Clarkson and (from left to right) Reverend David Goodine, Chief Joseph Matthews, Col. Terry Ebbert, Michael Smith, and Pastor James Nelson Brown.
New Orleans, LA – August 26, 2010 - At today’s City Council meeting, in commemoration of the five year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Council Vice President Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson and the City Council payed tribute to several heroes of Hurricane Katrina – former Director of Homeland Security for New Orleans Colonel Terry Ebbert, New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) Deputy Superintendent Joseph Matthews, former Captain of the Port of New Orleans Frank Paskewich, Hyatt General Manager Michael Smith, Fischer Community Church Bishop James Nelson Brown, and former St. Paul Lutheran Church Pastor David L. Goodine.
“Each of these ‘Katrina heroes’ played a unique and vital role during and after the storm,” said Clarkson, who remained in New Orleans throughout Hurricane Katrina, then serving as District “C” Councilmember. “Col. Ebbert’s leadership and coordination was unparalleled and saved thousands of lives. Chief Matthews ran the Emergency Operations Center and helped evacuate thousands of people from the City. Captain Paskewich masterfully commanded the Mississippi River during this disaster. Michael Smith opened the Hyatt as a center of operations. And Bishop Brown and Reverend Goodine were some of the first to distribute food, social services, and medical supplies and services after Katrina.”
Clarkson presents proclamations to these "Katrina heroes."
Colonel Ebbert, former Director of Homeland Security for the City of New Orleans, served as “incident commander” during Hurricane Katrina and coordinated the local, state, and federal response. His unprecedented leadership and command of first responders, in conjunction with the military, especially the Coast Guard, was the most significant factor in saving 20,000 lives.
Chief Joseph Matthews is Deputy Superintendent of the New Orleans Fire Department. During Hurricane Katrina, Chief Matthews ran the Emergency Operations Center. He effectively led the evacuation of people still in New Orleans during the days after Katrina before those people had to be rescued by air or boat.
Captain Frank Paskewich, United States Coast Guard, was Commander of the New Orleans Sector and Captain of the Port during Hurricane Katrina. He commanded the most intense river in the United States for maritime and commercial traffic during the greatest disaster in the history of the country with no major incidents.
Michael Smith is general manager of the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans. Under his leadership, the Hyatt served as a center of operations during the days after Hurricane Katrina, orchestrating delivery of provisions to the City, assisting the military in evacuating the Superdome, and providing space and meals for city officials, fire and police personnel, emergency medical services, the National Guard, FEMA, and others.
Bishop James Nelson is the pastor of Fischer Community Church in Algiers. The Tuesday after Katrina, he opened food distribution centers, only one of two open in the City during that time. Bishop Brown also distributed hot meals to the elderly and infirm and opened up a social services center. With the help and approval of Dr. Vangie Franklin, of the New Orleans Health Department, Pastor Brown opened up a medical clinic with the National Guard and Army to give minor health care and inoculations, and to stabilize patients until they could be transported to full-service hospitals.
Clarkson honors Reverend Goodine with a proclamation from the City Council.
Reverend David L. Goodine was pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Faubourg Marigny during Hurricane Katrina. Like Pastor Brown, he opened a food distribution center on the Eastbank of New Orleans the Tuesday after Hurricane Katrina that served residents citywide. He also opened up a social services center and a medical clinic. Reverend Goodine was sent to New York City by the Lutheran Church to work as Mission Developer for the Queens Tri-Parish Association in 2009. He is now back in New Orleans, working as the executive director of Recovery Assistance Inc. in New Orleans East.
