How Much is Enough?
That is what I want to know- I want to know how much damage the idiots at FEMA want for a claim to be processed and help to be given. No- this isn't for myself but for thousands of individuals/families in my area who are now homeless and are getting NOTHING from FEMA. Okay- well they did get the $2000 check- but how long will that last when you are a family of five- and lost everything but the three days change of clothes you packed when you evacuated?
There is one person whose claim for a grant to help repair/rebuild his home was denied and the reason was that there was insufficient damage to the home- well- that would be just fine if it were accurate- but this person has no home left. The slab was even washed away- so I ask again- How much damage is enough damage?
This story can be repeated thousands of times over in Cameron Parish of Louisiana- these people lost everything- entire communities were simply wiped away- a few lucky ones have some debris to sort through- but most have NOTHING- and the help is no longer there.
There are no shelters here locally for these people to live so many who have resolved to rebuild- or who have to stay to keep their jobs- or just have no way of getting anywhere else are now living in tents. Yes tents- with no bathroom facilities save for the ones they have dug for themselves. These are people young and old, rich and poor, black and white. There is no ONE class or race being singled out here- it is all the people of the Parish. A Parish that has been resiliant and self-reliant for a long time- a parish that has taken care of itself for years when the parish officials lacked the funds to lobby for more state/federal funds and the parish went unaided by these things- this parish has also provided for the state and federal government- taxes on income, property and more (yet local sales tax in the parish were 4% less than half of the state average)- so the people of the parish have helped parishes across the state and even other states through their hard work.
The people of Cameron Parish are a hardy breed- they have weathered severe storms before- and were smart enough to know that when Hurricane Rita was heading our way they needed to leave- many, in fact, lost much more because when they initially evacuated they were told that it was going to hit Houston- so although they did leave they didn't take everything they would have had they known the path- and of course by the time it seemed clear to all (but the people on Fox News) that the storm would hit them- none were allowed back in to retrieve more belongings. See the people there- know the death and destruction of storm surge- many had lived through Hurricane Audrey in 1957- a hurricane that came quite unexpected and once apparent there was no way for the people to leave- from that time come the real life horror stories of mothers having to choose to let go of one child to save two others, the families who sheltered in their homes only to have them ripped apart, the stories of bodies washing up 30 miles from where they were when the storm hit... it still gives me chills and is a source of PTSD for many- so the people there know- when a storm comes- you leave. There is no question- of "riding it out" or "hoping for the best"- That is why there were NO deaths in Cameron Parish- despite the utter destruction. They were smart enough to heed the warnings and leave.
The people of Cameron Parish are independant- and self reliant- they are used to taking care of themselves and each other. They know how to live off the land and are not strangers to hardship and difficulties. As soon as they could return- the people of Cameron Parish did and found their worst nightmares. Nothing is there. No buildings still stand that are safe to inhabit. But you didn't hear them moaning and complaining and demanding that the government ride in and "take care of them" They put on their boots and started cleaning up what they could. They assessed the situation- found that there were no hotels for them to stay (one stayed full of FEMA workers btw while these people remained homeless), no property to rent, no family to stay with (most have large extended families but unfortunately all were in the same situation), and no local shelters- the buildings that had previously been used to house Hurricane Katrina evacuees- now are dangerously damaged and filled with toxic mold- and places like schools, churches and the local university all suffered severe damage- and after assessing the situation- the built make shift lean tos or got tents when the stores opened again. The few with the funds available went out and bought their own shelter (recreational vehicles) because there was none coming from the government.
Do you see any of this on the news? Not nationally- it covers our local news- and even that lacks what it should be- focusing in favor of the larger more populated Calcasieu Parish too... And why don't you see this? Where is the story? The people of Cameron Parish lost just as much if not far more than those in the hardest hit areas of New Orleans. But the people aren't looting and killing each other. They aren't stealing and raping and whining that the government should have done more. The people of Cameron Parish know that it isn't the governments fault that a storm came and hit their property. They all were well aware of the risks of living in their location- but enjoyed life in the marsh lands of Louisiana and so chose the risk. People didn't die in the storm- there is no horrible death tole waiting to be revealed- because the people knew to get out- and NO it didn't take having Hurricane Katrina to make them do so- they would have left anyway- many in the lower part of the parish had evacuated when Katrina hit as well.
And to loosely refer to the comments on Fox News on the night before the Parish was destroyed- the population size may be insignificant in comparison to that of New Orleans or Houston- but this country would do well to remember that numbers alone do not make an area significant. And perhaps as you sit down to eat a meal of seafood (Cameron Parish provides you with 70% of the shrimp you eat) or you are pulling into the gas station and filling up you car with $3/gallon (or more) gas or you do any number of other activities- that for some odd reason now cost you double, triple or more what they used to do- you will remember that there is some significance to all areas of our country. And that perhaps all areas should be remembered- and all people considered. Perhaps you can call or email your local senators and representatives- and remind them that you would like something done- afterall- what would you do if it was your small town or community that was wiped off the face of the Earth?
