Saturday, December 31, 2005
One of the jobs that a volunteer can perform is an assessment of the current and future needs of a victim of the hurricane disaster. This is accomplished by sending two person teams to interview all available residents as to where they stand in the process of returning themselves to a home. The survey requests information on their medical condition, services that may be needed, the status of FEMA request for money or temporary trailers, the need for food and water, and the current and next phase of construction of a residence.
The following is a synopsis of a few assessments that were conducted in a neighborhood that is very close to the Gulf Coast. There was anywhere from 8 to 20 feet of water passing through the neighborhood. For a few blocks from the waters edge, almost all homes were completely destroyed and had to be demolished and removed to a landfill. For the next 6 six blocks, approximately 75% of the homes were destroyed. It was within this 6 block area that the following stories were told by victims in the course of assessments.
Jerry lost everything. Water was 15 feet high and extended several feet into the attic of his one story house. He evacuated to Pensacola. He received a FEMA trailer on October 1st which was a day that the President visited nearby Biloxi. The FEMA trailer leaks from significant condensation that drips from the ceiling. The shower also leaks. His wife has a case of pneumonia developing and her doctor wants her to get of the trailer ASAP.
There were 150 mile per hour winds in his area. Two families stayed in their home on Fournier Street. Both families ended up making holes in their roofs and swiming to rescue boats.
The landlord has had the inside of this duplex stripped of the rotted wood and wet sheetrock. The next step is spraying the bare studs and flooring with a bleach mixture to assure that any mold is removed. Three sprayings are required before a building inspector will permit electrical and plumbing to start. One duplex is near completion and the other unit needs to have the drywall finished and painted. Jerry hopes to be out of the trailer and in the second unit in about 3 weeks.
Jerry is working about 3 hours a day to help the landlord finish construction. His health is not good so he is limited in the tasks that he can perform. He was receiving food stamps for a while but they have been cut off. He said the food stamps were very handy, but now he receives food at the local distribution center.
He has a positive attitude about his situation. Between the health problems of he and his wife, the devastating effects of the hurricane, and the battles to try and get any available money from FEMA, it is a wonder that he has the will to move forward and get his life back together.
Next on Fournier Street we met the Joris family. The son and grandson live across the street from the grandfather. Some folks have a mindset that they were here during hurricane Camile many years ago and that they can stay home and survive again. The water from Camile was only four feet high. When the water from Katrina began to rise, the son and grandson Joris went into their attic. When the water got to the attic, they made a hole in the roof and swam across the street to the grandfathers house which was on a slightly higher lot. Then the water rose into the attic of the grandfathers house. Again they made a hole in the roof. With the grandfather in tow, they swam to a nearby boat.
They have FEMA trailers and feel they are blessed to be alive. Their properties need some debris removal and they are dealing with insurance companies and FEMA to see what kind of funds they will have to rebuild.
The common thread for these two families and others is that they are determined to rebuild their lives in spite of multiple problems - health issues, government red tape, money problems which include having to pay the mortgage on the original home, and in some cases emotional problems stemming from the hurricane itself. We did not hear any bitterness even though the insurance companies are denying and reducing benefits and FEMA has almost insurmountable red tape. They are happy and very appreciative to have volunteers to come and talk to them and provide any amount of assistance. There was no mistrust on their parts and there seems to be a strong feeling that volunteerism will help succeed where government support systems are failing.
Clive and David Durose
The following is a synopsis of a few assessments that were conducted in a neighborhood that is very close to the Gulf Coast. There was anywhere from 8 to 20 feet of water passing through the neighborhood. For a few blocks from the waters edge, almost all homes were completely destroyed and had to be demolished and removed to a landfill. For the next 6 six blocks, approximately 75% of the homes were destroyed. It was within this 6 block area that the following stories were told by victims in the course of assessments.
Jerry lost everything. Water was 15 feet high and extended several feet into the attic of his one story house. He evacuated to Pensacola. He received a FEMA trailer on October 1st which was a day that the President visited nearby Biloxi. The FEMA trailer leaks from significant condensation that drips from the ceiling. The shower also leaks. His wife has a case of pneumonia developing and her doctor wants her to get of the trailer ASAP.
There were 150 mile per hour winds in his area. Two families stayed in their home on Fournier Street. Both families ended up making holes in their roofs and swiming to rescue boats.
The landlord has had the inside of this duplex stripped of the rotted wood and wet sheetrock. The next step is spraying the bare studs and flooring with a bleach mixture to assure that any mold is removed. Three sprayings are required before a building inspector will permit electrical and plumbing to start. One duplex is near completion and the other unit needs to have the drywall finished and painted. Jerry hopes to be out of the trailer and in the second unit in about 3 weeks.
