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No Ordinary Heroes: 8 Doctors, 30 Nurses, 7,000 Prisoners, and a Category 5 Hurricane
Describes how the decision not to evacuate the jail prior to Hurricane Katrina affected Dr. Demaree Inglese, medical director of the jail, and his staff as they struggled to keep alive after the levees broke.
326 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 1, 2014
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Book Micro Review: No Ordinary Heroes: A Must Read For Everyone To Experience Real Life Crisis
No Ordinary Heroes: 8 Doctors, 30 Nurses, 7000 Prisoners, and a Category 5 Hurricane was released by Citadel and written by Diana G. Gallagher and Demaree Inglese during mid 2008. It is a kindle book with 337 pages but each page is a heartthrob. The story is based on a real life incident that happened in 2005, August. Demaree Inglese, who was medical head of the jail in New Orleans, was one of the residents of New Orleans and was about to face about to come Hurricane Katrina.
Like everybody else, Inglese also took it quite lightly thinking that it would not be of high gravity and shall pass in a normal manner. But everyone was proved wrong in next few days.
A must read for everyone to experience real life crisis.
Book Micro Review: No Ordinary Heroes: A Must Read For Everyone To Experience Real Life Crisis
No Ordinary Heroes: 8 Doctors, 30 Nurses, 7000 Prisoners, and a Category 5 Hurricane was released by Citadel and written by Diana G. Gallagher and Demaree Inglese during mid 2008. It is a kindle book with 337 pages but each page is a heartthrob. The story is based on a real life incident that happened in 2005, August. Demaree Inglese, who was medical head of the jail in New Orleans, was one of the residents of New Orleans and was about to face about to come Hurricane Katrina.
Like everybody else, Inglese also took it quite lightly thinking that it would not be of high gravity and shall pass in a normal manner. But everyone was proved wrong in next few days.
A must read for everyone to experience real life crisis.
October 22, 2007
As someone who was living in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina and who has also worked at a prison, this book touched me on multiple levels. It was the first book about Hurricane Katrina that I finished, probably because the others I tried to read hit too close to home. The doctors and nurses who risked their lives to help others, including those who seemed to be least grateful, had me captivated and gave me hope about humanity.
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November 28, 2007This book was written by an MD at the New Orleans prision with the help of a professional writer. I could not put it down. I meant to read it on vacation, picked it up to glance through and couldnt put it down. How the medical staff at the prision stayed through the hurricane and saved lives. Also about "just folks" who worked for days saving lives.
March 31, 2008
The author gave a vivid account of his time working in the jails of New Orleans during and immediately after Hurricane Katrina. I could not put this book down. The author provided excellent descriptions of the physical conditions at the jail, and the relationships between him and his staff. A great story of teamwork and triumph in a terrible situation.
May 6, 2016
Excellent account of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as it hit New Orleans from the perspective of a physician at the Orleans Parish Prison. Very rich in details. Reads like a thriller but is a true story. Recommend for anyone who wants a first-person viewpoint on the disaster or anyone interested in reading of heroic actions by everyday people
February 25, 2008
Good story though the writing was a little contrived--that may have been the co-author's doing.
August 30, 2013
I loved this book. I've always wondered what happened when a natural disaster struck a prison. This was well told and educational.
April 30, 2015
Had to give this 5 stars. The story of medical personal that stayed behind to take care of prisoners during and after Hurricane Katrina was amazing. Very well written.
October 14, 2017
It took me a while to read this because I ended up putting it down for some time--at first because of the news about Hurricane Harvey, and then because I was myself preparing for (and then evacuating) because of Irma; obviously, my timing of picking this up couldn't have been better or worse, depending on how you look at it.
In the end, I've got mixed feelings about it. It's a fascinating account in a lot of ways, and an inside look into a very specific and dangerous aftermath that could only be told by someone who was so directly involved as the author. On the other hand, I agree with the reviewers who've said that it felt like the melodrama was amped up to make it read, in many ways, more like an action/adventure than a memoir--I would have preferred it move more slowly, and offered more clarity and detail. Essentially, as powerful as it was, I think it would have been all the more powerful if it had gone a bit more slowly.
I also admit that I was frustrated with the fast wrap-up, and with some loose ends left undone. The author went to pains to talk about the dogs/pets who belonged to his colleagues, but though he'd mentioned that civilians weren't leaving the jail without the pets at a couple of points, he never came back to them. Perhaps he didn't want to write that people were abandoned (though we got the impression everyone was evacuated) or that pets were abandoned, but even if that's the heartbreaking case, I'm incredibly annoyed that that was a loose end which got left behind. Maybe this wouldn't bother a non-pet-owner or non-animal-person so much, but it's left a real black mark on the book for me, I have to be honest.
So, in the end, I have mixed feelings about this. I'm glad I read it, but at the same time... I don't know. It feels almost like the editors or the second author attempted to make this into a Hollywood-ized version of what really happened, thinking that the real story wasn't fast or dramatic enough as it might have been told with more detail, and with that added to a few loose ends, I'm left less impressed than I was as I read the first half of it or so, now that I've finished.
In the end, I've got mixed feelings about it. It's a fascinating account in a lot of ways, and an inside look into a very specific and dangerous aftermath that could only be told by someone who was so directly involved as the author. On the other hand, I agree with the reviewers who've said that it felt like the melodrama was amped up to make it read, in many ways, more like an action/adventure than a memoir--I would have preferred it move more slowly, and offered more clarity and detail. Essentially, as powerful as it was, I think it would have been all the more powerful if it had gone a bit more slowly.
