When you see people eaten alive by red ants and the city bursting into flames, let me know.

I didn't deny the situation was dramatic, I just warned against unneccesarily overdramatizing it, something Van Heerden has been doing everywhere. It's scary enough as it is...

Gal Beckerman

Seeing where the situation is today, I'm not thinking van Heerden, who was in a position to have some idea of the potential consequences, was overdramatizing much. He didn't say "eaten alive by red ants," he was talking about fire ants, which are aggressive and painful, and he said they would "win," which I didn't take to mean that the victim would be eaten alive, but would be forced off the "pole" and into the flood waters.

You misquote van Heerden re. fires. He says in the article you linked that "we could end up with some pretty severe and large -- area-wise -- fires," and he attributes these to gasoline on the water, not "toxic soup."

Perhaps the "overdramatizing" was in your head, and not van Heerden's. I still think you owe him an apology.

Ivor van Heerden was making these "dramatic" predictions in January 1993:

If a storm like Georges hits New Orleans, it would flood the city with 14 to 17 feet of water, van Heerden said.

"Obviously, all infrastructure would fail and it would leave up to 300,000 people stranded. We're not sure how many would die -- there are various estimates, some of them very alarming," van Heerden said.

The survivors would still face tremendous health problems, such as the spread of disease after the storm and overcrowded hospitals.

Estimates say it would takes weeks to pump the city dry.

Complicating the scene would be contamination that would be released from plants, pipelines, landfills, animal carcasses and vehicles.

"In essence, you would be looking at the proverbial witch's brew in the water, and unfortunately, the air would also be somewhat contaminated," van Heerden said.

Even the people who were able to evacuate from New Orleans before the storm hit would face tremendous problems, he said.

"There would be over 1 million people who would be homeless, and we would have to create refugee camps," van Heerden said.

http://hurricane.lsu.edu/_in_the_news/jan03_advocate.html

Dramatic, yes. "Unneccesarily overdramatizing"? Um, I don't think so.

I’ve meet Ivor and he and I discussed this exact scenario two years ago, he did not strike me as a man who would be an alarmist just a very intelligent and personable fellow, who has tried to tell people in authority and government for years what we are seeing now.

The two times I've seen this van Heerden interviewed he didn't say (or I didn't catch it) when these studies were done and who the FEMA woman he talked with was and who the white house aid was that took the CD he made of his study and data.

He's been making these predictions since 1993. Were the city government officials and state officials also in that meeting or included in the loop??? I sure would hope so.

And since he said that alot of people knew this; why was there not more of an effort to get everyone out of there by the local/state officials?

If FEMA officials were positioned in Baton Rouge; what was the hold up (I heard because of total infrastructure collaspe - cell towers, wire communications which the police and firefighters depend on were out?)Lack of coordination??? Lack of instructions? How did they find the survivors or know where to look? (how does a study/data show you how to do this?)

I guess I just have a lot of questions on how else this could have been running more smoothly.

Am praying for healing for all survivors and forgiveness.

"USELESS" LEVEES, DAMS, PUMPING STATIONS, & BRIDGES FAILURE WAS FORESEEABLE & INDEED FORESEEN!

PLEASE CONTACT IVOR VAN HEERDEN? GET THIS MESSAGE TO HIM. HE WILL WANT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED. HE MUST KNOW ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT SUPPORTS HIS LATEST ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE LEVEES & DAMS WEREN'T BUILT TO WITHSTAND THE STORM. The next study should include preplanned failure of protection around city of N.O. It radically changes the outcome/results of study.