Jerry is working about 3 hours a day to help the landlord finish construction. His health is not good so he is limited in the tasks that he can perform. He was receiving food stamps for a while but they have been cut off. He said the food stamps were very handy, but now he receives food at the local distribution center.
He has a positive attitude about his situation. Between the health problems of he and his wife, the devastating effects of the hurricane, and the battles to try and get any available money from FEMA, it is a wonder that he has the will to move forward and get his life back together.
Next on Fournier Street we met the Joris family. The son and grandson live across the street from the grandfather. Some folks have a mindset that they were here during hurricane Camile many years ago and that they can stay home and survive again. The water from Camile was only four feet high. When the water from Katrina began to rise, the son and grandson Joris went into their attic. When the water got to the attic, they made a hole in the roof and swam across the street to the grandfathers house which was on a slightly higher lot. Then the water rose into the attic of the grandfathers house. Again they made a hole in the roof. With the grandfather in tow, they swam to a nearby boat.
They have FEMA trailers and feel they are blessed to be alive. Their properties need some debris removal and they are dealing with insurance companies and FEMA to see what kind of funds they will have to rebuild.
The common thread for these two families and others is that they are determined to rebuild their lives in spite of multiple problems - health issues, government red tape, money problems which include having to pay the mortgage on the original home, and in some cases emotional problems stemming from the hurricane itself. We did not hear any bitterness even though the insurance companies are denying and reducing benefits and FEMA has almost insurmountable red tape. They are happy and very appreciative to have volunteers to come and talk to them and provide any amount of assistance. There was no mistrust on their parts and there seems to be a strong feeling that volunteerism will help succeed where government support systems are failing.
Clive and David Durose
Thursday, December 29, 2005
The "construction team" arrived yesterday, and today was our first day of service to the people of D'Iberville. Irene, the director of volunteer services, gives out the assignments. At first, she told us that we would be doing "assessments" to find out what the residents need. But we had heard that there was actual construction work to do, and asked Irene if there might be any projects that she needed to be completed. She was excited to find out that we had such skills, and quickly reassigned us as a work party. WE got two jobs. The first was a possible roofing and porch repair, and the second involved a plumbing problem.
We loaded up and headed off to the first site. Actually, both sites were within 100 yards of eachother. At the house lived an 85 year old woman and her grown son. Her metal roof still leaks when it rains and her floors are being ruined. Jon F., Ryan F., and Andreas B. assessed the roof job while Roger and Sam S. and Tom L. walked to the trailer park to find the plumbing problem. They met Becky and Carl, the tenants, who explained that they had not had running water for 4 months. Their mobile home had been blown off it's foundation which sheared a water line and caused their water shortage. Half of their roof is missing, and they live in only one small room at the end of the trailer while awaiting help from FEMA. They had been collecting rainwater in buckets to use in their toilet and used bottled water to drink. The three POP plumbers found the source of the leak- actually a small PVC pipe was broken, and off to Lowes they went to find a $0.25 fix. Two hours later, Becky and Carl had running water in their toilet and sink again. They were very happy, and their excitement was a source of great satisfaction for our team. Our first victory!
We are waiting on word about materials for the roofing job, and in the meantime have found a new project installing drywall in a house that was completely flooded by Katrina's storm surge, leaving the family homeless. That project may take up the rest of our time here.
The rest of the POP team arrived during the day today, and many of them were able to get half a day's work in doing the assessments that we had originally planned to do. This is very fulfilling work, as you meet the residents, hear their stories, share their pain, and hopefully offer them some hope and brotherly love.
More tomorrow. Peace and prayers from D'Iberville!
Tom L. and Roger S.
We loaded up and headed off to the first site. Actually, both sites were within 100 yards of eachother. At the house lived an 85 year old woman and her grown son. Her metal roof still leaks when it rains and her floors are being ruined. Jon F., Ryan F., and Andreas B. assessed the roof job while Roger and Sam S. and Tom L. walked to the trailer park to find the plumbing problem. They met Becky and Carl, the tenants, who explained that they had not had running water for 4 months. Their mobile home had been blown off it's foundation which sheared a water line and caused their water shortage. Half of their roof is missing, and they live in only one small room at the end of the trailer while awaiting help from FEMA. They had been collecting rainwater in buckets to use in their toilet and used bottled water to drink. The three POP plumbers found the source of the leak- actually a small PVC pipe was broken, and off to Lowes they went to find a $0.25 fix. Two hours later, Becky and Carl had running water in their toilet and sink again. They were very happy, and their excitement was a source of great satisfaction for our team. Our first victory!
We are waiting on word about materials for the roofing job, and in the meantime have found a new project installing drywall in a house that was completely flooded by Katrina's storm surge, leaving the family homeless. That project may take up the rest of our time here.
