Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album for the Gulf Coast Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album for the Gulf Coast Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album for the Gulf Coast is an album which presents songs recorded in September and October 2005, shortly after the failure of misdesigned levees flooded New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina (see: "Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans") With the destruction of their hometown fresh in their minds, New Orleans artists set about making music that directly acknowledges the city. Funds from the sale of the record is donated to Habitat For Humanity to aid those affected by the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
Hurricane preparedness for New Orleans Hurricane Ivan's threat to the city resulted in the largest evacuation of the city to date. Mayor Ray Nagin issued a call for a voluntary evacuation of the city at 6 pm on September 13. An estimated 600,000 or more evacuated from Greater New Orleans. The contraflow plan was put into full effect for the first time, but rather late in the evacuation due to various confusions. This proved valuable practice, for the contraflow was implemented much more smoothly in 2005. Hurricane Pam was a hypothetical hurricane used as a disaster scenario to drive planning for a 13-parish area in