Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Just got back last week from a privileged trip of taking supplies to some refugees. I know it was mainly for them, but I was grateful for the opportunity to do something, anyway. In other words, it probably did more for me than for them. I need my heartened softened every once in awhile.
I'd sent an email to a client of mine in New Orleans, hoping she was safe. Obviously the phone lines were down, and frankly I had little hope of hearing via email, too, but sure enough, I get an email a couple of days later indicating that they were safe. There are two partners and ten employees.
Their office and homes are in New Orleans, and they all fled to stay with friends and relatives, scattered across seven states now. My client (PH) and her husband looked at each other when they got news that the levee broke and knew it might be months before they could return, so they bought a house in Baton Rouge, where I met them. At a small cottage in the same block, another twenty-one people were housed. Now that they are set up, PH and husband will be housing all the reporters from the main New Orleans paper (Times-Picayune sp?) and some volunteer medical doctors.
I only took one picture and no notes, and it was a real whirlwind trip, but I thought I'd share a few impressions:
1) Fuel is a real problem. We hauled U-Hauls largest trailer behind a full truck, and so I was concerned about mileage. The truck has a good range, but I stopped every hundred miles to top it off for the six hundred mile trip each way. At one point in MS, all I began seeing were gas stations with no fuel left, so I completed the trip, never finding more fuel. I got up at 4:30a this morning, hearing that I'd have more luck finding it. They'd just run out when I got there, so I crossed my fingers and headed north, stopping at every major exit. Between the trip down and back, I went 455 miles before finding another drop of fuel. Even with a trailer, I still had 65 miles of range left, but I was starting to get nervous. My brother knew someone at J. B. Hunt and he helped coordinate a fuel stop for me.
2) Even though fuel is a real problem, there was no price gouging (though there's a lot of it for housing). Those that did have fuel were charging, on average, $2. 49 for diesel and $2. 89 for regular. I did find one station with fuel, but there were sixty Humvees lined up while the quartermaster appropriated it.
3) Folks down there are not watching the news and aren't really aware of the gravity of the situation. Some don't have TVs, for one thing, and for another, they've reached a saturation point.
4) The refugees are really nervous about the future, obviously, but also what the rest of the country's mood is about this. Will New Orleans be rebuilt? Do people care?
5) Most folks were very ill-prepared for this. One family I spent time with was a middle class professional family--both worked, and they had two kids. They had just a little money, and all that went to put them in private schools (the public ones are inundated).
6) Personality types really play into how folks respond. Some take action and just make things happen--others are staring like deer in the headlights, unsure where to even begin. Most are in that latter category.
7) The troops that are there are very respectful and helpful. And there were endless streams of official vehicles from all over the US going down to help.
8) The townspeople where the refugees have fled are generally warm and receptive. That's starting to turn a bit, though.
9) The biggest tension will probably be from living in close proximity, especially when people force pets on non-pet households and such.
I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to be with these fine folks who are going to face so much down the road. They've learned to be grateful for the little things, and I leave you three examples:
1) After we unloaded, I showered but noticed that PH never did. Later I said, "Wouldn't you be more comfortable if you showered and changed?" That's when she said she only had that one set of clothes. She's the older lady in this picture, but now she had a couple of men's shirts to wear.
2) As I was folding up the ratty old packing blankets and throwing them back in the truck, she said: "We don't have any blankets, either. Any chance you could leave those?"
3) We had room for some bicycles (we figured the kids would be bored to death, and this would give them some exercise). The only problem is that there was one more kid than there were bicycles. You could tell the nine year old was sad about it, but since he was an even more temporary refugee, it was decided that he wouldn't get a bike. This morning, though, the oldest girl gave him her new bike so that he could take it back with him when heading back to Pensacola today to be reunited with his parents. Those are the sorts of lessons kids need an opportunity to learn, on both sides of the equation.
On the sleeper sofa, which they were excited to sit on, left to right: older girl who decided to give her bike; younger boy who received it: PH, the grandmother; youngest grandchild; PH's husband. The parents are on the floor.
#ad
Giving to large organizations like the Red Cross is probably the best bet for most of us, but if you have spare time or money, there are all sorts of things you can do and I'd encourage you to get involved directly instead of through organizations. There's too much damn waste and bureaucracy in the world. Don't think it through too much, either. Just fill your car with disposable diapers and you'll make more friends than you can imagine! All the areas outside New Orleans proper are pretty safe. People are behaving and just need lots of stuff.
I've got 13k on my 6-month old '05, but I sure love it. You can hitch most anything up to it, fill it to the top, and munch miles all day.
I'd sent an email to a client of mine in New Orleans, hoping she was safe. Obviously the phone lines were down, and frankly I had little hope of hearing via email, too, but sure enough, I get an email a couple of days later indicating that they were safe. There are two partners and ten employees.
Their office and homes are in New Orleans, and they all fled to stay with friends and relatives, scattered across seven states now. My client (PH) and her husband looked at each other when they got news that the levee broke and knew it might be months before they could return, so they bought a house in Baton Rouge, where I met them. At a small cottage in the same block, another twenty-one people were housed. Now that they are set up, PH and husband will be housing all the reporters from the main New Orleans paper (Times-Picayune sp?) and some volunteer medical doctors.
I only took one picture and no notes, and it was a real whirlwind trip, but I thought I'd share a few impressions:
1) Fuel is a real problem. We hauled U-Hauls largest trailer behind a full truck, and so I was concerned about mileage. The truck has a good range, but I stopped every hundred miles to top it off for the six hundred mile trip each way. At one point in MS, all I began seeing were gas stations with no fuel left, so I completed the trip, never finding more fuel. I got up at 4:30a this morning, hearing that I'd have more luck finding it. They'd just run out when I got there, so I crossed my fingers and headed north, stopping at every major exit. Between the trip down and back, I went 455 miles before finding another drop of fuel. Even with a trailer, I still had 65 miles of range left, but I was starting to get nervous. My brother knew someone at J. B. Hunt and he helped coordinate a fuel stop for me.
2) Even though fuel is a real problem, there was no price gouging (though there's a lot of it for housing). Those that did have fuel were charging, on average, $2. 49 for diesel and $2. 89 for regular. I did find one station with fuel, but there were sixty Humvees lined up while the quartermaster appropriated it.
3) Folks down there are not watching the news and aren't really aware of the gravity of the situation. Some don't have TVs, for one thing, and for another, they've reached a saturation point.
4) The refugees are really nervous about the future, obviously, but also what the rest of the country's mood is about this. Will New Orleans be rebuilt? Do people care?
5) Most folks were very ill-prepared for this. One family I spent time with was a middle class professional family--both worked, and they had two kids. They had just a little money, and all that went to put them in private schools (the public ones are inundated).
6) Personality types really play into how folks respond. Some take action and just make things happen--others are staring like deer in the headlights, unsure where to even begin. Most are in that latter category.
7) The troops that are there are very respectful and helpful. And there were endless streams of official vehicles from all over the US going down to help.
8) The townspeople where the refugees have fled are generally warm and receptive. That's starting to turn a bit, though.
9) The biggest tension will probably be from living in close proximity, especially when people force pets on non-pet households and such.
I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to be with these fine folks who are going to face so much down the road. They've learned to be grateful for the little things, and I leave you three examples:
1) After we unloaded, I showered but noticed that PH never did. Later I said, "Wouldn't you be more comfortable if you showered and changed?" That's when she said she only had that one set of clothes. She's the older lady in this picture, but now she had a couple of men's shirts to wear.
2) As I was folding up the ratty old packing blankets and throwing them back in the truck, she said: "We don't have any blankets, either. Any chance you could leave those?"
3) We had room for some bicycles (we figured the kids would be bored to death, and this would give them some exercise). The only problem is that there was one more kid than there were bicycles. You could tell the nine year old was sad about it, but since he was an even more temporary refugee, it was decided that he wouldn't get a bike. This morning, though, the oldest girl gave him her new bike so that he could take it back with him when heading back to Pensacola today to be reunited with his parents. Those are the sorts of lessons kids need an opportunity to learn, on both sides of the equation.
On the sleeper sofa, which they were excited to sit on, left to right: older girl who decided to give her bike; younger boy who received it: PH, the grandmother; youngest grandchild; PH's husband. The parents are on the floor.
#adGiving to large organizations like the Red Cross is probably the best bet for most of us, but if you have spare time or money, there are all sorts of things you can do and I'd encourage you to get involved directly instead of through organizations. There's too much damn waste and bureaucracy in the world. Don't think it through too much, either. Just fill your car with disposable diapers and you'll make more friends than you can imagine!
All the areas outside New Orleans proper are pretty safe. People are behaving and just need lots of stuff. I've got 13k on my 6-month old '05, but I sure love it. You can hitch most anything up to it, fill it to the top, and munch miles all day.
