While the forthcoming “storm of the century”— the steadily swirling Hurricane Sandy — is dominating the current news cycle, our area has undoubtedly already benefited from the tragic lessons learned from the deadly meteorological event that rocked our nation just seven years ago.

Sen. Mary Landrieu spoke at length Tuesday night about how Hurricane Katrina forever changed the Pelican State, and emergency preparedness in general, during her “Talk of the Hill with Bill Press” interview at the Hill Center.

The Louisiana Democrat regaled attendees with her take on President George W. Bush’s administrative shortcomings, detailed the infrastructure failings that led to the unprecedented disaster and provided an update on where the region stands today — even tossing in a little plug for her favorite New Orleanian:

Sounds like a shovel-ready project every American could stand squarely behind.