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St. Bernard Parish, La. -- For five days, the world forgot about St.
Bernard Parish.

Just across the Mississippi River from New Orleans and only a 15-minute
drive from Bourbon Street, the parish received no U.S. government
assistance for almost a week after Hurricane Katrina struck.

The 6,000 residents stranded in its mix of marshland, oil refineries,
blighted houses and sprawling new subdivisions were left to fend for
themselves, including 34 people who died in a nursing home here.

"I guess nobody knew we were here," said St. Bernard Parish
Councilwoman Judy Hoffmeister, who on Wednesday recalled being trapped
on the roof of a building, awaiting rescue, on the night of the storm.
"Why wouldn't somebody say, 'Where's St. Bernard?' "

At first, the only rescuers on hand were the residents and officials of
St. Bernard Parish. Two days after Katrina hit, a team of Canadian
Mounties from Vancouver showed up to help, and a sprinkling of
officials from neighboring parishes paid visits, but it would be days
before there was any sign of assistance from the U.S. government.