Former Nicholls student and U.S. congressman Charlie Melancon said that the state did everything it could in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. He made a visit to the Nicholls community on Monday and discussed current events with students in the Le Bijou Theatre. Melancon spoke with students about coastal erosion, his interview on Fox News and the general politics, but Hurricane Katrina was the main focus during the meeting. Melancon shared his aspect of relief efforts and those involved.

“I think the state did everything that they could do,” Melancon said. “People were saying, ‘The mayor of New Orleans (Ray Nagin) had all those buses out there, why didn’t they use them?’ People were in their cars evacuating, like they were asked to. When that bulk of people was out of the city, he then went to transporting those people who couldn’t do for themselves, the elderly people who were sick.”

According to Melancon, the Superdome is supposed to be able to withstand 200 mph winds.

“That’s the safest place in the city I would think,” Melancon said. “Because it had problems, it’s not his (Nagin’s) fault.”

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was supposed to show up immediately following the disaster, but they did not, Melancon said.

“Don’t blame Mike Brown. He’s not at fault. When the President took FEMA from a cabinet level position where the secretary of FEMA answered directly to the President, that’s when the problem started.”

Melancon said that he agrees with what Nagin said about sending war ships to the Middle East in 24 hours and not being able to send help to New Orleans as quickly as that.

“He’s right,” Melancon said, “We can send a man to the moon, but for some reason we couldn’t get the man-power and the equipment and goods and services that were needed down in New Orleans, Biloxi and Slidell.”

Melancon believes that now the focus of this country should be on saving New Orleans and those surrounding areas that have been devastated.