Katrina Victims Check In Thread

[Robocop]

Anyone heard from Rick lately? I got a message at my precinct some time past and was not available to get it. Our message system is only as good as the desk officer and well that is not saying very much. I believe it may have been from Rick as I just read that he tried to reach me...sorry if I missed you Rick and check your PM when you can.
We have been very busy here and I am just getting back to my usual CPF routine. I was amazed at how many victims escaped to my area and the relief efforts have kept us all busy. I am happy to see so many that did escape and also for the members here who are still with us.
I was shocked at how many Police as well as civilians lost everything. My Dept. is sending officers down on a 5 day rotation with about 40 to 50 going on each trip. We are also hosting many police families and the devastation is incredible and really un-imaginable until you see it.
If anyone can get me some addresses and true names in private I may be able to check on them. I have many friends from work in the worst areas right now and I may be able to get some kind of update or at least the condition of their area. The worst problem is communication and from what I can see the cell service is still spotty at best. The police have 500 radios donated by the Feds and are making due for now in the areas worst destroyed.
We were very lucky here and had wind damage mostly and no power for some time. The worst part for my area is the incredible surge of people seeking refuge. We have several places set aside to help and it is slowly returning to some form of a normal process. It is sad for many as they are forced to simply try to start over and blend in with nothing more than what they left with.
I have been able to read most of these posts and I can say I am amazed at the class of people on this forum. It is nice to see so many who offer help and support to other members. I hope that all involved will recover and I will check back here from time to time.

 

[Robocop]

Just tried to send Rick a PM and it got rejected saying his box was too full. Anyone heard from him lately? I sent a regular E-Mail also however do not know if it made it.
GreenLED check your PM also when you can...I appreciate the thoughts from you. I will check back in as soon as I can and I was very happy to see that Chop is safe as well as his family.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

Hey all,

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to check in. I've been in New
Orleans, in the 'Top of the Triangle' in the Marigny, just a couple
blocks from the French Quarter for the whole event. I was afraid to
leave my house much of the time for fear that NOPD thugs would
strong-arm me out of the city. With the NOPD in total collapse the
mayor jumped on a strategy of forcing everyone to evacuate so his
thieving toothless minions would be less of a political embarrassment
to him. My house was not damaged by wind or rain. We did not flood.
That made no difference to the City. Dealing with the City was
actually far more of a challenge than the storm. Untold millions in
property damage from the storm and looters is directly attributable to
this poorly thought out policy that kept home owners from even evaluating,
let alone tarping their damaged roofs. The restoration of services
continues to be bogged down by this decision as utility crews must either
break into properties for routine access to meters -- or wait for
locksmiths to arrive to pick the locks. In my part of town every
gas meter must be disconnected and they are ALL behind locked doors
or gates. Looters go behind the utility crews with the knowledge that
the B&E part of their job has already been done for them.

On the other hand, all of the Federal agents I dealt with were top
notch. The same was true for the 82nd Airborne and ALL of the other
military/National Guard troops. In our daily dealings with all of
the various Feds and troops, none of them ever gave us away to the
NOPD. The utility guys were thrilled to find anyone at home
who could just let them in so they could get their work done more
quickly -- so they never pimped us out to the NOPD either.

My power came back on six weeks after the storm; the City announced
that the water was drinkable the day before. So they say. My land-line
is down and may stay that way for another month or two so I'm posting
this on someone else's box. I probably won't be posting much for the
foreseeable future. The gas utility situation is just as bad as the
phones. No garbage pickup yet, either.

We were pretty well prepared for this event. I looked for this
apartment for over a year with just this storm in mind. My primary
water system can treat 32,000 gal (no typo) without needing city
water pressure or electricity. We've still got enough food to last
for another three months. I didn't realize until recently that we
have enough batteries to last a couple years.

Mrs Umbra and Stinky the cat are fine, too.

All three of us refuse to accept "Katrina Victim" status.

I miss you all very much.

Hope to be back soon.

Sub

 

[Icebreak]

Sub -

Dang, man! I was wondering about you. A lot of people were.

Please post your PayPal addy or PM it to bwaites, DieselDave or me.

Your extended CPF family would like to send you a little boost. You know, just to make things a little smoother? Yea, yea I know; yer a tough bastid...self sufficiant and all so consider it a favor to the rest of us to let us pitch in a little.

I get it. No victim sn!t for you. I believe there is a group of CPFers that are Katrina Victors. How's that?

I remember you telling me a little bit about your place. Sounds like it worked out just the way you planned. I didn't know about the 32,000 gal. water treatment capability though. That's awesome.

Thanks for letting us know some details about what it was actually like. Amazing stuff.

Don't forget about that PP addy, Sub. If not for you or Mrs. Sub Umbra then for Stinky. A couple of cans of tuna might be appreciated to contribute to that lovely breath. He's got a reputation to maintain.

bwaites -

How about that for a check in post? Wow.

Darell or admins -

I didn't realize this thread had come unglued. Could it be re-stickied? Not all our guys have checked in yet.

---------------------

- Jeff

 

[bwaites]

I hope DieselDave (or one of the others) will resticky it, as even the ones who have checked in are not out of the woods yet!

Great post Sub!! I love people who take the initiative and actually provide for themselves!!

Ditto on the PP addy if you have access!

Bill

 

[DieselDave]

Sub Umbra,
Glad you are doing well. Someone get me an address, paypal or cell number.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

Wow!

I got my landline back today -- way ahead of schedule!!! So I'm
back on my own box at home. I feel like I've been made whole.

Sub -
...Your extended CPF family would like to send you a little boost...

- Jeff

Thanks everyone, but you know what? You have already given me
a boost!

The offer makes me feel really great but it would be totally wrong
to throw any of your resources towards me. As I've said on a couple
other threads -- I'm the luckyest man on Earth. I don't want to take
it away from someone who can use it.

All Katrina really took from me was a little time...and that's really
no biggie when I try to look at the bigger picture.

Thanks again,
Sub

 

[Icebreak]

That's cool, Sub. Bill and some of the others got it rolling. Unsurprisingly, CPFers stepped up to the plate and are continuing in their efforts. As per usual, Sasha put a ton of effort into it.

Some time in the future I'd like to hear more about your experience, planning and strategies.

Glad to hear you are able to use your own tower now. Welcome back to the world?

----------------

- Jeff

 

[js]

Sub,

You are the freakin' MAN! Good to have you back on-line and glad you and yours are all OK!

 

[StarHalo]

Six years ago today.

 

[Icebreak]

Good reminder, StarHalo. We all learned a lot from Katrina. I'm pleased that though some tremendous houses in Mississippi are lost forever they are mending their state well. I'm pleased that though New Orleans may never be what it was in the 70's, it has remained, as I thought it would, a most important port of economic importance, hosts a fine NFL team and populated still by some that know what "The Big Easy" really means.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

I rarely quote the Greatful Dead but, "...What a long, strange trip it's been"
It's great to see you guys around.

Sub

 

[StarHalo]

This week's This American Life podcast (Episode #565 "Lower 9+10") is a walking tour of the Lower Ninth ward of New Orleans on this tenth anniversary of Katrina, with in-depth survivor and evacuee interviews; a must-listen show to have an idea of how damaging the storm was even for those who fled well ahead of time.

 

[paulr]

Six years ago today.

I guess this is an ok necro: And on 16th anniversary yesterday, Ida arrived. NOLA seems to be handling it a lot better than it did Katrina, though power is out everywhere.