In 1981 I discovered that levees, dams, bridges, pumping stations, roads, etc - were being built in and around N.O. and along Gulf Coastal Areas into FL with unstable, unsafe, inferior, or SUBSTANDARD MATERIALS. I started trying to warn people but they wouldn't believe me. Atty Jacqueline Carr of Slidell sent me & my evidence to see then Asst. US Atty Curtis Collier. Companies/employees/ & others were indicted because of my evidence. I WARNED EVERYBODY THAT THE LEVEES WOULD "NOT" HOLD, & that DAMS WOULD BURST, & that bridges would collapse, & that New Orleans would go under water, & peoples bodies would float through the streets of New Orleans! Atty Thomas Gray of Slidell (on behalf of his client) persuaded Judge France Watt (Covington) to issue a GAG ORDER against me. My then Atty Patricia Hedges(became a Covington Judge shortly thereafter) warned me that if I did NOT obey the GAG Order, that they would put me in jail and that I might lose my children IF I DID NOT KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT! I asked Hedges if that was legal to keep me from talking to the FBI & she said "Don't talk to anybody not even the FBI". Atty Curtis Collier subpoenaed me to appear before Grand Jury. The guilty persons somehow managed to get charges reduced to MAIL FRAUD. These people were only a few of the participants who undermined the protection around N.O. & various places by buying government contract awards with KICKBACKS. Some of the corrupt Companies (not all companies were involved in corruption) would buy substandard materials from Steel Equipment & Supply Co's real cheap, but all corrupt participants got a cut of the money (which I call blood money). "SOME" Army Corps of Engineer Inspectors & others, were bribed to pass the Substandard material by written reports that the materials met specs. Every corrupt person who participated MADE A LOT OF MONEY. I was threatened & it was made clear to me that the system at work ran very high into politics (Gov King & later Edwards) were a couple of high positions that were indicated to me. My house was firebombed, but police said there was no proof who? There were several attempted break-ins, but the police said there just wasn't any proof who? I was incessantly stalked, hounded, harassed till I could withstand NO MORE. So I fled & have tried to keep a low profile (tried to hide) yet I stuck my neck out every now & then to WARN anybody who would listen. I was always met with skepticism, sarcasm, cynicism. I was told that I needed mental help & it goes on & on. KICKBACKS, BRIBERY, CORRUPTION UP THE YANG YANG built DANGEROUS levees, dams, pumping stations (you name it). The taxpayers were defrauded out of their tax money to build protective sites with materials that were supposed to meet special specifications. I am afraid to mention the names of the persons I am aware of who participated in criminal activities. I don't know what might happen if my story gets out in public print. I don't want publicity or money or recognition. I would like simply to tell Ivor Van Heerden & his trusted associates WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO New Orleans! If we don't stop the plugging up & repairs by the same guys who created this halocaust in the first place, can you imagine what the NEXT crisis might be like. I want to cooperate with Mr. Van Heerden because I think he is a man with a conscience & a man of integrity. I don't trust most people any more - BECAUSE I CAN'T. I have names to provide to start at the bottom; then follow the money & papertrail I suppose, to get to the masterminds of this horror in N.O. I received a letter from Atty Curtis Collier commending me for my efforts. I have a copy of the subpoena. I don't remember what all I have other than some names that have stuck in my memory. I may have a tape or two of dirty dealings. This whole case is extremely complex, but I really am an ordinary person who has never engaged in crime or hurting people in any way. I abhor what I learned about the N.O. corruption, but I haven't been able to stop it or prevent anything. If Mr. Van Heerden could email me perhaps, maybe we could discuss what I know, to see if he would like to pursue the information I can provide. Mr. Van Heerden, if you read this, YOU ARE MY HERO! You've been through hellish situations like me, such as ridicule, hateful cursewords, denouncing credibility. When this is all over, many people will come forward to say that "they knew you telling the truth all along". As for myself I just want to salvage as many lives as I can & acquire justice for the innocent victims, but then afterwards, I want to be left the heck alone! So I don't want to be identified EVER unless it is imperative. Surely there is something to be done that can conceal my identity? It has left me scarred, however I have tried to reach people in forums and blogs. Everyone is cynical calling me an alarmist because they don't want to hear that the construction sites failed because they weren't built to actually protect people or New Orleans. I've had about all the giggles and laughs and sarcastic remarks I can handle. Mr. Van Heerdon, are you in a position to demand an investigation - I mean a REAL thorough scrutiny of the system? This is all over my head actually, so I don't know who to turn to. Obviously not the authorities? So Who if not "YOU"? At last somebody competent who gets it! Not only gets it, but goes out on a limb to try to save people, then just gets the laughter & ridicule. I am so sorry Mr. Van Heerden.

With utmost RESPECT,
aard2hear