I also admit that I was frustrated with the fast wrap-up, and with some loose ends left undone. The author went to pains to talk about the dogs/pets who belonged to his colleagues, but though he'd mentioned that civilians weren't leaving the jail without the pets at a couple of points, he never came back to them. Perhaps he didn't want to write that people were abandoned (though we got the impression everyone was evacuated) or that pets were abandoned, but even if that's the heartbreaking case, I'm incredibly annoyed that that was a loose end which got left behind. Maybe this wouldn't bother a non-pet-owner or non-animal-person so much, but it's left a real black mark on the book for me, I have to be honest.
So, in the end, I have mixed feelings about this. I'm glad I read it, but at the same time... I don't know. It feels almost like the editors or the second author attempted to make this into a Hollywood-ized version of what really happened, thinking that the real story wasn't fast or dramatic enough as it might have been told with more detail, and with that added to a few loose ends, I'm left less impressed than I was as I read the first half of it or so, now that I've finished.
August 30, 2025
GREAT book! 20 years ago the health staff at the New Orleans Jail faced a daunting task, caring for 6,500 inmates -some with serious health problems- in a severely flooded jail without power or water for 5 days, while inmates rioted and set the buildings on fire. I am still astounded by their dedication and sacrifice as well as the heroism of the guards in the prison.
January 26, 2019
While the subject has potential, the author does a poor job. It feels patronizing, and is sometimes a little preachy.
It does give one a good idea of the tactical reality of the reactions to natural disasters.
It does give one a good idea of the tactical reality of the reactions to natural disasters.
March 25, 2013
I enjoyed reading this book. Verrett, Skyles and Ross were people I worked with every day for several years at CCC Federal Divison. Our 12+ hour shifts were long days where we placed trust in one another 100 percent especially when it came to protecting lives; not only our own, but inmates lives as well. I left the sheriff's office in 2004 to move with my husband to Georgia, almost a year exactly before Katrina. After reading this book, I wish I would have been able to be there for these deputies I once worked with. So glad they are all alive and well today. This book truly sent shivers down my spine at some points. I could understand the fear of deputies leaving their post at some of the other facilities. I could only imagine the fear that set in, in a dark water-world where dangerous inmates lived and began breaking out of. Sounds alone in those old building could be nerve-wracking enough. I used to work on H-side at Phase III back in 01-03. Inmates used to constanly pop cells using dominoes or any other object they could find to keep their cell door from locking, leaving deputies vulnerable when they would have to go in the tiers to remove such items. I did this on several occasions. At any time an inmate could have taken advantage of that situation. I couldn't tell you how many shanks we would find when we would have leads from other inmates, which led to shake downs. But from working constantly with these guys, you realize it is more about respect. You give respect and they give respect back, but you always know to never let your guard down. One thing I remember during our training, NTAFI...Never Trust A F*#*ing Inmate. Crude words, but in that (world), words to live by. Excellent book Dr. Inglese!
July 4, 2010
This book is fortunate to receive one star from me. One of many books released in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, this book looked like an interesting story. The retelling of the events that unfolded at the New Orleans Jail during this time could well be an interesting one.
But, this tome was written in an extremely melodramatic, first-person, conversational style, and early on I asked myself how the good doctor who wrote it could have remembered or observed all of that occured here. Well, it turns out that he didn't. In the back of the book, under "Author's Note," I found the following statement: "I have made every effort to keep the account as factual as possible. The dialogue was, by neccesity, recreated."
This read was an absolute and total waste of money and time.
But, this tome was written in an extremely melodramatic, first-person, conversational style, and early on I asked myself how the good doctor who wrote it could have remembered or observed all of that occured here. Well, it turns out that he didn't. In the back of the book, under "Author's Note," I found the following statement: "I have made every effort to keep the account as factual as possible. The dialogue was, by neccesity, recreated."
This read was an absolute and total waste of money and time.
September 11, 2011
Really interesting story about the medical staff who kept guards, prisoners and civilians alive in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Yes, the decision should have been made to evacuate the prisoners prior to the storm, but considering all the damage, lack of basic services and chaos post-storm, all agencies did an amazing job keeping things in control. Can you even imagine being in a jail cell with no electricity, no food, no water and your cell is starting to flood??? Unreal.
March 7, 2016
Dr Inglese is the medical director of the New Orleans city jail. When Hurricane Katrina was approaching the administrators refused to evacuate the prison compound. The prison staff and prisoners were forced to face the hurricane alone and with out much needed supplies. Good and interesting book overall.
February 23, 2008
prepublication copy. Good record of a short period of time in a dangerous environment. The author appears to be something of an adrenalin junkie, and this was a situation that assuredly would pump a person full of it.
April 30, 2008
Wow... this reads like an action movie! Incredible glimpse into surviving the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the New Orleans jail. "Heroes" is a good description of those people who kept the jail intact. Amazing.
July 30, 2008
I learned that New Orleans was woefully unprepared for flooding - despite the fact that much of the town is below river level. Who the hell builds a building with a basement in a town which could go underwater? This is a gripping read.
November 29, 2016
It's very well-written but my concern at the time of reading it was (and continues to be) the veracity of the account, which seems all too happy to group people into "good guys" and "bad guys." I guess I'll never know, though. So three stars seemed like a good compromise for the rating.
June 4, 2011
This was truly an amazing book of what real people actually endured during Hurricane Katrina!! It is worth every penny!
June 17, 2011
What a great book! It really shows human nature in the time of crisis.
October 10, 2014
Wonderful story!
October 23, 2012
I think of this book every time I prepare for a hurricane! WOW!
June 2, 2015
I have read a number of true accounts of Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath. This one focused on the corrections system and the medical personnel. Strong story.
May 11, 2016
LA 976.335 ING
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews