Hurricane Katrina was a horrible devastation, while it could not be stopped, better action could have been taken both by the government and the citizens of New Orleans. Having lived in Florida for nine years, I understand the ominous threat of disasters caused from hurricanes and tropical storms. When I first heard about the magnitude of hurricane Katrina and the devastation it caused, I thought of how I felt when hurricane Andrew struck in 1992. The first day of school had been cancelled, and I remember preparing our house for the storm, filling our tub with water, stocking up on the necessities, and hoping for the best. It was a scary feeling one that I am sure was felt by each and every one of the Katrina victims. When I first heard about the storm, I couldn\'t understand why with such a huge storm looming, more people weren\'t evacuated before the storm ever hit. The storm also reminded me of stories my dad had told me of when his home town was hit with a massive flood. He told me of the countless weeks he spent digging the mud out of his home, of the friends he had lost, and all of the artifacts of his life that had been taken by the flood. I know that these people are going through the same thing. Trying to reclaim what little they can salvage. I think the charities I see everyday, and the government aid being provided are very helpful. Hopefully steps will be taken to ensure that people are alerted well in advance, and more importantly that more people will be willing to evacuate, if an event like this is to occur again.