Reply #281: Sep 3: Fearing riots, Guard rejects food airdrops

[mom cat]

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=30538&archive=true

Fearing riots, Guard rejects food airdrops
Officials exploring other options for delivering supplies

By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, September 3, 2005



ARLINGTON, Va. — Authorities are avoiding airdropping provisions into New Orleans — the traditional way of supplying disaster victims — out of fear of sparking riots, a state official said.

While the military has used helicopters to drop provisions to some stranded in New Orleans, authorities have not launched the massive supply airdrops seen in Afghanistan at the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Several C-130 Hercules aircraft are stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, but authorities have not ordered them to drop supplies to flood victims, Arkansas Air National Guard officials said.

Airdropping supplies could actually worsen the situation, said Army National Guard Lt. Kevin Cowan, with the state Office of Emergency Preparedness.