[StBernard] blighted list - The search for Recovery

[Westley Annis]

PD, glad you took the effort to help explain the situation. No one knows the
true pain of the "struggle" to recovery like those who were placed in
"harm's way" and had to foot the additional expenses that further
exacerbated one's life (if not lifetime) unless it happens to them.
Yesterday, I met someone in Best Buy who experienced a similar struggle as
you, I and countless hundreds of thousands. Ironically, it was not from
Katrina but from a Hurricane which happened in June, 1972!!

Wikipedia reports:

"Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the
1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on
Florida before moving northeastward and hitting New England as a tropical
storm, with the worst damage occurring in parts of northeastern Pennsylvania
and upstate New York. Agnes brought heavy rainfall along its path, killing
129 and causing $11.6 billion (2005 US dollars) in damage. At the time, it
was the most damaging hurricane ever recorded, surpassing Hurricane Betsy,
and it would not be surpassed until Hurricane Hugo in 1989."

--That is until Katrina. As the story continues, our Best Buy employee said
that her life began a flashback after seeing the devestating effects of
Katrina last summer, almost reliving it over. As flood waters poured over
their homes in many counties in Pennsylvania, it brought back vivid
memories, so surreal she had to ask herself if it wasn't Agnes all over
again. Her empathy for us and the St. Bernard/N.O. Victims was real, having
dredged through the trauma, the horrific days of struggle waiting weeks to
get back, the mold and cleaning effort that followed their storm.

I felt as if someone was listening, as she mentioned her ordeal of waiting
for assistance, her local government problems, state problems and
subsequential help by the FEDs to offer grants and assistance. One thing
shocked me as we discussed recovery. She mentioned that after a very short
while (2-3 months) there was hope, financial recovering, rebuilding to an
ever BETTER community than before. State of the art construction, materials,
people helping others with exhilaration and vigor. She certainly saw a hugh
light at the end of a gloomy tunnel.

Folks, they had enormous hope! Much of which we need to go beyond dispair
and concern about what will happen to us. Even in the wake of a future storm
which struck their area again -- gravely (Floyd, 1999). And most recently, a
month ago floods threatened them as the runnaway waters hit the eastern USA.


Yes, she experienced it once again with our plight, but prayed that our
recovery would soon find its way to our hearts and minds--comfort and fear
from anxieties is what we most certainly and urgently need.

For further info about Hurricane Agnes, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Agnes

--Jer--

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JFR,
Once again your comments are coming across as judgemental.  What exactly are
you suggesting by asking how many vacations I have been on in recent years.
Just for the record I have been on vacation only 4 times in the 28 years I
lived in the parish.  Not that it is your business but I am a divorced woman
with two children and I have worked hard for every penny I had.  Yes, I had
insurance, but as a lot of us know it didn't come close to what I needed.  I
don't know of anyone who anticipated TOTAL devastation.  I struggled to pay
the premium for the coverage I had.  As far as planning ahead, have you ever
been in a situation financially where you lived paycheck to paycheck. I
bought the insurance that I could afford and that I believed would bring me
back.
Maybe in the neighborhood where you lived there were neighbors who were in
similar financial situation such as yourself.  In that case, if they are
abandoning their property I can understand your frustration.  But take a
ride around the parish, into the neigborhoods where the average income folks
lived.  Not much is happening at all in those areas.  Very few have come
back.  It is only my guess, but maybe some of those were in similar
situations.  No extra money to plan ahead for such a TOTAL devastation.
Again, it's just my opinion, but it is coming across as those with means are
blasting those without.  And it is my belief that until the parish gets
their act together there will be many who will hesistate to return whether
it is a financial decision or not.
PD