Summary
CONTRAFLOW: A Katrina Heptalogy, is a concise and comprehensive look into the 3 weeks surrounding Hurricane Katrina; providing new insight into Greater New Orleans during what was arguably the biggest disaster and largest rescue effort in American history.
Our seven-part “literary miniseries” will take the reader through the six phases of evacuation as experienced by most of the survivors, which were flooded one story home ~ neighbor’s two-story ~ neighborhood school ~ elevated highway/levee ~ major collection point ~ bus transit points/airports ~ host city shelters, as well as document the flow of responders into the Gulf Coast region. CONTRAFLOW is the literary result of nine years of independent research conducted by M. Darryl Woods under the auspices of The Contraflow Project.
This unprecedented independent study involved documenting over a thousand Katrina survivors and responders, including access to personnel from the US Army, US Navy, USAF, USCG, USACE, USFWS, FEMA and the FAA. CONTRAFLOW pays homage to all of the emergency responders from the federal DHS and DOD down to the state game wardens and National Guard to the local public safety officials and survivors by revealing their experiences.
CONTRAFLOW will also place you in the room with the political, governmental and military decision makers. Most importantly, events from the first week of Katrina are finally put into sequential context. We believe that once the sequence of events is understood, the true story of Katrina can be understood. It was initially inspired by brothers Richard Mathieu and Emanuel Mathieu, Katrina responders, guardians and survivors. His strength and leadership during those apocalyptic days are legendary, and the heart and soul of this surreal but all so real American story.
CONTRAFLOW is the ultimate independent study of the Katrina evacuation, response and rescue efforts. It is told in five parts by independent researcher and author M. D. Woods in a third person narrative format in the chronological order of the unfolding events; and is void of blame, media bias, demographic stereotyping, political agendas and race-carding.
This landmark book series delves into survival stories, emergency response, crisis management, military campaigns, political intrigue, cultural geography, American history, mass communications (media watchdog), phases of grief, and triumph of the human spirit. CONTRAFLOW is targeted for the mass audience. Yet, it is a must read for anyone involved in or concerned about public safety. If you do not know what really happened in New Orleans during Katrina, then how can you help prepare your own community to avoid becoming…the next “New Orleans.”
Dedicated to the Mathieu Brothers, the New Orleans 7th Ward and ALL Katrina Responders! Publishing Date: 2021-2022