I have been boots on the ground for two events very similar to Hurricane Katrina and want to make a few points about what's going on. First let me point out that my experience did not lead to the apocalypse that is occurring in New Orleans. It's truly become an Escape From New York landscape and I can tell you from some corollary experiences its worse than you can imagine. The struggle for physical, emotional and spiritual survival is as raw as it could ever be imagined.
Over the course of one twelve month period, I lived through Level 5 Super-Typhoon Omar (sustained winds of 175 mph and gusts of 230 mph) and an 8.3 earthquake. In one month alone there was two Level 3 typhoons and the Level 5, literally one right after the other. I have gone 6 weeks without electricity and facilities.
Its reported in New Orleans that not enough is being done in the city to protect civilians from rapes, beating, goods stolen from the needy. They are not getting enough food, water and medicine. Let me tell you all, having been through that, I believe every word of it. Its also completely one-sided, the media preys on suffering. Now it's that theres not enough food and water, next month it will be that the government isn't moving fast enough to repair the damage to the city.
While the news we here from the survivors is related while they are still in the thick of it; tired, hungry, thirty, uncomfortable, we have the luxury of seeing the relief efforts as they unfold. There is millions of gallons of drinking water for the city, millions of military rations ready to be brought in or be distributed. But to get there, clear access must be obtained. Roads cleared and supported. Areas of distribution established. Some model of control for the safety of relief workers.
The military or FEMA is not going to stand on a corner and hand out individual supplies to whomever comes by, they would become over run and their good stolen. They do drops that are big and impactful. The doom and gloom news reports by Big Media will spin this as a government that was lazy, that did not care enough, fast enough. Hogwash. You want to see a government not care or give comfort, we can talk offline.
What will occur is this. Once transportation issues are reviewed for safe passage so vehicles don't get stuck, caravans of 15 ton trucks loaded with supplies will move into the city, there will two dozen triage hospitals up within 24 hours (my guess). Where there was once nothing will become a massive complex of tents processing survivors names, checking them for immediate medical issues, providing food, water, bedding and eventually communication. This will materialize so fast that survivors will complain there is too many people around trying to control them.
Money is not people. Survivors right now in the city are expecting Angels to come down and rescue them. They expect SOMEONE to help them, much like a child needs a security blanket or a stuffed bear. A transitional item. But there is not enough people for that nor is that the best way to help them. Money is what will help them. Money to pay for all the things that they will get for free; medicine, food, water, blankets, gas, counseling, money to pay for the right people to provide the right thing for them.
You think only gas right now is bad. Wait till you go to Home Depot in the future. Every scrap of wood, metal, steel and concrete will be going to the South. I wouldn't be doing any additions to your house for the next year.
But that's just today and next week. Think about next month and the month after. There are 1 million displaced Americans right now. We are seeing a 21st century Grapes Of Wrath here. Remember the book written about the dust bowl of Oklahoma in the early 1900's and all the family's fleeing mostly west and to California. We will see the same here.
Texas has already begun what other states will also do, provide refugee relief. Be prepared to see your community open its arms to people with nothing left. It will make this Christmas so much more special to provide a hot meal and a gift to a child who has lost a home, a pet, god forbid a parent.
Well just my take. If anyone is interested in reading how I 'survived' day to day after my Super Typhoon or earthquake experience let me know in talkback and if the interest is there I'll type something up.
Over the course of one twelve month period, I lived through Level 5 Super-Typhoon Omar (sustained winds of 175 mph and gusts of 230 mph) and an 8.3 earthquake. In one month alone there was two Level 3 typhoons and the Level 5, literally one right after the other. I have gone 6 weeks without electricity and facilities.
Its reported in New Orleans that not enough is being done in the city to protect civilians from rapes, beating, goods stolen from the needy. They are not getting enough food, water and medicine. Let me tell you all, having been through that, I believe every word of it. Its also completely one-sided, the media preys on suffering. Now it's that theres not enough food and water, next month it will be that the government isn't moving fast enough to repair the damage to the city.
While the news we here from the survivors is related while they are still in the thick of it; tired, hungry, thirty, uncomfortable, we have the luxury of seeing the relief efforts as they unfold. There is millions of gallons of drinking water for the city, millions of military rations ready to be brought in or be distributed. But to get there, clear access must be obtained. Roads cleared and supported. Areas of distribution established. Some model of control for the safety of relief workers.
The military or FEMA is not going to stand on a corner and hand out individual supplies to whomever comes by, they would become over run and their good stolen. They do drops that are big and impactful. The doom and gloom news reports by Big Media will spin this as a government that was lazy, that did not care enough, fast enough. Hogwash. You want to see a government not care or give comfort, we can talk offline.
What will occur is this. Once transportation issues are reviewed for safe passage so vehicles don't get stuck, caravans of 15 ton trucks loaded with supplies will move into the city, there will two dozen triage hospitals up within 24 hours (my guess). Where there was once nothing will become a massive complex of tents processing survivors names, checking them for immediate medical issues, providing food, water, bedding and eventually communication. This will materialize so fast that survivors will complain there is too many people around trying to control them.
Money is not people. Survivors right now in the city are expecting Angels to come down and rescue them. They expect SOMEONE to help them, much like a child needs a security blanket or a stuffed bear. A transitional item. But there is not enough people for that nor is that the best way to help them. Money is what will help them. Money to pay for all the things that they will get for free; medicine, food, water, blankets, gas, counseling, money to pay for the right people to provide the right thing for them.
You think only gas right now is bad. Wait till you go to Home Depot in the future. Every scrap of wood, metal, steel and concrete will be going to the South. I wouldn't be doing any additions to your house for the next year.
But that's just today and next week. Think about next month and the month after. There are 1 million displaced Americans right now. We are seeing a 21st century Grapes Of Wrath here. Remember the book written about the dust bowl of Oklahoma in the early 1900's and all the family's fleeing mostly west and to California. We will see the same here.
Texas has already begun what other states will also do, provide refugee relief. Be prepared to see your community open its arms to people with nothing left. It will make this Christmas so much more special to provide a hot meal and a gift to a child who has lost a home, a pet, god forbid a parent.
Well just my take. If anyone is interested in reading how I 'survived' day to day after my Super Typhoon or earthquake experience let me know in talkback and if the interest is there I'll type something up.
6 comments:
Commodore,
That story of yours sounds very interesting and timely. I appreciate your take on you and agree 100% with your assessment. This is a natural disaster on it's truest scale and the ramifications will be broad and visible well into the future.
Thanks for the post. I've been watching a lot of the "news" unfold and have been so disheartened by the constant focus on the ugliness of and thuggery of that city. Now the finger pointing. We are so fat and flush in the US we rarely deal with tragedy on a large scale, but when it occurs we as a people rise to the occasion. It would be nice to see some reporting of the millions of dollars pouring in and what the relief groups are doing with it. I certainly don't mean the occasional off hand comments, oh yea the church groups have been great. But rather some genuine reporting of the heroism that is there.
I too, feel that the media focuses in on the evil of the moment. There are far too few stories about the people that are en-route to help as we speak. Hundreds of policemen, firemen and EMT's are on their way. It just takes time to get it organized. I only hope that it happens fast, because those refugees are quickly losing hope.
Thanks for your input Comm, and thanks for your service. It means a great deal to all of us, whether we express it or not!
i can't agree more. though i have never been in anything this bad (btw, you have to tell us your story, i can't even begin to imagine it) i have been through plenty of hurricanes, some worse than others. i also had friends and family pull through Ivan which was a direct hit on my hometown. the media will focus on the frenzy and the negative because sadly, that makes better news and garners more emotional reaction. yes, there are some people when faced with an utmost desperate situation will resort to primal insticts, but for the most part, people are genuinely good and will rise to the occasion and help where necessary. i agree comm, as soon as they can establish a safe route in and out of the city and can get things set up securely and in an organized way, then we'll be able to see the truly good side of people and yes, our government too.
I've got a cousin on a bus en route to Houston right now. The family didn't hear from her until last night now we're trying to figure out how to get her back home to PA
Bravo to you for calling all this out. I hope to see even more of it on the news, the carnage is real, but so is all of the awesome support. Glad to see it here, and I also love that you touch on the priorities such as cost of things vs. people's lives. Well done.
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