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issued this warning earlier today; let me read you a few excerpts: ‘Hurricane Katrina . . . A most powerful hurricane with unprecedented strength . . . Devastating damage expected . . . Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks . . . perhaps longer. At least one half of well-constructed homes will have roof and wall failure . . . leaving those homes severely damaged or destroyed. The majority of industrial buildings will become nonfunctional. Partial to complete wall and roof failure is expected. All wood-framed low-rising apartment buildings will be destroyed. Concrete-block low-rise apartments will sustain major damage . . . including some wall and roof failure. High-rise office and apartment buildings will sway dangerously . . . a few to the point of total collapse. All windows will blow out. Airborne debris will be widespread . . . and may include heavy items such as household appliances and even light vehicles . . . The blown debris will create additional destruction. Persons . . . pets . . . and livestock exposed to the winds will face certain death if struck. Power outages will last for weeks . . . as most power poles will be down and transformers destroyed. Water shortages will make human suffering incredible by modern standards.’”
    Denny stopped reading and looked at the group. From the back of the room, someone let out a low whistle.
    “Are there any predictions about casualties yet?” Nick asked.
    “There’s just no way to tell,” Denny replied. “All we can do is prepare for the worst. They estimate that about a million people have left the greater New Orleans area so far; nobody knows how many have chosen to remain behind. Mayor Nagin has opened up ten emergency shelters for them, including the New Orleans Superdome. I’ve been told that facility stocks thirty-six hours’ worth of food in reserve. The city is surrounded by water on three sides, and 70 percent of it is below sea level. Our DPMU is capable of processing 140 bodies a day for as long as we have to be here. We brought twenty-five thousand body bags with us; let’s just pray we take some home.”
    “What about the levees?” someone asked. “Are they expected to hold?”
    “The Army Corps of Engineers tells us that the levees were only designed to protect against a Category 3 hurricane. At the lowest points, the levees can only hold back a storm surge of about fourteen feet. Some say Katrina might double that; if that happens, the entire city will be underwater.”
    There was a pause, and then a lone voice spoke for everyone in the room: “The whole city ?”
    “That’s what they tell us. If there is significant flooding in the city, then there are going to be casualties—a lot of them—and they’re not going to be easy to identify. It happens in every flood: People get separated from their identifying documents—wallets, purses, that sort of thing. Bodies get washed around by the currents, too, so we might not even know what neighborhood the victim came from.
    “What I’m trying to say is that we’re not really sure what we’re up against yet; the next twenty-four hours will tell. As always, DMORT will be functioning under the authority of FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security, and alongside local relief and law enforcement agencies. This is a team effort, everybody, and we play just one part. The first thing I want everybody to do is get a good night’s sleep—as good as you can, under the conditions. We’ll spend tomorrow getting the DPMU in shape; then, as soon as the storm has safely passed, all nonadministrative members will be transported to New Orleans to assist in rescue efforts. You are to report to the agency in charge of the rescue efforts in that area and follow their instructions. Are there any questions?”
    Nick frowned, then slowly raised his hand.
    “Yes. Nick.”
    “Did you say, ‘Assist in rescue efforts’? I assume you meant recovery efforts.”
    “No, you heard me right. If there