Katrina & Sandy

[shinysparklybubbles]

My friend said their town's power was restored by guys from Mass (we are in Jersey) love him or hate him, our governor is doing an amazing job of taking care of his state.

 

[fall08CP]

What about "ordinary" people coming to help clean and just talk people through it? I remember hundreds of church groups and volunteers taking time off of work to do small jobs and have conversation. Thousands of colleges planned their spring break trips around relief for several years.

I just moved from the South to the Midwest, and 90% of my southerner friends prided themselves on never having left the state. Never went on an airplane, a train, or a road trip. Will be curious to see if they pitch in!

In addition to FEMA and red cross, its also VERY important to recognize the National Civilian Community Corps, young people age 18-24 who volunteer full time with no pay. They respond to all national emergencies. If these kids are our future, it looks pretty bright to me: http://www.americorps.gov/about/newsroom/releases_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=2128

 

[Southernmiss]

What about "ordinary" people coming to help clean and just talk people through it? I remember hundreds of church groups and volunteers taking time off of work to do small jobs and have conversation. Thousands of colleges planned their spring break trips around relief for several years.

I just moved from the South to the Midwest, and 90% of my southerner friends prided themselves on never having left the state. Never went on an airplane, a train, or a road trip. Will be curious to see if they pitch in!

In addition to FEMA and red cross, its also VERY important to recognize the National Civilian Community Corps, young people age 18-24 who volunteer full time with no pay. They respond to all national emergencies. If these kids are our future, it looks pretty bright to me: http://www.americorps.gov/about/newsroom/releases_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=2128

The South will be well represented with volunteers of all kinds. Many posts above yours share details and links to sites ALL from the South headed north. Where/when are your midwesterners going?

Don't know who your friends were from the south, but there are lots of us caring, kind, compassionate southerners who have gotten out of the south to help and will do so again and again. And I too know kids from the South in Americorps, etc. who have gone to other places and done good.

 

[Nancy]

SouthernMiss: you know,you are absolutely correct.many people will have to adapt to a new normal Gov. Christie was on the news the other day talking about. How things can be rebuilt,but for some people ,it won't be the same and unfortunately he was correct. I have a very different life then pre Isabel a lot of it is better, but it was truly a new normal.

I posted about the whole "normal" thing on the getting ready for Sandy thread. I was wondering how people could ever get back to normal and it dawned on me that things will never go back to normal..but there will be a new normal. I'm still in shock over the amount of damage and destruction there was. I just can't even begin to imagine seeing it up close and personal.

 

[njmom47]

Thank you everyone who came from near and far to help my poor state!
We did see trucks from Florida, Alabama, and Detroit (to name a few).
There have been natural gas fires in my town so, yes, it's a godsend, but can also be dangerous.

 

[lucas]

I definitely feel for you. Several years ago we were without power for 10 days due to a hurricane down here in South Florida (Boca Raton). I was so happy when the power trucks finally came to our neighborhood!

 

[M5ward]

Where are the trucks coming from the south?

Where are the volunteers?

I live about eight miles outside of Atlantic City. I have seen trucks from several southern states...a lot from Alabama and Georgia.

 

[pammypooh]

I am in Southeastern PA and have personally seen trucks from Mississippi and Illinois. I have also seen alot of trucks from a distance that I know were not our local PECO, but our friends from out of the area. Many thanks to all for their prayers, support and assistance.

 

[sasywtch]

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

Also, some of the EMTs went early. One guy helping the nurse/baby out of the hospital was from N. Cal.

 

[badblackpug]

They are coming from everywhere, North, south, and west. and we thank you all.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

They are coming! I remember with hurricane Ivan we were without power for 3 1/2 weeks!

We always prepare for a week or more for food and water supply. We have a hurricane box with 10 flashlights, hand crank radio, paper plates, napkins, paper cups, 3 propane tanks for grill, lots of trash bags, and huge load of batteries. We also have 6 gas cans that we fill.

Good luck!

 

[gottaluvPluto]

Also, be careful eating too many MREs. I know people who would eat three packs a day for a month and they all ended up with gallbladder problems!

 

[Southernmiss]

Also, be careful eating too many MREs. I know people who would eat three packs a day for a month and they all ended up with gallbladder problems!

Not to mention, high in calories! But there are some that do taste good, especially when you have nothing else!

 

[T*Bird]

I definitely feel for you. Several years ago we were without power for 10 days due to a hurricane down here in South Florida (Boca Raton). I was so happy when the power trucks finally came to our neighborhood!

