-- COMMUNITY TRYING TO CUT
THEIR WAY THROUGH ROADS TO REACH
THE PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP MOST.
>> THANK YOU.
JOINING US BY PHONE IS THE MAYOR
OF LAKE CHARLES NICK HUNTER.
GOOD MORNING.
IT’S 24 HOURS SINCE WE LAST
SPOKE.
YOU’VE BEEN ABLE TO SURVEY THE
DAMAGE.
WHAT IS THE STATE OF LAKE
CHARLES THIS MORNING?
>> WELL, THE STATE OF LAKE
CHARLES, GOOD QUESTION.
LAKE CHARLES IS A LOT DIFFERENT
THAN IT WAS 48 HOURS AGO.
IT’S THE -- THIS EVENT HAS
REALLY DEALT US A PRETTY HEAVY
BLOW.
>> YOU WERE OUT AND ABOUT.
TELL ME ABOUT SOME OF THE SCENES
YOU SAW.
WE’RE LOOKING AT THE FOOTAGE.
IT’S HARD TO SEE AND I CAN’T
EVEN IMAGINE HOW YOU FEEL AS THE
MAYOR OF THAT COMMUNITY.
>> WELL, WHEN I FIRST GOT OUT OF
THE BUNKER AFTER THE STORM, I
EXPECTED TO SEE SOME ROOT
DAMAGE.
I MEAN, I EXPECTED TO SEE SOME
FLOODING, SOME TREES IN THE
ROAD.
WE SAW THAT.
WE SAW POWER LINES.
WHAT I DIDN’T EXPECT TO SEE WAS
THERE WERE LITERAL ENTIRE
BUILDINGS THAT HAD BEEN BLOWN
APART.
THERE WERE FACADES OF BRICK
BUILDINGS THAT HAD BEEN AROUND
FOR A HUNDRED YEARS THAT WERE
BLOWN DOWN.
I MEAN, I WAS REALLY BLOWN AWAY
BY THE DEVASTATION OF SOME OF
THESE BUILDINGS.
IT WAS PRETTY INTENSE.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT SEARCH AND
RESCUE.
DO YOU FEEL THERE ARE PEOPLE AS
WE SPEAK THIS MORNING WHO ARE
STILL STRANDED OR NEED HELP?
OR DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A
HANDLE ON THE NEED THERE IN
TERMS OF PEOPLE?
>> I AM ACTUALLY GOING TO BE
VERY OPTIMISTIC RIGHT NOW AND
SAY THAT WE ARE NOT SEEING THE
PEOPLE STRANDED IN THEIR HOMES
OR NEEDING TO GET OUT OF THEIR
HOMES AT THIS POINT LIKE YOU
WOULD WITH OTHER STORMS.
BECAUSE WE DIDN’T HAVE THE STORM
SURGE.
WE DIDN’T HAVE THE FLOODED
WATERS.
AND I HAVE GOT TO GIVE A LOT OF
KUDOS TO OUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT, OUR LOCAL PUBLIC
SAFETY, THE NATIONAL GUARD.
I MEAN, THERE’S BEEN A HECK OF
AN EFFORT AND PEOPLE ARE WORKING
THEIR TAILS OFF LIKE A WELL
OILED MACHINE.
AND I REALLY DO FEEL LIKE A LOT
OF PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO GET OUT
OF THEIR HOMES DID IT.
AND SO NOW IT’S JUST PICKING UP
THE PIECES.
>> YES.
THESE ARE TOUGH DAYS.
I MEAN, THE POWER IS OUT.
AND THEN I UNDERSTAND THE WATER
PLANT WAS DAMAGED, PERHAPS
DESTROYED.
SO WHAT IS THE STATE OF AFFAIRS
THERE IN TERMS OF POWER AND
WATER AND THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE
NEED?
>> YEAH.
THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT
MESSAGE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE PEOPLE
WHO ARE OUTSIDE OF LAKE CHARLES
THINKING ABOUT COMING BACK, THEY
NEED TO BE REALLY BLUNT WITH
THEMSELVES ABOUT THE HARSH
REALITY OF WHAT THEY’RE COMING
BACK TO.
THEY ARE COMING BACK TO A CITY
WITHOUT POWER.
AND OUR COMPANY HAS NOT SAID
THIS, BUT I’M WILLING TO SAY IT.
IT’S GOING TO BE AT LEAST A
WEEK, PERHAPS WEEKS BEFORE POWER
WILL BE IN EVERY PART OF LAKE
CHARLES.
THE CITY OF LAKE CHARLES, WE
ADMINISTER OUR LOCAL WATER
COMPANY.
WE HAVE SIX WATER PLANTS ON A
GOOD DAY.
ONE WAS COMPLETELY OBLITERATED.
I MEAN, JUST WIPED OFF THE MAP.
TWO ARE NOT WORKING.
THREE ARE WORKING A LITTLE.
I’M TELLING PEOPLE THAT WHEN YOU
TURN ON THE FAUCET, IT’S A
TRICKLE.
AND I WISH I HAD AN ETA ON WHEN
THAT WAS GOING TO BE FIXED.
BUT WE DON’T.
AND I’M SORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT WE
JUST GOT HIT WITH THE LARGEST
HURRICANE TO HIT LOUISIANA IN
THE LAST 150 YEARS.
WHEN SOMEONE SAYS WHEN IS THE
WATER PRESSURE GOING TO BE ON,
MY ANSWER IS I DON’T KNOW.
WE’RE TRYING TO ASSESS WHAT
HAPPENED TO THE PLANT.
>> MR. MAYOR, YOU’VE GOT SO MUCH
WORK IN FRONT OF YOU.
I’M SURE YOUR COMMUNITY
APPRECIATES THE STRAIGHT TALK
EVEN IF THE MESSAGE IS HARD TO
HEAR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS