Katrina ~ Finally have power back!!

[wendypooh]

This is just an update - I am south of Baton Rouge and we got our power back last night. It has gone out again, once, but seems to be back now. We are fine, very minimal damage to our home. There is a lot of tree's down, power outages, etc.... in the Baton Rouge area. We are seeing absolute horrific destruction in New Orleans on our local stations. It is like nothing I've ever seen before. Please, if you can, try to help, donate whatever you can to the red cross, etc.. The situation seems to be getting worse by the day.... I just wanted all of my friends here to know that we are fine. Some people in the Baton Rouge area are still without power. We have cable and phone very sporatically at this point.......... if I can post again, I will.

Please pray for all those still in New Orleans....... they are in an effort right now to continue evacuations..... especially from the super dome. The water is still coming in from the levee breech, I don't know what will happen if they can't get that controlled. I'm praying they can get it fixed. This is so much more horrific than anyone can imagine.

Take care......... I'll try to post later if I can.

 

[civileng68]

This is just an update - I am south of Baton Rouge and we got our power back last night. It has gone out again, once, but seems to be back now. We are fine, very minimal damage to our home. There is a lot of tree's down, power outages, etc.... in the Baton Rouge area. We are seeing absolute horrific destruction in New Orleans on our local stations. It is like nothing I've ever seen before. Please, if you can, try to help, donate whatever you can to the red cross, etc.. The situation seems to be getting worse by the day.... I just wanted all of my friends here to know that we are fine. Some people in the Baton Rouge area are still without power. We have cable and phone very sporatically at this point.......... if I can post again, I will.

Please pray for all those still in New Orleans....... they are in an effort right now to continue evacuations..... especially from the super dome. The water is still coming in from the levee breech, I don't know what will happen if they can't get that controlled. I'm praying they can get it fixed. This is so much more horrific than anyone can imagine.

Take care......... I'll try to post later if I can.

I agree those people need everything they can get. Glad to hear you're ok. Unfortunately it's become a part of life down here in South Florida. It's just something you realize you are going to have to deal with a few months per year.

To those that have never experienced it. Imagine a wind so strong that you cannot even stand in it. A Wind that is as powerful as an F3-4 Tornado that unlike a tornado covers 100 miles and lasts for 10 hours. No electricity, dark outside, no visibility, no phone service (not even cell phone, towers are down), you can't leave.........................you feel completely alone in the entire world (when you're really in the thick of it). You went in to your shelter location on a nice day, with everying as normal outside, you come out to find a town that looks like a military battle took place in your town and nothing is left.

These people are literally starting their lives over COMPLETELY and I can tell you from experience in Charlie folks, FEMA doesn't help all that much due to funding and supplies are so limited that it will take years to rebuild everything as normal.

To this day, 1 year after Hurricane Charlie, there are people still living in FEMA housing in Punta gorda, Fl, and to this day if you drive down the interstate around there, it still looks like a war went off, and houses are still covering their roofs with blue tarps. It's a real shame. Not only that, insurance companies are taking over a year to respond to most people due to the numbers of claims.

So what IM saying is, many of these folks will not have permanent homes for the next several years and will be relying on government to support them for the next several years. They need all we can give them.

 

[dwmlaf]

I live in Lafayette, LA. We have thousands of evacuees showing up here. I don't think they can get to Baton Rouge because it has it's own problems plus the bridge over Lake Ponchatrain is gone.

The levee can't be fixed and most of the pumps are broken. It will take decades to rebuild this city, which is a shame since it is one of the oldest city here in the US. An "icon" is gone.

Please donate blood, to the American Red Cross. I have been helping out the Animal Control. They are taking in the pets from the evacuees because the pets can't go into the shelters.

The looks of the people I have met who are being put into these shelters just makes me sit down and cry. Talk about a look of shell shock. No more work or homes or even a piece of dry land for these people to go back too.

As our Govenor have said this is just like the tsunami that hit.

Pray for all of the South Coast

 

[nluvwithmickey]

We are also feeling the repercussions of Katrina even in Canada. Today has been really windy with non-stop pouring rain. The gallon of gas has soared to an all time record of 5.36 a gallon.


But we are no where near the kind of devastation that we have been seeing on TV. Our thoughts and prayers are with you in this very difficult and traumatic time.

 

[can'twait]

My heart goes out to you all. I'm mailing my check to the Red Cross today.