Same here - 10 days without power after Gustav. And I bet hardly any of you has even heard of Gustav! Hurricane Gustav hit Louisiana in 2008, and although it wasn't a terribly destructive hurricane, we lost literally thousands of trees, which took out power lines and transformers all across the area. We were lucky in that we didn't have any damage. Many people here lost houses because of the fallen trees. And many went longer than 2 weeks without power. We had power trucks from all over the country helping to restore our power, and they were a Godsend! It was miserably hot, but you just had to be patient and wait your turn. We had the same thing with finding gasoline, too. It was like hitting the lottery if you found a gas station open for business. Hours waiting in line to fill up if you were lucky enough to find gas available.

OP, I hope you feel better now that you see how much help is actually headed your way. I think you probably got responses you didn't expect, based on the wording of your post.

 

[T*Bird]

They are coming from everywhere, North, south, and west. and we thank you all.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I hope things get better soon!

 

[hereyago]

"Because you are really on your own until things are fixed" is the absolute biggest lesson I learned from Katrina. And even though we still try to keep prepared now, our favorite thing to do is just to get out of town. We have family in a couple of places within driving distance and I was able to go there with the kids last April when I realized it was going to take more than a couple of days to get power back on.

I was talking to a friend last week with family in NYC and asked how they were preparing. She said they really weren't preparing because its just a Cat 1, and that the government in NYC is always prepared for anything. She said if anything goes down, she's sure the city will have everything up and running within a day or two.

I am so sorry you had to deal with Katrina and her aftermath. Sorry about your NYC friend as well. I hate when people think a cat 1 is no big deal. A direct hit and being on the east side of a hurricane even a cat 1 is no joke. A couple days before sandy hit I was watching Bloomberg talking about it was no big deal and Jim Cantore of weather channel was dumbfounded by his demeanor and even I was saying what an idiot who is telling him its no big whoop?then the next day he was saying transportation was going to be shut down. I do wonder if after all this will people who didn't plan do plan. A Nor'easter is coming up the East coast in a few days,even those can do some damge.

 

[T*Bird]

I am so sorry you had to deal with Katrina and her aftermath. Sorry about your NYC friend as well. I hate when people think a cat 1 is no big deal. A direct hit and being on the east side of a hurricane even a cat 1 is no joke. A couple days before sandy hit I was watching Bloomberg talking about it was no big deal and Jim Cantore of weather channel was dumbfounded by his demeanor and even I was saying what an idiot who is telling him its no big whoop?then the next day he was saying transportation was going to be shut down. I do wonder if after all this will people who didn't plan do plan. A Nor'easter is coming up the East coast in a few days,even those can do some damge.

Wow, the mayor said that? That really is surprising. No one can know for sure what or where a hurricane is going to turn out to be.

 

[Wendy31]

I know everything must feel pretty bleak & even somewhat hopeless right now.

Our area was in the middle of those April tornadoes that came through northeast AL, GA, & TN. And I know that shell-shocked feeling. Our good friends' house was completely destroyed. It is awful to drive through your town & see all the destruction & find local landmarks just... gone. Hearing all the stories & knowing some people lost family members... things like that will impact you for forever.

When I see the images & hear the stories that are coming out now in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, I am heartbroken for you and the many others. It is hard to watch & I know it must be a million times worse being in the middle of it. You have my thoughts, prayers, & even tears.

However, as a Southerner, I have to tell you that I am slightly offended by your OP. I know my state of TN has sent utility & other relief workers. The local chapter of our Red Cross sent volunteers to your area even before Sandy hit, & our local radio station is currently organizing an envoy to bring supplies to your area.

So please know that help is there, & even more relief is headed your way. You are not alone.

 

[beaucoup]

Right after the storm, I saw electric company trucks from Oklahoma here in MA. Since MA isn't as bad as NY & NJ, its quite possible that some of them have gone to NY & NJ instead. Same for other states that arrived before the storm to help out.

I know you also have National Guard from other states arriving. My husband went to NOLA for a month after Katrina to supply the missing communication link between fed/state/local authorities like phone, radio & internet. The MA National Guard activated here for Sandy, but I would sure hope they send some to NY & NJ after the worse is taken care of here at home.

Westover AFB in Chicopee MA (western part of state) was used as a FEMA regional emergency staging area for last year's Hurricane Irene & Sandy for New England. Some supplies are already somewhat close. 77 trailer trucks of supplies were brought to Westover AFB the weekend of the storm. http://www.nepr.net/news/fema-stages-new-england-operations-sandy-westover-air-force-base

 

[T*Bird]

Entergy had trucks on the way before the storm hit, and more on the way:

http://www.americanpress.com/news/Entergy-Cleco-send-workers-to-the-northeast