The rest of the POP team arrived during the day today, and many of them were able to get half a day's work in doing the assessments that we had originally planned to do. This is very fulfilling work, as you meet the residents, hear their stories, share their pain, and hopefully offer them some hope and brotherly love.
More tomorrow. Peace and prayers from D'Iberville!
Tom L. and Roger S.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
For the first five travellers of the Recovery Team today began with breakfast at WaffleHouse and then a 4 1/2 hour drive to D'Iberville. Upon our arrival we sought directions from two Winn Dixie cashiers on a break. They directed us to the POD (Point of Distribution--where residents can go to get whatever supplies they are needing) where a Mennonite volunteer pointed us to the ballpark we hoped would house the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance camp.
We found the ballpark, though it wasn't the PDA park. In fact we had found the park that is used by the city to coordinate their disaster relief efforts. Here we met Miss Irene. Irene is a resident of D'Iberville, a college professor, director of recovery efforts and a woman of deep faith. After registering as volunteers with the city and receiving official identification cards she led us through a brief orientation.
Miss Irene reminded us that the residents of this area have been through a terrible experience and its aftermath for 4 months. They are suffering with Post Traumatic Stress and are very fragile. The people of this town are proud and receiving charitable help is sometimes difficult. She urged us to consider ourselves as people here to work with the people and not as folk who have come to give something to them. Miss Irene encouraged us to believe that we are the hands and feet of Jesus and to provide ministry in the way that he did. Miss Irene asked that we be willing to do whatever it was that she needed done, even if it was something that we would rather not do, and to ask for help if we weren't sure what to do. Lastly, she thanked us for coming to help. Miss Irene is gracious, professional, compassionate and dedicated. The people of this town are fortunate to have this wonderful person.
After our orientation we found our way to the PDA camp. We were greeted by Bill C., the Camp Manager. Bill signed us in, provided us with official PDA identification tags and t-shirts and gave us a little orientation of his own. We were given "habitat" (corrigated plastic cabins with aluminum and canvas cots inside) assignments and asked if we could please check out the kerosene heaters to insure that they were all in working order (we did and they were).
We unpacked our belongings and then travelled to the POD to deliver the relief supplies provided by the women of Prince of Peace. The workers at the POD graciously received our donations. We decided to hang onto the teddy bears provided by the Brownies and distribute them ourselves when we have the opportunity.
Dinner was back at the first ballpark. Canned raviolli, green beans and garlic powdered white bread fed our stomachs and helped us realize a little more how nice we have it back home. At dinner we enjoyed the company of a man who lives in the area. He shared a little about the flooding and damage that he has seen and the difficult work of recovery. As he left he took a couple of plates of food with him for his kids. We dropped off more supplies (plates, cups, plasticware, etc.) at the dining area. The rest of our supplies were brought into the PDA camp community tent (snack foods, coffee, tea, etc.) to be shared with those staying there.
Tom L. arrived in the early evening bringing our numbers to six. This evening we enjoyed a "talent" show and devotion. A group of young people from Canada shared their music and humor with about 100 people who are staying at camp. We have also met people from Indiana, New York, California, South Carolina and Virginia all staying at the PDA camp.
We are looking forward to our first day of work tomorrow and the arrival of the rest of our team. Clive and David D, Stephanie and Perry J. and Ron H. are scheduled to arrive in the morning. Michael R. and Clarke R. should make it to camp around noon. We will miss two of our members, Nancy and Tom F., who weren't able to make the trip.
It is amazing and wonderful to see folk coming from all over to help in the recovery efforts.
On the ballfield next to ours FEMA has set up RV trailers for residents whose homes are uninhabitable. They walk about 1/4 mile to a truck with showers in it and eat in a very large tent. The cold showers that are for our use seem a minor inconvenience compared to their troubles.
I am looking forward to tomorrow and an opportunity to work more closely with the people of D'Iberville.
Jon Fregger
We found the ballpark, though it wasn't the PDA park. In fact we had found the park that is used by the city to coordinate their disaster relief efforts. Here we met Miss Irene. Irene is a resident of D'Iberville, a college professor, director of recovery efforts and a woman of deep faith. After registering as volunteers with the city and receiving official identification cards she led us through a brief orientation.
Miss Irene reminded us that the residents of this area have been through a terrible experience and its aftermath for 4 months. They are suffering with Post Traumatic Stress and are very fragile. The people of this town are proud and receiving charitable help is sometimes difficult. She urged us to consider ourselves as people here to work with the people and not as folk who have come to give something to them. Miss Irene encouraged us to believe that we are the hands and feet of Jesus and to provide ministry in the way that he did. Miss Irene asked that we be willing to do whatever it was that she needed done, even if it was something that we would rather not do, and to ask for help if we weren't sure what to do. Lastly, she thanked us for coming to help. Miss Irene is gracious, professional, compassionate and dedicated. The people of this town are fortunate to have this wonderful person.