 

[SomePixiedust]

Our hearts and prayers go out to all those affected by these horrible hurricanes

 

[londonpenguin]

I have been helping out the Animal Control. They are taking in the pets from the evacuees because the pets can't go into the shelters.

Bless you for helping the animals! I've been thinking about the pets that were left behind or turned loose and what will happen to them. Shelters must be overrun with scared and injured animals. I'm planning to donate to the Humane Society in addition to the Red Cross.

 

[adisneymama]

I agree and beg any of you that are able, please donate to any of the hurricane relief funds. We are from Mobile, AL and now live in NC. We still have family there and even Mobile has suffered a lot of damage. My mother has her neighbors carport on her home. My 84 yo grandparents have no water and no power. They just got their phone back. We are still waiting to hear from my inlaws to see what type of damage their home has. We can't get thru to them. It is so very hard to be so far away from them right now. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those along the Gulf Coast. This is a very rough time for all right now.

 

[Magickndm]

I agree those people need everything they can get. Glad to hear you're ok. Unfortunately it's become a part of life down here in South Florida. It's just something you realize you are going to have to deal with a few months per year.

I've lived in Florida my whole life, and even seeing what Andrew did, it does not compare to what these poor people are going through.
We have donated as much money as we possibly can, and will continue to do so with every pay check. Just wish we could do a lot more.

 

[lucyanna girl]

Here in NE Louisiana we did not suffer any ill effects but our small town is rapidly filling with refugees. Last night local gas stations acually ran out of fuel and there were even a couple of fist fights.
Since we make our living as owners of a small trucking company I was worried about the high cost of and avalibility of fuel. Then I say a young couple parked in the truck stop in town with a little baby who looked so lost and beaten and I realized just how much I have to thank God for.
People need help. DD age 14 goes thru the house everynight since the storm looking for things to give away. These poeple have not only lost their homes and posessions but are also out of work with no paycheck for who knows how long. Our governor says it may be weeks before anyone can get back into New Orleans to even begin to put their lives back togeather. In the meantime they must be sheltered and feed. Our beautiful Lady, New Orleans with her lovely face and tarnished skirts will never be the same again. So much history, good and bad is now lost forever.

 

[cindermomma]

Please know that to everyone affected by the hurricane - people and all animals- our hearts ache for you. We are praying for you all.

 

[seashoreCM]

The state governors should suspend for at least three years all state and local zoning regulations, and homeowner association rules, that may restrict the placement, use, and occupancy of temporary housing on private property in the disaster regions and zones.

Temporary housing includes but is not restricted to mobile homes, recreational vehicles, campers, and tents.

Those affected by Hurricane Katrina should not be rushed into choosing shoddy contractors to rebuild when reputable contractors are booked solid for months if not years. Safety and security is enhanced when the homeowner can remain close to his home site. The suspending of laws and regulations that may increase costs or inconvenience to the storm victims will greatly aid in the rebuilding effort.

School schedules in many areas in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi may be disrupted. Families who already have Disney vacations scheduled during originally announced school breaks should feel free to complete their vacations even if school is rescheduled across the breaks.

Families with rebuilding to do may want to enlist the support of high school aged children to stand in relief lines, help with supervising contractors, etc. A reduced course load in school is worth exploring. This is easy to accomplish, notify teachers that some courses are being dropped to be made up in a later academic year, and then putting those lessons and assignments at last priority, behind sleep.

WHen you rebuild, you are taking on a new responsibility, overseeing and supervising. This may be difficult if you are going to Disney sometime in the middle of all this. If you don't feel comfortable watchdogging contractors, you may want to consider selling what remains of your homestead and moving to a complete residence somewhere else.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[MommaluvsDis]

This was posted on another board, the Budget board, but I want to let people know that local churches, mine included, are housing, feeding, and caring for storm refugees. We've been told that it could be for as long as a month. If you don't feel comfortable contributing to the national agencies, please check with a local church in your area. There may be refugees there that need toiletries, etc. Or, the church may have a fundraising activity of some sort.

My family went to Wal-mart last night and bought things and took them to our church as we are hosting quite a few families with more expected.

Our schools are accepting storm children into the classrooms so that they may have something normal in their lives and stay on track with their education.

We thank you for your prayers and support. We, thank God, are in Central LA and didn't have any problems from Katrina. But, our hearts bleed for everyone that was affected. Please pray for every state hit by Katrina. We're not the only state in need.