I can tell you what the people of Cameron Parish would do... they'd roll up their sleeves and help you to rebuild. They would go through their homes and send you what they could to help you out. They'd hold dinners, dances, and I'm sure a bingo or two- and send the money your way to help. Because that is what they do- and if you needed it- the people of Cameron would give you the shirt off their own backs and shrug off the cold themselves...
There is one person whose claim for a grant to help repair/rebuild his home was denied and the reason was that there was insufficient damage to the home- well- that would be just fine if it were accurate- but this person has no home left. The slab was even washed away- so I ask again- How much damage is enough damage?
This story can be repeated thousands of times over in Cameron Parish of Louisiana- these people lost everything- entire communities were simply wiped away- a few lucky ones have some debris to sort through- but most have NOTHING- and the help is no longer there.
There are no shelters here locally for these people to live so many who have resolved to rebuild- or who have to stay to keep their jobs- or just have no way of getting anywhere else are now living in tents. Yes tents- with no bathroom facilities save for the ones they have dug for themselves. These are people young and old, rich and poor, black and white. There is no ONE class or race being singled out here- it is all the people of the Parish. A Parish that has been resiliant and self-reliant for a long time- a parish that has taken care of itself for years when the parish officials lacked the funds to lobby for more state/federal funds and the parish went unaided by these things- this parish has also provided for the state and federal government- taxes on income, property and more (yet local sales tax in the parish were 4% less than half of the state average)- so the people of the parish have helped parishes across the state and even other states through their hard work.
The people of Cameron Parish are a hardy breed- they have weathered severe storms before- and were smart enough to know that when Hurricane Rita was heading our way they needed to leave- many, in fact, lost much more because when they initially evacuated they were told that it was going to hit Houston- so although they did leave they didn't take everything they would have had they known the path- and of course by the time it seemed clear to all (but the people on Fox News) that the storm would hit them- none were allowed back in to retrieve more belongings. See the people there- know the death and destruction of storm surge- many had lived through Hurricane Audrey in 1957- a hurricane that came quite unexpected and once apparent there was no way for the people to leave- from that time come the real life horror stories of mothers having to choose to let go of one child to save two others, the families who sheltered in their homes only to have them ripped apart, the stories of bodies washing up 30 miles from where they were when the storm hit... it still gives me chills and is a source of PTSD for many- so the people there know- when a storm comes- you leave. There is no question- of "riding it out" or "hoping for the best"- That is why there were NO deaths in Cameron Parish- despite the utter destruction. They were smart enough to heed the warnings and leave.
The people of Cameron Parish are independant- and self reliant- they are used to taking care of themselves and each other. They know how to live off the land and are not strangers to hardship and difficulties. As soon as they could return- the people of Cameron Parish did and found their worst nightmares. Nothing is there. No buildings still stand that are safe to inhabit. But you didn't hear them moaning and complaining and demanding that the government ride in and "take care of them" They put on their boots and started cleaning up what they could. They assessed the situation- found that there were no hotels for them to stay (one stayed full of FEMA workers btw while these people remained homeless), no property to rent, no family to stay with (most have large extended families but unfortunately all were in the same situation), and no local shelters- the buildings that had previously been used to house Hurricane Katrina evacuees- now are dangerously damaged and filled with toxic mold- and places like schools, churches and the local university all suffered severe damage- and after assessing the situation- the built make shift lean tos or got tents when the stores opened again. The few with the funds available went out and bought their own shelter (recreational vehicles) because there was none coming from the government.
Do you see any of this on the news? Not nationally- it covers our local news- and even that lacks what it should be- focusing in favor of the larger more populated Calcasieu Parish too... And why don't you see this? Where is the story? The people of Cameron Parish lost just as much if not far more than those in the hardest hit areas of New Orleans. But the people aren't looting and killing each other. They aren't stealing and raping and whining that the government should have done more. The people of Cameron Parish know that it isn't the governments fault that a storm came and hit their property. They all were well aware of the risks of living in their location- but enjoyed life in the marsh lands of Louisiana and so chose the risk. People didn't die in the storm- there is no horrible death tole waiting to be revealed- because the people knew to get out- and NO it didn't take having Hurricane Katrina to make them do so- they would have left anyway- many in the lower part of the parish had evacuated when Katrina hit as well.
And to loosely refer to the comments on Fox News on the night before the Parish was destroyed- the population size may be insignificant in comparison to that of New Orleans or Houston- but this country would do well to remember that numbers alone do not make an area significant. And perhaps as you sit down to eat a meal of seafood (Cameron Parish provides you with 70% of the shrimp you eat) or you are pulling into the gas station and filling up you car with $3/gallon (or more) gas or you do any number of other activities- that for some odd reason now cost you double, triple or more what they used to do- you will remember that there is some significance to all areas of our country. And that perhaps all areas should be remembered- and all people considered. Perhaps you can call or email your local senators and representatives- and remind them that you would like something done- afterall- what would you do if it was your small town or community that was wiped off the face of the Earth?
I can tell you what the people of Cameron Parish would do... they'd roll up their sleeves and help you to rebuild. They would go through their homes and send you what they could to help you out. They'd hold dinners, dances, and I'm sure a bingo or two- and send the money your way to help. Because that is what they do- and if you needed it- the people of Cameron would give you the shirt off their own backs and shrug off the cold themselves...