Hurrican Help, Check in and let us know you are OK

[BRZ71]

If you can please donate to the Red Cross. We need help here in a big way. My family is fine, but there are lot of people on this board from New Orleans and the Gulf Coast that we havn't heard from.

 

Thanks

 

All the Louisiana , Mississippi, and Alabama Members

[firstruck]

It might be a good bet that very few of those people in the affected area(s) can even get access to the web. It's just awful to watch on TV up here in PA, unimaginable destruction. I'm not a religious man but I pray that things don't get any worse. Giving to the RC is an excellent idea.

[Scyry]

I am probably head down to Mississippi or Louisiana next week to help out. I work for the Department of Interior and FEMA takes volunteers from us to help out. So I volunteered, and am waiting to see if FEMA takes me or not. Will probably be doing structural assement or supervising FEMA clean up. Just would rather be there helping rather than sitting at my desk reading about everything.

[mudbug660]

I'm in central La right on the Ms river (across the creek from natchez Ms) Ya'll would not believe the number of people around here. Just guessing, we went from a population of 5,000 ppl to around 15,000. The gas pumps have lines that start at the curb, every gas station. My mom's dad stayed with us for three days since he lived in lacombe La in lower louisiana. It took him 4 hr to get to his house from the main highway less than a mile away. There were trees down everywhere but he was prepared with chains and a chainsaw. A true louisiana mountainman if there ever was one. The crime has also gone up in our little town either these refugees are either very desperate or just some bad habits from new orleans or something. People have started to put their kids in school around here and with 6 different schools within 25 miles of each other there are plenty of choices. Houses are also being sought after. They are not even worrying about going back home they are just starting new lives around here. It really is sad. People are taking baths in the local water fountains since they have nowhere to go. Naturally all the motels hatols whatever are booked solid and some of ther people that are in the nicer motel will have to leave at the end of this week because of the booking previously made because of the upcoming holiday.

 

Natchez was out of power up until today. Woodville Ms ( a few miles down the road) has no electricity or running water. My sister's boss and his wife just had a baby less than a week ago and they live in woodville. We brought our travel trailer down to the local rv park for them to stay in. With the levee breaking and New orleans flooding it is just terrible. Especially for the people stuck in their attics with no way to get out. And there are things going down in the prison down there that is very serious. (keyword:HOSTAGES) This is not being reported on but there are bodies everywhere. My friend a local sheriff's deputy is being sent down there to help. Not good at all.

 

As far as the looting. Have all the food they want but breaking in to get nikes and designer shirts, that makes me sick. And the reality of it is that alot of the people looting stayed for the looting, that's just how some of these people are. I know a lot of them had no way to get to safety because of alot that don't drive but I guarantee you that that is not the case for all of them.

 

The pumps they have down there are rated to pump water out fast enoiugh to get rid of an inch of water every hour. but one thing about these pumps is that if they are flooded they tend not work right. The roofs blew off of the pumps and they are now inoperable. These houses are going to have barnacles growing on them by the time they get the water pumped out. I'm praying for them all.

[gotitbad]

I hear ya mudbug....sad situation down there....i feel for those who COULDNT get out...and they should just shoot the idiots that COULD get out, but stayed and looted....anyways...where ya from..im in VIDALIA myself!

TONY

[mudbug660]

I live in vidalia. in front of the vidalia lower elementary. do you live in vidalia?

[100R1]

Words can not decribe the pain the people are going through.

 

I feel for all of those in the gulf coast area.

 

We thought we had it bad this go around here in South Florida.....Until the monster unleashed itself on you. My 5 days without Power or Phone pales in comparrision. Atleast I was able to buy a generator and get gas with usually no more than a 15 minute wait in line.

 

After going through hurricane andrew and seeing the devastation caused, I know that Katrina is MUCH LARGER and can only imagine the scope of things in the gulf area.

 

My Heart Goes Out to all of you!

 

Yesterday the 3 larger TV stations started Fund Raisers for Hurricane relief aid, With-in a few hours each station was approaching $ 100K in donations. This is a drop in the bucket for what is needed but it is a start that shows compassion for others. We remember the so much needed help given by others during Andrew. I hope other communitys across the Nation can contribute to you in the same way.

[GM-Tech]

We thought we had it bad this go around here in South Florida.....Until the monster unleashed itself on you. My 5 days without Power or Phone pales in comparrision. Atleast I was able to buy a generator and  get gas with  usually no more than a 15 minute wait in line.

 

I'm in S. Florida too and I have to agree. Katrina was not much more than a S. Florida summer rain storm in comparison to what the gulf coast got from her. I had power back the next morning. And while Andrew caused a ton of destruction, it was a pretty dry storm and we didn't have to deal with flooding. I'd take another Andrew over what they have up there.

[Wingnut]

Yeah, I'll stick with my tornados. They may be nastier in close, but the odds of getting hit by one are pretty slim.

 

Dem 'canes be mighty big.

 

You guys stay safe, and stay away...They are reporting on the police band down there of organized looters shooting at rescue personel, police, firemen, and National Guard folks, in order to keep them away.

 

Tools.

[BRZ71]

Quick update. Here in Baton Rouge we went from a city of 400,000 to a city of over a million. When you get this many people together rumors and panic start to rule. Most incidents have been quelled quickly by the local authorities. I must say our police, fire, and EMS are doing a good job. Our departments are designed for our city size, not twice our city size. My hat is off to them they are doing a great job. Just to give you a idea of how big the storm was Baton Rouge is 80 miles from New Orleans, and we were on the West or the good side of the storm and we had over 600 trees down. The focus has maily been on New Orleans, but I think some focus needs to be placed on the cities that are housing all of the people from New Orleans. We have welcomed all these people here, but we are running out of supplies and patience for the ones that have nothing to do but cause trouble.

[Stocklook]

Pray for everybody effected by this storm, I found out today this is going to effect the carrier we use for shipping, SAIA their home office is located close New orleans, and some of the employees might not get their pay checks, I hope this is not true, and for anybody else being effected by the storm nomater where you live.

 

As for the looters and Boat jacking, and shooting at Helo's (WHY?)

[gotitbad]

I live in vidalia. in front of the vidalia lower elementary. do you live in vidalia?

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

I live in the Taconey Subdivision...right across the street from ya!

TONY

[michaelrayce]

i live in semmes , ala , a suberb of mobile ala . we got hit pretty hard , alot of down town flooding and wind damage , trees everywhere , anything on the bay got leveled and islands got destroyed , but its worse and worse the further west you go , and semmes is close to the mississippi line . i got power sat. and gas is nonexsistent , real long lines . we are getting alot of the miss. people over here , the mississippi gulf coast just got leveled , life will be different for awhile .

[mazingo]

just checking in from alabama, near the mississippi line north of mobile. we are fine minimul damage but no power. liven on generator, us and the neighbors, 7 people in a 2 bedroom house CRAMPED

Hope every one is safe god bless.

[mcreyaufmiller]

I was in NC when Dennis hit, left and returned. That was an interesting time, everything east of the 95 coridor was closed except for emergency personell. They are still rebuilding down there. I was also in the path of Fran, so I know how it can be. I moved to the north, however I do not know what is worse, the attitudes and traffic here or the hurricanes of the south. I feel for everyone involved there that is doing the right thing, as for the rest, fend for themselves.