Our Los Angeles and Ventura counties evacuation system performed close to flawlessly, I know people who were awakened at 2 a.m. and told to evacuate. They all got a recorded message on their home phone and cars and trucks with sirens and loudspeakers went up and down the streets. They were simply advised to evacuate and told that, if they didn’t, it was their choice and rescue efforts may not be available until too late.

I think it’s interesting that there was a couple days notice for Katrina and zero notice about our fire here in California. Without going into relief efforts after the event occurs, the fact is that our evacuation and our animal and people shelter systems were executed almost flawlessly. The Ventura County Fairgrounds was filled with evacuated large animals Friday morning. Each evacuated area was told what route to take and where animal and people shelters were located.

Are Californians smarter when told to evacuate? Are our roads better? I don’t know but, for starters, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and the state of Louisiana needs to get its rear in gear and develop a system of evacuation and readiness.

Why was this not done ages ago? They’ve had an accident waiting-to-happen longer than we have and while Katrina rescue efforts left a whole lot to be desired, an effective evacuation plan would have prevented a lot of misery — and, of course, if someone knows they need to evacuate and doesn’t, it’s kind of their responsibility, isn’t it?

Am I missing something?

— Paul Schlapper, Ventura