Katrina & Sandy

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Where are the trucks coming from the south?

Where are the volunteers?

 

[Southernmiss]

From along the Mississippi Gulf Coast...

They are mobilizing and will be there shortly.

I know our area has sent many power company trucks, red cross volunteers and emergency personnel already. Our local Bar B Q joint is mobilizing a vast BBQ feeding relief effort with other crews from around the country. This group will be bringing cleaning supplies and other items we know are necessary, etc.

We thought the same thing after Katrina, because there was such focus on New Orleans. But the people did come and stayed for the long haul.

I know it may seem like no help is there, but they are coming!!! It just takes a bit to get it together. Your area is not forgotten.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

From along the Mississippi Gulf Coast...

They are mobilizing and will be there shortly.

I know our area has sent many power company trucks, red cross volunteers and emergency personnel already. Our local Bar B Q joint is mobilizing a vast BBQ feeding relief effort with other crews from around the country. This group will be bringing cleaning supplies and other items we know are necessary, etc.

We thought the same thing after Katrina, because there was such focus on New Orleans. But the people did come and stayed for the long haul.

I know it may seem like no help is there, but they are coming!!! It just takes a bit to get it together. Your area is not forgotten.

 

[joviroxx]

Well Florida Power & LIght had 250 trucks and over 800 employees leave Bradenton on Monday to help the areas from Virginia to Jersey

 

[Scurvy]

Lots of trucks left from my area in Alabama the day before the storm hit the northeast. I suspect most of them are already there and working.

 

[Zooshoveller]

Lots of trucks left from my area in Alabama the day before the storm hit the northeast. I suspect most of them are already there and working.

Yup. Alabama trucks are already up there and have been working.

 

[crashbb]

Our city (Canadian) is (or has) sending down people, equipment and supplies to help fix the subway system and power generation.

 

[Southernmiss]

From our local news station...

Lots of people in our area are ready to give back from all of the kindnesses extended to our area.

http://www.wlox.com/story/19968372/help-the-east-coast-recover-from-sandy


What the article is saying, is let the East Coast take a few days to get over the shock and immediate dangers and let the waters recede and then volunteers will be there in droves.

 

[tvguy]

Red Cross workers from our area have been in White Plains New York since Saturday.
Utility crews got there Tuesday. There trucks arrive today.

 

[Zooshoveller]

Where are the trucks coming from the south?

Where are the volunteers?

Clean up has to wait until the areas are considered safe. Which means power and gas lines first, debris second.

It's sad when you've been through enough hurricanes and tornadoes to know the routine. The first days are the hardest.

 

[Karibeth19]

Red Cross volunteers and utility workers from Oklahoma arrived on the East Coast on Sunday so they would be in place before the storm even hit.

 

[Southernmiss]

Clean up has to wait until the areas are considered safe. Which means power and gas lines first, debris second.

It's sad when you've been through enough hurricanes and tornadoes to know the routine. The first days are the hardest.

 

[Disneefun]

They're coming, but it does take a few days for groups to gather supplies, volunteers (they have to get off work), and mobilize. Plus, they can't come in until the authorities open the roads and deem that things are safe. It doesn't help anyone if groups rush in and get hurt themselves, or have their equipment damaged, etc.

I know our area is sending power crews (even though we have some damage to repair ourselves) and many church groups are coming.

Just hold tight!

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Can you tell us what to expect & not to expect from FEMA?????

 

[TheIncredibles!]

Just because it may not be all over the news doesn't mean they are not here or are not coming. The more time they take to organize themselves, the better off we will all be in the end.

 

[DopeyDame]

We had power companies from the south in our area even before the storm hit. We also had a shelter set up by our county and staffed by red cross in advance of the storm.

 

[ccgirl]

Where are the trucks coming from the south?

Where are the volunteers?

I know in MA they said they said they had people from 24 states and two or three Provinces of Canada. They were all immobilized and in place before the storm hit. I know as I watched the news last night they said some parts of NJ were still difficult to even get the volunteers to.

Thinking of you all.

 

[Southernmiss]

Can you tell us what to expect & not to expect from FEMA?????

Not quite sure what you are asking. And we were fortunate to not need to "deal" with them after Katrina.

From what I have heard, there was lots of fraud. Sad, but there were people claiming need, who in fact lied about where they had lived, damages, etc.

There were lots of stories of disappointment and fights with insurance companies with the argument being was the damage caused by wind or water. And now even those of us with minimal damage in the area are paying triple and quadruple home owners insurance premiums because we live in a high risk area (I am 11 miles from the beach and water).

The good that I can tell you is that within 3 or 4 days of the storm, there were PODs (Points of Distribution) staffed by the military-National Guard, etc. where people were able to pick up bottled water, ice and MREs. I can still hear the helicopters that were overhead all day delivering supplies to drop off points. Soon after K, there was the Red Cross and church groups offering other supplies and items maybe a hot meal, hamburger, hot dog, fresh fruit and vegetables--that was amazing to have after days of canned food.

There were trucks and trucks from groups that sent household goods and clothes. Now one lesson from that is that it would have been much better to have had gift cards and $ as many of the clothes sat in open parking lots for weeks and ruined. That was sad. The local Walmart in my area was able to open within a week. Shelves were not stocked, but there were things people could buy and use. And after a week or so, people would have been able to drive out of town to get what they needed if they had an automobile, gas and $.

 

[Zooshoveller]

Can you tell us what to expect & not to expect from FEMA?????

They are slooooowwwww.

My BILs town was hit by last year by the April tornados. By the time FEMA arrived, they turned down their assistance. Already had more than enough volunteers and donations.

 

[cajunmommy]

More than 100 employees of Wayne Stabiler's Catering Cajun struck out for the Northeast around 4 a.m. Sunday, and the Baton Rouge company says its people will be in Delaware, Virginia and Maryland as long as they're needed to help the hundreds of utility workers staged there to battle approaching Hurricane Sandy. "We will provide breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and coffee for these working men and women until all power is restored, regardless of how many days or weeks it takes," says Stabiler. Catering Cajun will also provide trailers in which workers can rest, and it's assisting with their laundry needs. The trailers were sent up north along with three refrigerated trucks loaded with supplies from Baton Rouge.

That's just one example. They're one of many companies in this area who have found a specialized niche in volume feeding / disaster relief in the last few years. Look for the LA license plates, or listen for the strange accents....you know the food will be great!!

It was also noted in local news coverage that Entergy & CLECO (two local electrical companies) were sending out dozens of service workers & trucks ironically just months after they relied upon the efforts of workers from 25 states helping with Isaac power restoration.