going on there and I couldn't help but get a bit touched when I saw a woman being reunited with her sister. It's crazy how a disaster like Katrina can disrupt our fragile lives.

The next day we headed into New Orleans. It's a long drive from Baton Rouge. You don't realize how big Louisiana is and the distances involved until you drive it yourself. I was hearing all the stories of armed looters and the police at roadblocks were telling us to be safe, so I was definitely on high alert the whole time.

The first point we stopped at was in New Orleans was I-10 and Causeway Blvd. This was where the helicopters were dropping people off from their rescues. There were hundreds of people just lining the medians sitting on the curbs with trash and debris all around them, just lucky and glad to be alive. We got down to the water and talked to Mitch Savoy about rescuing people in his boat. When we got back, I really got a close look at the chaos. I've never been in combat or a war zone, but the sense of survival and desperation was thick in the air, and the constant noise of National Guard helicopters added to the chaos.

We had some water bottles and gave some people water, and I even let a couple of people use my cell phone so they could call relatives. But, we had an assignment to do and had to keep moving. We walked around the freeway, with my ultralight on. Some people literally told us to get that camera out of their face. I politely obliged. Moving on to the next person. After gathering enough for a package, Sue did some live hits from the roadside, and then we fed the tapes that I shot that day from the Satellite truck.

By that time, things were getting hairy down on the freeway. A lot of rescued people did not have their meds, or were simply stressed out. I don't blame them. Everyone moved to the top of the freeway onto the overpass for safety. I did some live hits up there for TV New Zealand as well.

We got to Slidell to do a morning hit and slept in our SUV for a couple of nights if I recall correctly. Sometimes, the days just blur together when you're working in news. It takes a certain kind of person to do this kind of work. Lots of grit and not being afraid to stick a lens in someones face and ask questions. For me, news is about getting the word out and helping people by seeing what's going on and vouching for the unfortunate. I serve the public and I am honored to do so.

After another all-nighter, I simply set up the Betacam on playback out the back of the SUV and let Sue write away. She really has a way with words and I admire her journalistic skill. In the picture, you'll notice my LCD monitor along with an old Lectrosonics UCR 187 VHF wireless receiver. At first, I had the XLR wrapped around the battery plate and velcroed that way, but it kept coming loose as soon as I changed batteries. No gaffer tape, so I had to put it in place with electrical tape. I think all news photogs have a little bit of McGyver in their blood.

Our last story was about all of the Hurricane Babies back in Baton Rouge. It was a welcome relief to get back into the AC and do a bit of a happier story.

We spent a total of 1.5 weeks in Louisiana covering the storm. My condolences to this day to those who lost their lives, to those whose lives were seriously affected, and to those who were displaced from this beautiful historic city, which has so much history and culture. This is the birthplace of Jazz, Mardi-Gras and Cajun food. Things that we all know and love.

I'll post a link to the news packages in the comments. If you need stock footage from Hurricane Katrina, I'll post a link there as well.

Thanks for reading!

-Jacques Star