Walter S. Maestri III (died June 12, 2017) was an American sociologist, academic administrator, and emergency manager in New Orleans.^[1][2]

Maestri did his undergraduate studies at Spring Hill College, and obtained a PhD from the University of Southern Mississippi. He was a professor of sociology at Loyola University New Orleans, chair of the department from 1970–73, and dean of Loyola's City College from 1977-79. He then served as President of Our Lady of Holy Cross College in New Orleans.^[1]

After his retirement from academia in the 1980s,^[2] he worked in local government, including serving as the director of emergency management for Jefferson Parish, Louisiana—which contains several suburbs of New Orleans—since 1998.^[1] Maestri became known as "Dr. Doom" for his dire predictions of hurricane damage.^[2]

In 2000, five years before Hurricane Katrina hit the region, Maestri stated that unless greater hurricane preparedness steps were taken, flooding and toxic waste from a major hurricane could make large parts of the city uninhabitable for several years following.^[3]

During the Katrina disaster, a plan created by Maestri led to the evacuation of many pump station operators, exacerbating flooding. Maestri's role in the evacuation sidelined his appointment to a state-level emergency planning job, and he became a private consultant.^[2]

Death

Maestri died on June 12, 2017. He was survived by his wife, Joanne; three sons, Walter, Jeffrey and Andrew; and five grandchildren.^[1]

References