Five years after Hurricane Katrina, the biggest adversary for the people of the Gulf Coast continues to be the local, state and federal government.

Hurricane Katrina was a devastating storm, but the destruction was made much greater by the failure of the levees that were built to protect the city. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed levees that were supposedly built to withstand a Category 3 storm. Katrina was a strong Category 3 storm when it hit the Louisiana coast, but the levees did not hold and as a result, 80 percent of New Orleans was flooded. The devastation was immense as Katrina killed 1836 people and did $81 billion in property damage.

As we commemorate the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the worst natural and man-made disaster in American history, it is worthwhile to remember one of the storm’s biggest lessons: self-reliance. The people who survived were those who heeded the call to evacuate, while those who died remained in the city, dependent on a government that thoroughly failed to protect them. People without the means of transportation were stuck in the city amidst total chaos. All levels of government were ill-prepared to handle the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. There was certainly failure at the local level as New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin did not evacuate residents using scores of available school buses, which flooded in storm waters. He was overwhelmed by the disaster and took refuge on the top floor of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. He was overcome by the monumental disaster, but he was certainly not the only one. The New Orleans Police Department was left without credible leadership and there was anarchy in the department and on the streets of the city.

In the months and years after the storm, a rebuilding program was administered by the State of Louisiana using funds provided by the federal government. This “Road Home” program had the stamp of approval of Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco. In fact, it was called Blanco’s program, but unfortunately for the Governor it was an unmitigated failure. The Road Home program was rife with waste, mismanagement, fraud and incompetence. Disbursements to storm victims were tardy and inadequate, as the program was improperly managed by ICF, a Virginia firm with no experience in this type of activity. The program was nicknamed the “Road to Nowhere,” and it perfectly characterized the political fortunes of Governor Blanco. The program was so unpopular that Blanco decided to forgo the embarrassment and not run for re-election in the fall of 2007.

Five years after the hurricane, the New Orleans area perseveres despite constant threats from the Gulf. As new levees are being constructed, the real problem of coastal erosion remains unaddressed. The coast has been destroyed by canals constructed by oil and gas companies and the effect of serious storms over the years. Only token efforts have been made to repair a coast that is eroding at a rate of a football field every hour. This lack of action is maybe the government’s greatest failure. Without the proper coastal restoration, no amount of levee reconstruction will ever protect a city that is eight feet below sea level.

Through all of the challenges, the one constant has been the people of the Gulf Coast who remain resilient and committed to their unique region and way of life.

Congratulations are in order to the thousands of people who returned to the Gulf Coast on their own with little or no help from the government and in spite of the action and inaction of various government entities. The people of the Gulf Coast remain the true heroes in the ongoing saga of Hurricane Katrina and the long aftermath.

Jeff Crouere, a native of New Orleans and resident of Mandeville, is host of a Louisiana-based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and 10 p.m. Sundays on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7-11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM on the Northshore. For more information, visit his Web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.