After our orientation we found our way to the PDA camp. We were greeted by Bill C., the Camp Manager. Bill signed us in, provided us with official PDA identification tags and t-shirts and gave us a little orientation of his own. We were given "habitat" (corrigated plastic cabins with aluminum and canvas cots inside) assignments and asked if we could please check out the kerosene heaters to insure that they were all in working order (we did and they were).
We unpacked our belongings and then travelled to the POD to deliver the relief supplies provided by the women of Prince of Peace. The workers at the POD graciously received our donations. We decided to hang onto the teddy bears provided by the Brownies and distribute them ourselves when we have the opportunity.
Dinner was back at the first ballpark. Canned raviolli, green beans and garlic powdered white bread fed our stomachs and helped us realize a little more how nice we have it back home. At dinner we enjoyed the company of a man who lives in the area. He shared a little about the flooding and damage that he has seen and the difficult work of recovery. As he left he took a couple of plates of food with him for his kids. We dropped off more supplies (plates, cups, plasticware, etc.) at the dining area. The rest of our supplies were brought into the PDA camp community tent (snack foods, coffee, tea, etc.) to be shared with those staying there.
Tom L. arrived in the early evening bringing our numbers to six. This evening we enjoyed a "talent" show and devotion. A group of young people from Canada shared their music and humor with about 100 people who are staying at camp. We have also met people from Indiana, New York, California, South Carolina and Virginia all staying at the PDA camp.
We are looking forward to our first day of work tomorrow and the arrival of the rest of our team. Clive and David D, Stephanie and Perry J. and Ron H. are scheduled to arrive in the morning. Michael R. and Clarke R. should make it to camp around noon. We will miss two of our members, Nancy and Tom F., who weren't able to make the trip.
It is amazing and wonderful to see folk coming from all over to help in the recovery efforts.
On the ballfield next to ours FEMA has set up RV trailers for residents whose homes are uninhabitable. They walk about 1/4 mile to a truck with showers in it and eat in a very large tent. The cold showers that are for our use seem a minor inconvenience compared to their troubles.
I am looking forward to tomorrow and an opportunity to work more closely with the people of D'Iberville.
Jon Fregger
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
At 6:20 this morning Andreas B., Ryan F., Roger S., Sam S. and I hitched up the U-Haul trailer full of tools, supplies and relief donations (gathered by the women of the church and Nicole and Menley C.'s Brownie Troop), climbed into our Chevy Blazer (gracious donated by David J.) and started our 1051 mile journey from Crofton, Maryland, to D'Iberville, Mississippi.
At 8:20 Central Time we pulled into an EconoLodge in Auburn, Alabama. 15 hours of travel leave us only about 4 1/2 hours left before we reach our destination. Our travels were slowed by road construction outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, and evening rush hour traffic in Atlanta, Georgia. A leisurely lunch and dinner added to our time but were necessary after long stretches in the truck.
Our time in the truck was spent sharing the stories of our lives, napping, and watching movies on Ryan F.'s DVD player. Andreas enjoyed looking at the passing scenery. He says the landscape is much different than his home country of Germany. Those of us from Maryland have talked about the culture shock we may experience in traveling to D'Iberville. I imagine this dynamic will be even greater for our friend from Germany.
We are excited about arriving in D'Iberville early tomorrow afternoon. We will be able to get settled in camp, get a lay of the land, deliver our relief donations to the distribution center, and pick up Tom L. who is scheduled to arrive by air at about 3:00 p.m. The rest of the team is scheduled to arrive on Thursday morning.
Good night and may God continue to grant us all safe travels and an inspiring journey.
Jon Fregger
At 8:20 Central Time we pulled into an EconoLodge in Auburn, Alabama. 15 hours of travel leave us only about 4 1/2 hours left before we reach our destination. Our travels were slowed by road construction outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, and evening rush hour traffic in Atlanta, Georgia. A leisurely lunch and dinner added to our time but were necessary after long stretches in the truck.
Our time in the truck was spent sharing the stories of our lives, napping, and watching movies on Ryan F.'s DVD player. Andreas enjoyed looking at the passing scenery. He says the landscape is much different than his home country of Germany. Those of us from Maryland have talked about the culture shock we may experience in traveling to D'Iberville. I imagine this dynamic will be even greater for our friend from Germany.
We are excited about arriving in D'Iberville early tomorrow afternoon. We will be able to get settled in camp, get a lay of the land, deliver our relief donations to the distribution center, and pick up Tom L. who is scheduled to arrive by air at about 3:00 p.m. The rest of the team is scheduled to arrive on Thursday morning.
Good night and may God continue to grant us all safe travels and an inspiring journey.
Jon Fregger
